Michael Dalberg

Michael Dalberg

Michael is a playwright and actor, currently based in Chicago. Michael has worked throughout the Midwest as an actor, and his plays have been produced in the Midwest (Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana), as well as overseas (London, and Edinburgh).

Michael would love to hear any and all feedback on his work. If you'd like to discuss any of his plays, please don't hesitate to reach out!

Plays

  • Family Values
    In the Florida Everglades, two brothers must learn how to be a family... after having just killed their own parents. Fleeing a mafia past, their bond seems to strengthen as two strangers arrive at their hard-to-find home. Are these people here by accident, or are these people closer to Trent and Liam than they realize? A dark, gritty, physical new drama that explores how perilous escaping the past can be.
  • So Far
    Beck is moving out, and taking one last look at the home she and her ex had built. In this walk down memory lane, we see her relationship with Jon in two halves. These halves freely intertwine onstage, allowing us to enjoy remembrance of "firsts," and follow the twists of seconds.
  • Cyrano
    An original retelling of the French Classic by Edmond Rostand, this romantic comedy follows Cyrano, a female soldier, in a tale of unrequited love. As she vies for the beautiful Roxanne, Cyrano wrestles with self-doubt, body-shaming, and toxic masculinity in a world of "all's fair in love and war," armed with sword-like quips, fair friends, and more than a fair amount of pastries.
  • To the Moon
    Jere and his wife are at odds in this 20 minute modern drama. It's unclear what's going on, yet evident they're at a crossroads. In his escape to the backyard, Jere encounters a little boy who reminds him to see the forest, not the trees.
  • Our House
    Family is tested in this American Mafia reimagining of TITUS ANDRONICUS. Titus, desperate to keep his daughter Lavinia safe, has trusted the "family" business to his wife, Tamora, and brother, Marcus. However, a reunion reveals Marcus has been slaughtered, and by his own children. Tamora and her boys seek asylum and direction in this hidden cabin in the woods, but danger has followed them, and we see...
    Family is tested in this American Mafia reimagining of TITUS ANDRONICUS. Titus, desperate to keep his daughter Lavinia safe, has trusted the "family" business to his wife, Tamora, and brother, Marcus. However, a reunion reveals Marcus has been slaughtered, and by his own children. Tamora and her boys seek asylum and direction in this hidden cabin in the woods, but danger has followed them, and we see how family has a way of devouring itself.
  • Bereaved for the Better
    A straight-laced business woman is forced to be face-to-face with her drug using college dropout sister when their mother dies, dividing the estate. Harsh words and crueler intents fly as the two discover the past isn't as clear cut as they thought... nor was their mother.
  • Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
    New life breathes into old tale, as the classic theme of duality is explored anew in this take on THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE. Inspired by the original novella of the same name by Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Henri Jekyll, a woman, seeks out a way to survive in Victorian England, which seems stacked against her: her father and protector has recently died; the University she studied at has put her...
    New life breathes into old tale, as the classic theme of duality is explored anew in this take on THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE. Inspired by the original novella of the same name by Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Henri Jekyll, a woman, seeks out a way to survive in Victorian England, which seems stacked against her: her father and protector has recently died; the University she studied at has put her under house arrest, not allowing her to continue her father's work; her best friend has abandoned her; and her lover is desperately unaware of how she suffers. Meanwhile, the world in the streets seems actively disinterested in what happens behind closed doors, focusing, instead, on the rash of murders being committed by Jack the Ripper, and any gossip that may be afforded. The two sides, of Public and Private, converge as the play progresses, and Henri is forced into an inevitable sacrifice.
  • Minded Absence
    A woman walks into a bar, hoping to meet her date. Instead, she encounters an older man having a lonely dinner in his failing American Dream. In this simple tale, both people put aside their best intentions, and embrace what they have.
  • Sea Worthy
    His son has just shipped out to sea to serve his country. He recounts his own time served, and comes to accept and embrace this new stage in his son's life.
  • Stalled
    Restroom attendants are a thing of the past... or so one man thinks. When he goes to this restroom, however, he encounters one of the remaining few still in occupation. Watch as one man wants privacy, and one attendant doesn't know how to take a hint.
  • That's What She Said
    One couple has two friends who constantly serve as third wheels on their dates. To give themselves time free and away, they've set this unlikely duo up for a date. Jack and Janet explore what it's like to go from uninterested to yearning.
  • Thirst
    Dying of starvation and lack of water, we watch two people as they strive for both privacy and dependency on a deserted beach in their last moments together. A 10 minute absurdist tragicomedy.