During these years, he worked for a private Catholic High School, the Montgomery County Maryland Public Schools, and the Maryland State Department of Education Humanities Division where he was appointed and served as the lead writer for the State Theatre Curriculums for Elementary, Middle School, and High School theatre arts programs.

In Maryland, he served on the theatre advisory boards for Towson University, the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and the University of Maryland College Park Clarice Performing Arts Center.

The International Thespian Society appointed him the Maryland State Thespian Director in 1986 and promoted him to Regional Director for the Middle Atlantic States shortly thereafter. Duties he performed for ITS included the planning of Teacher Education Theatre Conferences in New York and Washington, D.C. He also was named as the Main Stage Technical Director for all shows appearing on the Main Stage at Thespian Festivals from 1990-1994.

He also served as the Onsite Director for the Shakespeare in Performance Summer Institute for the New London Globe in London from 2002-2004 where he not only created a curriculum but also taught for the Globe with projects appearing in performance on the Globe Stage. He was a member of the staff with famed actor/directors that included Sir Ian McKellan, Kathryn Hunter, and Mark Rylance. He also performed on the Globe Stage as part of the Institute in 1999 and 2000. Mike’s talents brought him an invitation to join the Globe’s Resident Acting Company during his tenure there.

The American High School Theatre Festival at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe utilized Mike’s organizational talents to bring the first secondary school productions from America to the renowned event where his Magruder High School Stage Company presented the first show ever presented at the Festival by an American high school (Personals) in 1996, pointed out by theatre critics in newspapers receiving three out of four stars and highlighted next to reviews of the Kirov Ballet (Russia).

In  2002, the World  Drama Festival  (New Zealand) enlisted  him  to teach  directing as  well  as present  his highly
acclaimed production of Arthur Miller’s A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE. He founded two non-profit educational theatre organizations to serve the mission of providing superlative theatre festivals for students. He served as President for both Maryland High School Theatre and the National Association of Secondary Theatres and directed highly popular theatre

festivals garnering a multitude of college scholarships for students in Maryland and the Atlantic Coast Region. He remains the current President of Maryland HS Theatre.

Broadway publishers and licensers Disney Theatricals, Music Theatre International, and Theatrical Rights Worldwide partnered with Mike on premiere productions of HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 1 AND 2, CAMP ROCK 1 and 2, and the first computer-generated musical accompaniment for the development and use of Broadway’s ANNIE.

Theatrical Rights Worldwide commissioned Mike to write a Handbook for Technical Theatre which highlights his interest in Theatre Design and Construction. He has designed shows for stage and tours for schools and festivals and former students have established themselves working technical careers with Cirque de Soliel (Jesse Einhorn), film and theatre --- John Ovington (Species, The Pelican Brief, the Tony Awards), Graham Flessas and Colleen Murray for technical contractors for Broadway shows, and Johnny Weissgerber (Helen Hayes Award Nominee for The Moors).

Mike has been the recipient of numerous awards including Shakespeare Theatre Teacher of the Year (University of Maryland, the Washington, D.C. British Speaking Union), and Excellence in Direction Awards from Maryland High School Theatre and the National Association of Secondary Theatres. His theatre program at Magruder High School was recognize by the National Association of Secondary Principals as one of the Top Ten High School Theatre Programs in the United States (1993). While at Magruder, his stage company became the first high school in America to appear four consecutive years with full-length Main Stage Productions at the International Thespian Festival held in Muncie, Indiana.

His directorial work has been produced at the World Drama Festival, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the National Theatre Festival, the Maryland Theatre Festival, the Folger Shakespeare Library Festival, the Shakespeare Theatre of Washington, and the International Thespian Festival.

Former students include Broadway and Tony Award-winning director, Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening and Thoroughly Modern Millie); Chris Carmack (Entertaining Mr. Sloane, The OC, Grey’s Anatomy); Alan Mingo (Broadway --- Rent, Lion King, Kinky Boots, The Wiz); Jason Kravits (Broadway: The Drowsy Chaperone, Spelling Bee, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Practice); Michelle Carter (Hadestown, Cats); producer Larry Kaye (HOP Productions: How To Succeed with Daniel Radcliff, The Velocity of Autumn); Robbie Chafitz ( Producer The Adirondacks Comedy Festival) among others.

Since retiring from teaching, Mike has taken up his interest in playwriting and dramaturgy. His play Millenials received the Outstanding Play Award at the Maryland Theatre Festival. His The Fourth of July and Thanksgiving received readings at Lighthouse Ladies in New York in 2024- 2025. His Benedict Arnold, Life and Times (an original musical) received a reading in Silver Spring, Maryland in 2024, and his Giacomo! The Scandals and Operas of Puccini (original musical combined with Puccini’s operas) received a reading at Fivestar in Bethesda, Maryland in 2024. He is currently negotiating with the Catholic University of America on development of Giacomo! An adaptation of a musical, The Sword and the Stone, is under development with the Loiderman School for the Performing Arts in Maryland.

Mike is in the process of forming his own theatre company which will perform his FOURTH OF JULY in 2027. This new company will focus on producing new works by new playwrights. It will operate as an itinerant company with partnerships with educational institutions and programs to create new theatre pieces.

Mike holds a BA and MA from the University of Maryland in History and English Education. Work experiences include assisting as a dramaturg and producer on Rock On! a musical by Mark Ricche currently in development in a pre-Broadway theater in 2026-2027. Mike credits Mark with inspiring his activities in theatre since retiring by including him as a mentor and dramaturg for Mark’s many theatre creations including upcoming scripts on Connie Francis, Heart, and Joan Jett. Mark continues to motivate Mike in participating in a variety of theatre projects. The many social issues facing society are of concern to this playwright who seeks to write and develop and present plays and musicals focusing on communication issues leading to social divisions and to present his perspectives on solutions for uniting our fragmented society.