Gary Stevens and Alan George, two long-time, faithful fans of A Chorus Line, wrote a book about the show called The Longest Line. As part of their research for the book, they interviewed numerous cast members, including Michael.

Below are Michael's comments from the book.


Getting the Job

"I had left my picture and resume at the Schubert stage door before I went off to Alaska for a production of Joseph, and they called me in Alaska just before Christmas. I was going to fly directly home to Cincinnati for the holidays but wound up flying to New York for the audition instead. I first saw A Chorus Line as a sophomore in high school when it came through Cincinnati. Sachi Shimizu, Ron Kurowski and Laurie Gamache were in that tour and ironically, I ended up doing the show with them in New York."


Learning the Show

"When I as in the show, the whole thing was “just be you”. They were really hip on that and tried to come from a truthful place. I missed the mind trips, that whole era, thank God."


Alyce Gilbert, Wardrobe mistress

"She was the best. She kept everything impeccable. If the shoes were starting to go, we had new shoes. Not even a question."


Injuries

"I wasn’t really in shape, I hadn’t tumbled a lot, and standing on the line was rough. I actually had to ice my knees every night. My number, 'I Can Do That', was like being shot out of a cannon because it’s running back and forth, singing and acrobatics. My body wasn’t used to it and I ripped a stomach muscle about two weeks into the run. I couldn’t get up from a chair for a week; it was probably the worst injury I’ve ever had. Of course, I was mortified – my first Broadway show and injured two weeks into it. But then I went six and a half months without missing a show which was great for that particular role. So I felt like I redeemed myself."


Final Performances

"You started to see the effect the show had on people. The final matinee was really the last performance. The evening show became about something else, but we ere still thrilled they chose to have the last show be the show, and not something like they did for the Gala. They did that lovely thing at the end where the Original Company came on stage, but it was really nice we could play the show and not be concerned where the focus was. Not to say the past doesn’t have importance, but ultimately we were given the gift of the final show. Unfortunately, feelings were not necessarily warm towards us from the Originals; there were those who would have nothing to do with us. There was no individual contact between Original and Final Company members. Whatever the reason may be, we were on one side of the room at Mamma Leone’s and they were on the other side, like oil and water. They were coming from a different place, a different generation. They had the fantastic opening experience and we had it at the end."