Michael Arden

Michael Arden made his Broadway debut as Tom Sawyer in Big River in 2003. He appeared off-Broadway in Bare, a Pop Opera (2004), performed in the World AIDS Day benefit concert of Pippin (2004), and starred in Swimming in the Shallows (2005). In 2006, he starred in The Times They Are A-Changin' at the Old Globe Theatre and later on Broadway, followed by Ace (2007). He toured Europe with Barbra Streisand as one of her "Broadway Boys" in 2007 and starred in a revival of Aspects of Love in London in 2010. Arden later played Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame at La Jolla Playhouse (2014) and Paper Mill Playhouse (2015).

Arden transitioned into directing with Deaf West Theatre's revival of Spring Awakening, which played in Los Angeles in 2014 before transferring to Broadway in 2015 and earned him his first Tony Award nomination for Best Direction of a Musical in 2016. He directed My Fair Lady and The Pride in 2016, Merrily We Roll Along in 2017, the Broadway revival of Once on This Island (2017–2019), Annie at the Hollywood Bowl (2018), A Christmas Carol (2018), the American premiere of Maybe Happy Ending (2020), Parade at New York City Center (2022) and on Broadway (2023), winning the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for Parade. He also directed the Broadway premiere of Maybe Happy Ending in 2024, earning another Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. Arden helmed the stage adaptation of The Lost Boys (currently running on Broadway at the Palace Theatre), for which he won a Tony Award for Lighting Design and earned his fifth nomination in directing.

On television, Arden appeared in Grey's Anatomy, NUMB3RS, The Return of Jezebel James (2008), Kings, The Closer, Bones, The Good Wife (2011), and had a regular role on Anger Management.

His film credits include Bride Wars (2009), The Cave Movie (2009), and Source Code (2011).

In addition to acting and directing, Arden has written the musicals Easter Rising, As You Like It, and Ripley.

He will direct the 2026 Lincoln Center Theater revival of Aaron Sorkin's A Few Good Men.