Michael Bihovsky (born November 14, 1986) is an American musical theater

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

, actor, singer, songwriter, director,

comedian A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing Amusement is the state of experiencing humorous and entertaining events or situations while the person or a ...

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

, and

chronic illness A chronic condition is a health condition or disease that is persistent or otherwise long-lasting in its effects or a disease that comes with time. The term ''chronic'' is often applied when the course of the disease lasts for more than three mo ...

advocate. He is best known for his musical parodies, especially “ One Grain More” (2012), the award-winning ''

Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original ...

'' food allergy parody, and “Trapped Inside the House” (2020), a “One Grain More” sequel about the

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

Quarantine A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have been ...

. Bihovsky's musical theater pieces center on his work as a chronic illness advocate. He has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (Hypermobility Type), a

connective tissue Connective tissue is one of the four primary types of animal tissue, along with epithelial tissue, muscle tissue, and nervous tissue. It develops from the mesenchyme derived from the mesoderm the middle embryonic germ layer. Connective tiss ...

disorder. His semi-autobiographical musical, “''Fresh''!”, documents the early stages of his journey with EDS while attending

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, the ...

, and his musical-in-progress “''Senses''” applies the principles of neuroplasticity to tell the story of six characters living with chronic neurological and/or psychological conditions. Bihovsky's medical advocacy writing has been published in multiple publications, including the

Stanford Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is considere ...

Medical Journal's SCOPE Project. In addition to his public writings and interviews about chronic illness, Bihovsky also leads support groups for people suffering from EDS and similar conditions. As a playwright and advocate, Bihovsky is known for his integration of science and art, having graduated from NYU's

Gallatin School of Individualized Study The Gallatin School of Individualized Study (commonly referred to as Gallatin) is a small interdisciplinary college within New York University (NYU). Students at Gallatin design an interdisciplinary program that meets their specific interests a ...

with a concentration in “Musical Theater Performance and Composition,

Astrophysics Astrophysics is a science that employs the methods and principles of physics and chemistry in the study of astronomical objects and phenomena. As one of the founders of the discipline said, Astrophysics "seeks to ascertain the nature of the h ...

and

Myth Myth is a folklore genre consisting of Narrative, narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or Origin myth, origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not Objectivity (philosophy), ...

ology.” He has described himself as particularly fascinated by the concept of

infinity Infinity is that which is boundless, endless, or larger than any natural number. It is often denoted by the infinity symbol . Since the time of the ancient Greeks, the philosophical nature of infinity was the subject of many discussions amo ...

, and written a play, “''Without End'',” exploring the topic. Bihovsky is also a voice and acting teacher in the Greater Philadelphia region, specializing in musical theater auditions for conservatories and productions.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bihovsky, Michael Living people 1986 births New York University Gallatin School of Individualized Study alumni American composers 21st-century American actors