Michael Mayer
CHESS Will Release Cast Recording Next Week; Listen to 'Anthem' Now (Apr 3, 2026)
Video: Bryce Pinkham and the Cast of CHESS Perform 'The Arbiter' on KELLY CLARKSON (Mar 27, 2026)
Meet the Cast of THE LOST BOYS, Now Playing on Broadway! (Mar 27, 2026)
BIO
Recent work includes: Chess (Kennedy Center), WarholCapote (ART), Michael Moore's The Terms of My Surrender (Belasco), and the world premiere of Nico Muhly's opera Marnie at London's ENO. Broadway Credits include: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Tony Award, best musical revival, also National Tour), Spring Awakening (Tony Award/Best Musical and Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Director; also London, National Tour, Vienna, Tokyo, and Seoul productions); American Idiot (also co-author, Drama Desk Award for Best Director; also US, UK and Asia tours); Thoroughly Modern Millie (Tony Award/Best Musical also London and National Tour), Side Man (Tony Award/Best Play also London and Kennedy Center Productions), A View from the Bridge (Tony Award/Best Revival), Everyday Rapture, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, and Triumph of Love. Off-Broadway credits include: Love, Love, Love (Roundabout), Brooklynite (Also co-author, Vineyard), Whorl Inside A Loop (with Dick Scanlan, Second Stage), 10 Million Miles (Atlantic). National Tour: Angels in America. London: a record-breaking West End run of Funny Girl and UK tour. Tokyo: As You Like It (Toho Theatre). Film: The Seagull, A Home at the End of the World, and Flicka. Television: Smash (Director/Producer, Season One) and two seasons of Alpha House for Amazon. Opera: a celebrated production of Rigoletto (Met). He serves on the Board of New York Stage and Film. @MichaelMayerDIR. This one is for Beatrice Terry.
Photos
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Productions
Writing
Awards and Nominations
Michael Mayer, Funny Girl
winner
Michael Mayer, Little Shop of Horrors
Michael Mayer, Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Michael Mayer, Hedwig and the Angry Inch
winner
Michael Mayer, American Idiot
winner
Michael Mayer, American Idiot
winner
Michael Mayer, Spring Awakening
winner
Michael Mayer
winner
Michael Mayer, Spring Awakening
Michael Mayer, Spring Awakening
winner
Michael Mayer, Spring Awakening
winner
Michael Mayer, Spring Awakening
Michael Mayer, Thoroughly Modern Millie
Michael Mayer, Thoroughly Modern Millie
winner
Michael Mayer, Uncle Vanya
winner
Michael Mayer, A View from the Bridge
Michael Mayer, You're a Good Man
Michael Mayer, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
winner
Michael Mayer, A View from the Bridge / Side Man
Michael Mayer, A View From the Bridge
winner
Michael Mayer, A View from the Bridge
Michael Mayer, America Dreaming
Videos
Video: Watch Lea Michele and the Cast of CHESS Perform 'Nobody's Side' on THE LATE SHOW
by Josh Sharpe - 2026-03-18 10:07:26
Video: Aaron Tveit, Lea Michele & Nicholas Christopher Perform From CHESS on TODAY
by Josh Sharpe - 2025-12-15 17:48:37
Notes on a Script: Danny Strong on Making the Book to CHESS Work
by Joey Mervis - 2025-11-20 12:40:04
Video: Aaron Tveit & CHESS Cast Launch the 'One Night In Bangkok Challenge'
by Michael Major - 2025-11-14 10:18:09
Video: Aaron Tveit, Lea Michele & Nicholas Christopher Talk CHESS, Share Vocal Warmups on THE TONIGHT SHOW
by Josh Sharpe - 2025-11-11 10:41:15
Video: Watch Madeline Brewer & Major Attaway Sing 'Sominex' in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
by Michael Major - 2025-10-27 12:26:44
Exclusive: Go Inside the First Preview of CHESS With New Footage
by Michael Major - 2025-10-17 10:00:20
Video: Liz Gillies Sings 'Somewhere That's Green' in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
by Michael Major - 2025-06-17 11:16:42
Video: Milo Manheim and Liz Gillies Talk LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, Favorite Musicals, & More in Puppy Interview
by Josh Sharpe - 2025-03-24 14:58:28
Video: Watch Christina Nilsson Sing 'O patria mia' From Michael Mayer's AIDA
by Michael Major - 2025-03-20 09:42:08
Video: Sherie Rene Scott Belts Out 'My Strongest Suit' During Birthday Party
by Michael Major - 2025-02-10 14:01:38
Video: Michael Mayer Is Digging Into a New Kind of AIDA at the Met
by Joey Mervis - 2025-01-23 11:32:48
SWEPT AWAY Original Broadway Cast Recording Will Be Released in February
by Stephi Wild - 2024-12-03 09:13:45
News
by Stephi Wild - Apr 3, 2026
The 2025 Broadway Cast Recording of CHESS will be released in digital and streaming formats on Friday, April 10. Learn more about how to pre-save or or pre-order the album here.
by Josh Sharpe - Mar 27, 2026
During a recent episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, a segment was dedicated to Broadway's Chess, featuring a performance of 'The Arbiter' from the cast of the hit revival. Watch the performance here, led by Bryce Pinkham.
by Stephi Wild - Mar 27, 2026
Performances are now underway for the Broadway premiere of the new musical THE LOST BOYS. The production will open on Sunday, April 26, 2026 at The Palace Theatre. Meet the cast of THE LOST BOYS here!
by Joshua Wright - Mar 25, 2026
Watch Lisette Oropesa sings an excerpt from Violetta’s Act III aria in an early stage rehearsal. A cornerstone of the repertory, Giuseppe Verdi’s opera follows Violetta Valéry, a Parisian courtesan navigating love and sacrifice. The production is directed by Michael Mayer and features a staging designed to reflect the emotional scope of the score.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Mar 25, 2026
American History Unbound has set an all-star lineup of performers for its return to Carnegie Hall with We Chose to Go to the Moon. Stars include Skylar Astin, Elizabeth Gillies and more!
by Nicole Rosky - Mar 25, 2026
Multi-platinum singer, songwriter and actress Joanna 'JoJo' Levesque will return to Broadway as “Florence Vassy” alongside Tony Award winner Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher in the record-breaking new production of CHESS beginning Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
by - Mar 25, 2026
Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is March 25, 2026 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Mar 24, 2026
The Capitol Theatre Port Hope, has revealed the cast members for the four mainstage productions of the Where Our Stories Begin summer season featuring Come From Away and more.
by Joshua Wright - Mar 24, 2026
Watch a first look video of LA TRAVIATA at The Metropolitan Opera, running March 20–June 6, 2026. The production is directed by Michael Mayer and features a staging designed to reflect the emotional scope of the score.
by Stephi Wild - Mar 20, 2026
Emmy Award nominee Lea Michele will depart the twice-extended, record-breaking new production of CHESS on Sunday, June 21, 2026 at Broadway’s Imperial Theatre.
by A.A. Cristi - Mar 20, 2026
Ghostlight Records has released “Nobody’s Side” from the 2025 Broadway cast recording of CHESS. The production stars Lea Michele and Aaron Tveit at the Imperial Theatre. The full album will be released this spring.
by Josh Sharpe - Mar 18, 2026
On Tuesday's episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Lea Michele, along with the Broadway cast and orchestra of Chess, took the stage for a performance of 'Nobody's Side' from the hit revival. Check out Michele's rendition of the song here.
by A.A. Cristi - Mar 17, 2026
WNYC’s All Of It has announced the Spring 2026 lineup for its BROADWAY ON THE RADIO series, featuring CHESS, RAGTIME, and CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL. Hosted by Alison Stewart, the live events will include cast performances and conversations with creative teams.
by A.A. Cristi - Mar 17, 2026
Tony Award winner Michael Mayer will direct WE CHOSE TO GO TO THE MOON at Carnegie Hall on April 7 and 8. Created and narrated by historian John Monsky.
by Josh Sharpe - Mar 13, 2026
Lea Michele, along with the Broadway cast and orchestra of Chess, will visit The Late Show with Stephen Colbert next week for a musical performance from the hit revival.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Feb 27, 2026
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater has named Darren Edward Johnston as Associate Artistic Director of Commercial Strategy and Partnership.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Feb 19, 2026
The Metropolitan Opera has revealed its 2026–27 season, featuring five new and 12 repertory productions, a special 60th-anniversary gala, and performances of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
by Stephi Wild - Feb 19, 2026
To mark the production's West End anniversary, Liberator Film is bringing the film of this award-winning production to cinemas across the UK and Ireland for a limited run starting on 30 April.
by Stephi Wild - Feb 18, 2026
In this edition of Words From the Wings, we catch up with Regine Sophia who is in the Ensemble of Chess Broadway. She takes us backstage at the Imperial Theatre to share some of her favorite backstage moments, must-haves, and more!
by Gillian Blum - Feb 16, 2026
Producers Paul Dainty and TEG Dainty, Ken Davenport and Bob Gaudio announced the Australian cast of the smash-hit musical A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Michael Mayer has written 2 shows including The Flamingo Kid (Bookwriter), American Idiot (Bookwriter).
Outstanding Direction of a Musical (Drama League Awards) for Funny Girl, Outstanding Director of a Musical (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Little Shop of Horrors, Outstanding Director of a Musical (Drama Desk Awards) for Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Best Direction of a Musical (Tony Awards) for Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Best Direction of a Musical (BroadwayWorld Awards) for American Idiot, Outstanding Director of a Musical (Drama Desk Awards) for American Idiot, Best Direction of a Musical (BroadwayWorld Awards) for Spring Awakening, Founders Award for Excellence in Directing (Drama League Awards), Outstanding Director of a Musical (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Spring Awakening, Outstanding Director (The Lortels) for Spring Awakening, Best Direction of a Musical (Tony Awards) for Spring Awakening, Outstanding Director of a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Spring Awakening, Outstanding Director of a Musical (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Thoroughly Modern Millie , Best Direction of a Musical (Tony Awards) for Thoroughly Modern Millie, Outstanding Director - Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Uncle Vanya, Outstanding Director - Play (Drama Desk Awards) for A View from the Bridge, Outstanding Director of a Musical (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for You're a Good Man, Best Direction of a Musical (Tony Awards) for You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Best Director - Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for A View from the Bridge / Side Man, Best Direction of a Play (Tony Awards) for A View From the Bridge, Outstanding Director - Play (Drama Desk Awards) for A View from the Bridge and Outstanding Director - Musical (Drama Desk Awards) for America Dreaming.
Michael Mayer has received several prestigious awards throughout his career. He won the Outstanding Director of a Musical at the Outer Critics Circle Awards for Little Shop of Horrors. He also captured the Best Direction of a Musical at the BroadwayWorld Awards for American Idiot, along with the Outstanding Director of a Musical at the Drama Desk Awards for the same production. His work on Spring Awakening earned him multiple accolades, including the Best Direction of a Musical at the BroadwayWorld Awards, the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing at the Drama League Awards, the Outstanding Director of a Musical at the Outer Critics Circle Awards, and the Best Direction of a Musical at the Tony Awards. Additionally, he received the Outstanding Director of a Play at the Drama Desk Awards for Spring Awakening, as well as for Uncle Vanya and A View from the Bridge. He was also honored with the Outstanding Director - Play at the Drama Desk Awards for A View from the Bridge and the Best Director - Play at the Outer Critics Circle Awards for A View from the Bridge / Side Man.
Videos