MICHELLE'S
BIO
producing
directing
writing
coaching
performing
 
 


Producing

Most recently, Michelle served as general manager for the workshop of George Furth and Doug Katsaros' new musical The End. Catherine Cox, Tonya Dixon and Brooke Tansley starred in this exciting event at the Richmond Shepard Theatre in New York.

Michelle is the New York producer and was formerly the general manager of the Off-Broadway hit Schoolhouse Rock Live! (an adaptation of the ABC Emmy Award-winning cartoon). The show ran Off-Broadway for a year followed by a series of successful national tours and regional productions. During the Off-Broadway run, she also acted as press agent. Thanks to her marketing and promotional efforts, the production gained unprecedented recognition from major media as diverse as CNN, ABC's Good Morning America, MTV, NPR's All Things Considered, Z-100, WPLJ, People Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, George magazine, etc. The show was selected Playbill's "Outstanding Off-Broadway Production" and Time Out New York's "Pick of the Week." Licensed to Music Theatre International, the show can now be seen throughout the year in every single state either at their local schools or theatres. The show has also branched out to international performances and continues to garner praise wherever it appears.

Michelle also produced the play/event Intersection, where each audience saw the same play presented twice, switching the two lead roles (a black woman and a white woman who play the parts of a lawyer and a homeless woman who meet in the street). In addition to raising awareness of important social issues, Michelle arranged to direct funds raised by the show to the Coalition for the Homeless and Women in Need. Each night audience members were shown ways that they could assist real women currently experiencing difficult situations. The play was later made into a short film.

She was also the original producer of Emmy Laybourne's comedy show, The Miss Alphabet City Beauty Pageant and Spelling Bee at the West Bank Cafe and Here in New York City.

 

Directing

Michelle's directing efforts are equally well received and wide ranging: from musicals, plays (both classical and modern), ballet, to comedy (both stand up and partnered) primarily in New York City.

She developed, directed and produced the ballet, Tina's Feeling, and Dan Elish's musical, Just Desserts, at Fordham at Lincoln Center.


Michelle directed the one-woman show, Toasted, at Here and the San Francisco Fringe, where it won the "Best of the Fringe" award. In addition, she directed an entertainment video for "tweens" about physical and nutritional health, featuring the Harlem Globe Trotters and supervised by Bridget Bennett, nutritionist for Oscar nominated film Super Size Me.

 

Writing

Michelle has written The Girl Behind Hollywood a biopic on Mary Pickford. The film concentrates on her life from age 16 to 35. The story interweaves her very human, romantic struggles with an alcoholic first husband and a torrid affair that could cost her everything, with her fascinating struggle against the men of Hollywood who would have preferred she remained a quiet and unassuming little actress. She has also created two television shows, Too Many Kooks in the Kitchen, a comedy cooking show, and Tune In, a psychic sitcom (both currently in development).

Michelle is co-author of the book MenOpop, a Menopause Pop-Up and Activity Book created by her company Fill 'er Up Productions. She and her partners wrote, manufactured and published the book, along with its companion website, www.menopop.com. MenOpop has been on CNN, ABC, Fox and was featured in More, Maxim, FHM, the Chicago Tribune, Washington Post and Dave Barry's Holiday Gift Guide.

 

Coaching

Michelle is a private coach for actors and singers, with a successful New York practice for over 15 years. She has also served as an adjunct member of faculty at several acting schools, including NYU.

Her students range from novices to graduate level drama students to Broadway performers.

She is a frequent lecturer and workshop facilitator.

 

Performing

Michelle Cohen is a professional actress and singer (a member of Actor's Equity) as well as spokesperson for each of her varied projects. She has performed in over 50 musicals and plays, soloed in hundreds of concerts and trained extensively, here and abroad (graduating from Sarah Lawrence College and studying at the British American Drama Academy). Michelle has had a private vocal coaching practice for over ten years in New York City and taught at several acting schools, including NYU.

Michelle toured in a musical revue of Broadway shows in Germany. She played such diverse roles as Maria in
West Side Story (singing "Tonight"), Eponine in Les Miserables (singing "On My Own"), Christine in Phantom of the Opera (singing "All I Ask of You") and Grizabella in Cats (singing "Memory").

Immediately following that gig, she toured in
Nunsense with Georgia Engel. Once she landed in New York City, she began performing her own cabaret shows. These include a wider variety of song selections from jazz, pop rock, standards, classical to musical theatre.