John Michael Whitney

John-Michael, a New Haven native, has had a passion for singing and acting as long as he can remember. From the moment he played the headless man in his 4th grade Halloween play, he was hooked and a life in the theatre seemed quite in the cards. A couple of years later, he got to show his face as a clown/tree in a children's production of MARLIN THE MAGNIFICENT. It wasn't until high school that he started cutting his chops in comedies and musical theatre. During that time, he played Maj. Frank Burns in M*A*S*H, Victor Velasco in BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, the Cowardly Lion in THE WIZARD OF OZ, and Tony in WEST SIDE STORY. His community theatre career began in Act 2 Theatre's production of OLIVER! where he played a workhouse orphan as well as one of Fagin's pick-pocketing boys. He's been seen at Danbury's Richter Park as a Pirate in PIRATES OF PENZANCE, and Bazzard in THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD and as Jacey Squires in THE MUSIC MAN with the Nutmeg Players in Clinton. John-Michael finally found a way to earn some money through performing every summer at Amarante's Dinner Theatre in New Haven. His roles there include a teenager in BYE BYE BIRDIE, a singing waiter in HELLO, DOLLY!, Oliver Hix in THE MUSIC MAN, and Roger in GREASE. After a short stint in Florida, where he worked for Monsters, Int. at Orlando's most haunted attraction TERROR ON CHURCH ST., JM returned both to CT and Amarante's as Angie the Ox/ Hotbox Emcee in GUYS AND DOLLS, Sir Sagramore in CAMELOT, Junior Babcock in MAME, the Padre in MAN OF LA MANCHA, and Motel Kamzoil, the tailor in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. In 1998, JM began classical voice training with Roy Mazzacane of Hamden, CT after experiencing some vocal problems which cleared up as soon as he began his training. In 2000, he re-created the roles of both Bazzard in THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD at Seven Angels Theatre in Waterbury, and Motel Kamzoil in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF with the Orange Players, the latter under the genius direction of Julian Schlussberg. A musical theatre hiatus followed as JM found himself playing a variety of roles in the world of comedy. In the Orange Players updated production of FORTY CARATS, he played Mark Margolin a wise cracking secretary to an NYC real estate agent. He followed that up with a show stealing turn as Mr. Tunnicliffe in FLYING FEATHERS, Fr. Frank in MADNESS ON MADRONA DR., and Jordan Benedict in JUNE GROOM. John-Michael returned to musical theatre in 2003 in a critically acclaimed production of EVITA as Juan Peron at Sacred Heart University's Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts brilliantly directed by Carol A. Ziske. In 2004, JM's passion of theatre took him to the northern part of the state where he played Britt Craig in Rocky Hill Town Theatre's (RHTT) production of PARADE, John Utterson in JEKYLL AND HYDE at the Little Theatre of Manchester (LTM), a role that honored him with the 2004 LTM Achievement in Acting Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical. John-Michael played Stone in CITY OF ANGELS, again with RHTT. Most recently John played Sonny Deluna in LTM's production of Front Street. John-Michael just finished his third production of THE MUSIC MAN, this time at Little Theater of Manchester playing Ewart Dunlop (his third time in the barbershop quartet. "Playing Olin Britt would bring me full circle, but I think the third time is the charm". For this production of THE MUSIC MAN, John-Michael has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a musical for the 2005 LTM Achievement in Acting Awards.
He is currently in the beginning stages of developing a cabaret act which he hopes to be able to perform one of these days.

John-Michael always performs in memory of his mother Nancy, his father Richard, and his brother Bo. He also sends out a very special thank you to his family and friends, who are always SO supportive.