This section is dedicated to Marlee!



Original Concept by Paul Kelly

Director and Choreographer: Lynn Taylor-Corbett
Music Director: Jonathan Smith
St. James Theatre
Previews started Nov. 2, 1999 - The show opened Dec. 9, 1999
Michael left the show in July 2000


Michael was nominated for, but did not win, a FANY Award, in the category "Best Individual Performance", for his performance in Swing!. These awards are presented by the Friends of New York Theatre.

Playbill Bio:
Broadway original companies: The Wizard of Oz (Tin Man), Miss Saigon, My Favorite Year. Final company: A Chorus Line (Mike). Cats, also the video (Munkustrap). Paper Mill: Follies (Young Ben), Singin’ in the Rain (Don). Alliance: Falsettos (Whizzer). Goodspeed: Kiss Me, Kate (Bill). Arizona Theater Company: Oklahoma! (Jud). Tours: Tommy concert '99 (Cousin Kevin), West Side Story (Riff). Las Vegas: History of Sex. Currently working on original musical – Hypatia (Composer, Co-Lyricist) with collaborator Jennifer Allen.

Program Bio:
Michael Gruber has appeared on Broadway in the original companies of The Wizard of Oz (Tin Man), Miss Saigon, My Favorite Year. He was in the final company of Broadway’s A Chorus Line as Mike Costa. Michael has also been seen as Munkustrap in Cats, on Broadway and in the video. Regionally, he starred as Young Ben in Papermill Playhouse’s acclaimed production of Follies and as Don Lockwood in their Singin’ in the Rain. His other regional credits include Bill Calhoun in the Goodspeed production of Kiss Me, Kate, Whizzer in Falsettos at Atlanta’s Alliance and Jud in Oklahoma! for the Arizona Theater Company. He has toured as Riff in West Side Story and sang the role of Cousin Kevin in the 1999 Tommy concert. He is currently working on an original musical, Hypatia (composer, co-lyricist), with collaborator Jennifer Allen. Michael can also be heard on the cast recordings of Singin’ in the Rain, 42nd Street and Good News.

Opening Night Playbill signed by cast

Playbill cover

Photos from the souvenir Program

Photos from the Sony Classical site


Screen captures of the cast 1999 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Screen captures Feb. 2000 The Rosie O'Donnell Show

Screen Captures June 2000 The Rosie O'Donnell Show.

Screen captures July 1, 2000 Today show.

2000 Tony Award Playbill Cover

Screen captures 2000 Tony Awards

Posters at the St. James Theater


Musical Numbers

Transcript from CNN Headline News.


Cast announcement from Playbill Online

Opening notice from Playbill Online

Press preview from theatre.com

Article Playbill Online about participation in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Review from Leisure.net

Review #1 from dejanews, a newsgroup

Press release about the cast recording

Review #2 from dejanews.

Review from The New York Times

Review from the New York Post

Review from the New York Daily News

Review from USA TODAY

Review from The Hollywood Reporter

Review from the Hartford Courant

Review from Variety

Review from Backstage Magazine

Two reviews from the Village Voice

Review from Broadway Beat

Review from the Wichita Eagle

Link to nytheatre.com's review

Link to CurtainUp's review

Article from Playbill Online about the cast CD

Link to Talkin' Broadway's review

Article from Playbill Online cast TV appearances

Notice that Michael is taking a leave to do Singin' in the Rain


Fan's review by Jennifer Brown.


Choreographer Lynne Taylor-Corbett's Swing! Diary


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