Michael Greif (born ca. 1960 in

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, New YorkWelsh, Anne Marie, "New York and family call Michael Greif home", ''The San Diego Union-Tribune'', October 10, 1999, p.E-1) is an American stage director. He has won three

Obie Award The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given since 1956 by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theater artists and groups involved in off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. Starting just after th ...

s and received five

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

nominations, for '' Rent'', '' Grey Gardens'', ''

next to normal ''Next to Normal'' is a 2008 American rock musical with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt. The story centers on a mother who struggles with worsening bipolar disorder and the effects that managing her illness has on her fam ...

'' (sic), ''

Dear Evan Hansen ''Dear Evan Hansen'' is a stage musical with music and lyrics by Pasek and Paul, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and a book by Steven Levenson. The musical follows Evan Hansen, a high school senior with social anxiety, "who invents an important rol ...

'', and ''

Hell's Kitchen Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton, or Midtown West on real estate listings, is a neighborhood on the West Side of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York. It is considered to be bordered by 34th Street (or 41st Street) to the south, ...

''.

Career

Greif attended

Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...

and graduated from the

University of California, San Diego The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego in communications material, formerly and colloquially UCSD) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in San Diego, California, United States. Es ...

graduate directing program. He was the Artistic Director of the La Jolla Playhouse, LaJolla, California from 1994 to 1999. He was an Artistic Associate at the

New York Theatre Workshop __NOTOC__ New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) is an Off-Broadway theater noted for its productions of new works. Located at 79 East 4th Street between Second Avenue and Bowery in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, it h ...

where he directed, among others, '' Bright Lights, Big City'' (1998–99) and the original production of '' Rent'' for which he received the

for direction of a musical and which he later directed on Broadway. Greif has directed several original Broadway musicals and been nominated for the

Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical The Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical has been given since 1960. Before 1960 there was only one award for both play direction and musical direction, then in 1960 the award was split into two categories: ''Dramatic'' and ''Musical''. Wi ...

four times. In addition to ''Rent'', his Broadway credits include ''

If/Then ''If/Then'' is a musical with a libretto by Brian Yorkey and a theatrical score by Tom Kitt, directed by Michael Greif. It tells the story of a 38-year-old woman named Elizabeth who moves back to New York City for a fresh start. ''If/Then ...

'' (also at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C.), ''

Next to Normal ''Next to Normal'' is a 2008 American rock musical with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt. The story centers on a mother who struggles with worsening bipolar disorder and the effects that managing her illness has on her fam ...

'' (also at

Second Stage Theatre Second Stage Theater is a non-profit theater company that presents work by living American writers both on and off Broadway. It is based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and is affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. Founded in 1979 ...

and Arena Stage), '' Grey Gardens'' (also at

Playwrights Horizons Playwrights Horizons is a not-for-profit American Off-Broadway theater located in New York City dedicated to the support and development of contemporary American playwrights, composers, and lyricists, and to the production of their new work. ...

), ''

'' (also at Arena Stage and Second Stage), and '' War Paint'' (also at the

Goodman Theatre Goodman Theatre is a professional theater company located in Chicago's Loop. A major part of the Chicago theatre scene, it is the city's oldest currently active nonprofit theater organization. Part of its present theater complex occupies the ...

, Chicago). In August 2023, it was announced that his

Chicago Shakespeare Theater Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is a non-profit, professional theater company located at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. Its more than six hundred annual performances performed 48 weeks of the year include its critically acclaimed Shakespeare ...

production of '' The Notebook'' would transfer to Broadway in March 2024 and in September 2023, it was announced that he would transfer his

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

production of '' Days of Wine and Roses'' to Broadway in January 2024. Among his many directing credits

are

Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer and songwriter. A classically trained pianist, Keys began composing songs at the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records at 15. After d ...

' autobiographical musical ''Hell's Kitchen'', Katori Hall's ''Our Lady of Kibeho'',

John Guare John Guare ( ; born February 5, 1938) is an American playwright and screenwriter. He is best known as the author of '' The House of Blue Leaves'' and '' Six Degrees of Separation''. Early life He was raised in Jackson Heights, Queens.Druckma ...

's ''

Landscape of the Body ''Landscape of the Body'' is a two-act play by John Guare, first performed in 1977. Synopsis The play is episodic and non-linear, as it travels back and forth in time. The plot centers on a woman named Betty, whose son, Bert, was recently murde ...

'' and ''A Few Stout Individuals'' at Signature Theatre, '' Beauty of the Father'' for the

Manhattan Theatre Club Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) is a theatre company located in New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. Lynne Meadow has been the company’s Artistic Director and visionary since 1972. Barry Grove joined the company in 19 ...

, the 2009

production of ''Mrs. Sharp'' (with music and lyrics by Ryan Scott Oliver and starring

Jane Krakowski Jane Krakowski (; ; born October 11, 1968) is an American actress and singer. She starred as Jenna Maroney in the NBC satirical comedy series ''30 Rock'' (2006–2013, 2020), for which she received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Out ...

), and ''

Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...

The Winter's Tale ''The Winter's Tale'' is a play by William Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, many modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some criti ...

,'' and ''

The Tempest ''The Tempest'' is a Shakespeare's plays, play by William Shakespeare, probably written in 1610–1611, and thought to be one of the last plays that he wrote alone. After the first scene, which takes place on a ship at sea during a tempest, th ...

'' at the New York Shakespeare Festival at the

Delacorte Theater The Delacorte Theater is a 1,800-seat open-air theater in Central Park, in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is home to the Public Theater's free Shakespeare in the Park productions. As of September 2023, it has been closed for renov ...

(2007, 2010, 2015).

Personal life

Grief has two children, born through artificial insemination with a lesbian friend. His long-time partner is actor Jonathan Fried.

Work

Broadway

*'' Rent'' (1996) *'' Never Gonna Dance'' (2003) *'' Grey Gardens'' (2006) *''

'' (2009) *''

'' (2014) *''

'' (2016) *'' War Paint'' (2017) *'' Days of Wine and Roses'' (2024) *'' The Notebook'' (2024) *''

'' (2024)

Off-Broadway

;New York Theatre Workshop * ''70 Scenes of Halloween'' (1986) * '' Rent'' (1996) * '' Bright Lights, Big City'' (1998) * ''Cave-Dweller'' (2002) ;The Public Theater * '' Machinal'' (1990) * '' A Bright Room Called Day'' (1991) * ''Casanova'' (1991) * ''

Pericles Pericles (; ; –429 BC) was a Greek statesman and general during the Golden Age of Athens. He was prominent and influential in Ancient Athenian politics, particularly between the Greco-Persian Wars and the Peloponnesian War, and was acclaimed ...

'' (1992) * '' Marisol'' (1994) * ''Dogeaters'' (2001) * ''Satellites'' (2006) * '' The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide...'' (2010) * ''

Giant In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: ''wiktionary:gigas, gigas'', cognate wiktionary:giga-, giga-) are beings of humanoid appearance, but are at times prodigious in size and strength or bear an otherwise notable appearance. The word ''gia ...

'' (2012) * '' The Low Road'' (2018) * ''Hell's Kitchen'' (2023) ;Signature Theatre * ''A Few Stout Individuals'' (2002) * ''

'' (2006) * ''

Angels in America ''Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes'' is a 1991 American two-part Play (theatre), play by American playwright Tony Kushner. The two parts of the play, ''Millennium Approaches'' and ''Perestroika'', may be presented separate ...

'' (2010) ;Playwrights Horizons * ''Spatter Pattern'' (2004) * '' Grey Gardens'' (2006) * ''

Far from Heaven ''Far from Heaven'' is a 2002 historical romantic drama film written and directed by Todd Haynes and starring Julianne Moore, Dennis Quaid, Dennis Haysbert and Patricia Clarkson. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where Moore won the ...

'' (2013) ;Second Stage * ''Spike Heels'' (1993) * ''

'' (2008) * '' Boy's Life'' (2011) * ''

'' (2016) ; Atlantic Theatre Company * '' Days of Wine and Roses'' (2023)

La Jolla Playhouse

*''The Three Cuckolds'' (1986) *'' What the Butler Saw'' (1992) *'' Thérèse Raquin'' ( Neal Bell adaption of Zola) (1994) *'' Slavs!'' (Tony Kushner) (1995) *''

Faust Faust ( , ) is the protagonist of a classic German folklore, German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust (). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a deal with the Devil at a ...

'' (Randy Newman) (1995) * ''Boy'' (Diana Son) (1996) * '' Sweet Bird of Youth'' (1999) * ''

Our Town ''Our Town'' is a three-act play written by American playwright Thornton Wilder in 1938. Described by Edward Albee as "the greatest American play ever written", it presents the fictional American town of Grover's Corners between 1901 and 1913 ...

'' (2001)

Williamstown Theater Festival

* '' Thérèse Raquin'' (1994) * ''

The Seagull ''The Seagull'' () is a play by Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov, written in 1895 in literature, 1895 and first produced in 1896 in literature#Drama, 1896. ''The Seagull'' is generally considered to be the first of his four major plays. It dramati ...

'' (1995) * '' Tonight at 8.30'' (2001) * ''Strew Scene'' (2002) * '' Once in a Lifetime'' (2003) * ''

'' (2004) * ''

The Cherry Orchard ''The Cherry Orchard'' () is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by '' Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate edition later that year in Saint Petersburg, via A.F. Marks Pu ...

'' (2005) * '' Three Sisters'' (2008) * ''

'' (2011)

Guthrie Theater The Guthrie Theater, founded in 1963, is a center for theater performance, production, education, and professional training in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The concept of the theater was born in 1959 in a series of discussions among Sir Tyrone Gut ...

*'' The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures'' (Tony Kushner) (2009)Gans, Andre
"Kushner's The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide Begins Guthrie Run May 15"
playbill.com, May 15, 2009; NY Premiere: March 23-June 12, 2011 at NY Public Theater

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* *
Biography, PlaybillCredits at Broadway.comBiography as of November, 2006 at the American Theatre Wing
{{DEFAULTSORT:Greif, Michael American theatre directors Northwestern University School of Communication alumni University of California, San Diego alumni Living people 1959 births