Michael Leeds

Michael Leeds

Michael wrote and directed the B’way musical SWINGING ON A STAR which was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Musical. His play WHO KILLED JOAN CRAWFORD? premiered at Island City Stage and received the Award for Best New Work of 2016 by the Broward/Miami New Times. Other plays include IMPRESSIONS, THE GIFT, THE FIRST STEP - DIARY OF A SEX ADDICT, STARMAKER (the story of Rock Hudson and his agent Henry Willson...
Michael wrote and directed the B’way musical SWINGING ON A STAR which was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Musical. His play WHO KILLED JOAN CRAWFORD? premiered at Island City Stage and received the Award for Best New Work of 2016 by the Broward/Miami New Times. Other plays include IMPRESSIONS, THE GIFT, THE FIRST STEP - DIARY OF A SEX ADDICT, STARMAKER (the story of Rock Hudson and his agent Henry Willson), MIRA (libretto), MATING HABITS OF THE URBAN MAMMAL (co-wrote book, music & lyrics), RED, HOT & BLUE (revised book) and numerous ten minute plays. For film, Michael co-wrote with Linda Yellen CHANTILLY BRIDGE (starring Jill Eikenberry, Lindsay Crouse, Talia Shire, Helen Slater, Ali Sheedy and JoBeth Williams) FLUIDITY (starring Nico Tortorelli) THE SIMIAN LINE (starring William Hurt, Lynn Redgrave, Tyne Daly, and Harry Connick Jr.), THE LAST FILM FESTIVAL, (starring Dennis Hopper, Jacqueline Bisset, Leelee Sobieski & Chris Kattan) and FLUIDITY (starring Nico Tortorello ). As a director Michael‘s NY credits include directing and choreographing HELLO MUDDAH, HELLOW FADDAH - THE SONGS OF ALAN SHERMAN which earned him a Drama Desk Award nomination for Best Director and Best Choreographer, SHOWING OFF (starring Donna Murphy), LYPSINKA - A DAY INTHE LIFE, THE FIRST STEP (NY International Fringe Festival), CARMELINA and 70, GIRLS, 70 (starring Jane Powell & Charlotte Rae). He was honored to direct the European Premiere of his adaptation of Arthur Miller’s PLAYING FOR TIME which won the Edinburgh Fringe Festival First Award. His opera credits included directing and choreographing A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC for the Houston Grand Opera starring Frederica Von Stade & Thomas Allen and Marc Blitzstein’s REGINA for the Florida Grand Opera starring Lauren Flanigan. Michael has split his time between New York and South Florida where he is Associate Director of the award-winning theatre company, Island City Stage. He’s been awarded the prestigious Carbonell and Silver Palm Awards.

Plays

  • Starmaker by Michael Leeds
    Cast: 
    6
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    Genre: comedy, drama
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    Keyword: fame, LGBTQ + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, drama
    Keyword: fame, LGBTQ, Rock Hudson, gay history
    Rock Hudson was an incredibly handsome ex-sailor from an abusive childhood who craved stardom. Henry Willson was an agent extraordinaire, a homely middle-aged homosexual, unabashedly ‘out’ in the closeted Hollywood of the 40s and 50s. Together, they conquered Hollywood and then the world. STARMAKER explores the repercussions of living a lie, the thin, ugly boundary between love and hate, the cost of...
    Rock Hudson was an incredibly handsome ex-sailor from an abusive childhood who craved stardom. Henry Willson was an agent extraordinaire, a homely middle-aged homosexual, unabashedly ‘out’ in the closeted Hollywood of the 40s and 50s. Together, they conquered Hollywood and then the world. STARMAKER explores the repercussions of living a lie, the thin, ugly boundary between love and hate, the cost of unbridled ambition, and the shame of growing older in a society that puts a premium on youth. It's the remarkable true story of two men who in their quest to be somebody, lost themselves.
  • Who Killed Joan Crawford? by Michael Leeds
    Recommendations: 2
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    Cast: 
    5
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    Genre: comedy, mystery/thriller
    ·
    Keyword: Joan Crawford
    Genre: comedy, mystery/thriller
    Keyword: Joan Crawford
    On a dark stormy night, five men arrive at a cabin for a soap star's  surprise birthday party.  Each guest  has been asked to dress as  the birthday boy’s favorite actress, Joan Crawford, in one of her signature roles  - and the results aren't pretty.  As they wait for the star,  the five "Joans"  begin drinking and dishing, dark secrets emerge and soon there’s one Joan less ... and then...
    On a dark stormy night, five men arrive at a cabin for a soap star's  surprise birthday party.  Each guest  has been asked to dress as  the birthday boy’s favorite actress, Joan Crawford, in one of her signature roles  - and the results aren't pretty.  As they wait for the star,  the five "Joans"  begin drinking and dishing, dark secrets emerge and soon there’s one Joan less ... and then another...  Who Killed Joan Crawford? !  
  • The Gift by Michael Leeds
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: fantasy, mystery/thriller + 1 more
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    Keyword: fractured love story
    Genre: fantasy, mystery/thriller, romantic comedy
    Keyword: fractured love story
    A young man and woman are stuck in adjoining elevators only to discover that they might actually be trapped in each other’s dream.

    Sometimes a nightmare can be A Gift!
  • The First Step - Diary of a Sex Addict by Michael Leeds
    Cast: 
    5
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 1 more
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    Keyword: LGBTQ, Sex addiction + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama
    Keyword: LGBTQ, Sex addiction, music, graphic, autobiography
    The First Step – Diary of a Sex Addict graphically depicts the true story of a gay Sex Addict’s turbulent journey toward Recovery. The play veers from comedy to drama as it charts Joe’s first introduction to sex as a boy in a public restroom where he could only see the man’s shoe, (“Black sock/Maroon loafer – you never forget your first!”) to his adult years reeling from bars to bath houses, back rooms to...
    The First Step – Diary of a Sex Addict graphically depicts the true story of a gay Sex Addict’s turbulent journey toward Recovery. The play veers from comedy to drama as it charts Joe’s first introduction to sex as a boy in a public restroom where he could only see the man’s shoe, (“Black sock/Maroon loafer – you never forget your first!”) to his adult years reeling from bars to bath houses, back rooms to chat rooms. With music and flights of fantasy, THE FIRST STEP highlights the difference between gay and straight Sex Addicts in Joe’s version of The Dating Game, uses a Rap number to showcase the absurd abundance of sex screen names, and takes us to a deadly Boxing Match between Joe and his Addict. Along the way, we meet Joe’s dysfunctional family, friends, and the relationship that finally sends him to the Meetings that save his life.
  • Impressions by Michael Leeds
    Cast: 
    3
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    Genre: comedy, drama + 2 more
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    Keyword: women, Art and Artists + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, fantasy, period
    Keyword: women, Art and Artists, Painting, Impressionism
    Three actresses bring to life the women in the famous Impressionist paintings behind them. We meet the laundress, the prostitute, the dancer, the matron; women from all walks of life. In monologues and scenes we discover what is going on within the mise en scene created by these great artists.

  • Mating Habits of the Urban Mammal by Michael Leeds
    Cast: 
    5
    ·
    Genre: comedy, musical
    Genre: comedy, musical
    Imagine clicking on the Discovery Channel and they're exploring the odd mating rituals of a very familiar species - YOU! MATING HABITS OF THE URBAN MAMMAL is a multi-racial musical comedy that follows five characters, gay and straight, young and.. not-so-much, as they navigate their way through the urban jungle of Manhattan.