Eric Michael Gillett

About Eric Michael Gillett

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Eric Michael Gillett's television appearances on network and streaming platforms include The Chair Company (HBO Max), Mr & Mrs Smith (Amazon), FBI: Most Wanted (CBS), The Loudest Voice (Showtime), Daredevil (Netflix), Wu Tang: An American Saga (Hulu), Kevin Can Wait (CBS), Mysteries of Laura (NBC), The Blacklist (NBC), Quantico (ABC) and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix). Like most NYC based actors he has also made multiple appearances on the Law & Order franchise (NBC). His film credits include Maid in Manhattan, The Producers , Out of Order and My Brother, among others, along with several short films: A Dance in the Dark, Seeds for All, Let's Talk, In the Foxhole, et. al.

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Eric Michael was the 27th Ringmaster in the history of Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey, serving from 1987-1997, with return engagements in 1998. He is also remembered in the circus world for having conceived and directed the 2010/11 edition of New York's own beloved Big Apple Circus. Prior to his circus career, he enjoyed a lengthy career in Las Vegas, spending two years in the legendary MGM Grand spectacular Hallelujah Hollywood, before moving to Bal du Moulin Rouge, where he was leading man opposite Debbie Reynolds, Juliet Prowse, Charo and, of course, Suzanne Somers.

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On Broadway, he appeared in the original casts of  The Frogs, Sweet Smell of Success, and the 1999 Tony Award-winning revival of Kiss Me, Kate. Off-Broadway credits include the Village Theater, Abingdon, Manhattan Theater Club, On the Road Rep, and J2 Spotlight. Other NYC include New York City Opera (Candide, Cinderella, Pirates of Penzance), New York City Ballet (Seven Deadly Sins), Carnegie Hall (Show Boat), City Center/Encores (Of Thee I Sing). Regionally, he has been seen at Geva, the Hangar, McCarter, Oklahoma Lyric, Paper Mill, North Carolina Theater and, most recently, as Matthew Harrison Brady in Inherit the Wind (Tantrum Theatre.)

 

A MAC and Bistro Award winning vocalist (2012 MAC-Major Male Artist/1995 MAC-Outstanding Male Vocalist), Eric Michael Gillett’s cabaret shows have included Man About Town: The Wit and Wisdom of Noel Coward (Laurie Beechman Theatre), Careless Rhapsody: The Lyrics of Lorenz Hart (54 Below), Widescreen (Feinstein’s), Hooray for Love: Gillett Sings Arlen (Feinstein’s), Nothing to Lose But Your Heart: An Ahrens and Flaherty Songbook (Feinstein’s), Best of My Love (Metropolitan Room), Cast of Thousands-The Songs of Craig Carnelia (Laurie Beechman Theatre), It Takes Two-The Duets of Stephen Sondheim (Don’t Tell Mama), and his critically lauded collection of radio songs of the past forty years, Hook, Line & Singer (Helen’s).   The New York Times has called Gillett’s shows “an intimate portrait of a man in the thrall of show business dreams, for whom popular standards are platforms for unguarded confessions.”  In reviewing Cast of Thousands, Stephen Holden, in the Times, said, “The verb ‘sings’ is really inadequate to evoke the acute empathy with which Eric Michael Gillett transformed theatre songs by Craig Carnelia into lived experience.  Not only do you see the world through the characters’ eyes, but you also feel it through their nervous systems via Mr. Gillett’s theatrical shamanism.”  He was a triple 2015 MAC Award nominee (Major Artist, Director, Revue-Dirty Little Songs), while winning his third Outstanding Director award from the organization that year.  In addition to six MAC Awards in varying categories, Eric Michael is the recipient of the Mabel Mercer Foundation's 2009 Dick Gallaghar Award, and the 2010 Spirit Award, bestowed by Cabaret Cares for his work on behalf of children living with HIV/AIDS.  He also was presented the very first American Songbook Association Darrell Henline Award.

 

As a director, Eric Michael has developed concert acts for Broadway's Jarrod Spector (Jersey Boys, Tony Nominee for Beautiful) both as a soloist and in partnership with Kelli Barrett, as well as Tony Award Winner Jessie Mueller. Other clients include Mandy Gonzalez, Sean McDermott, Karen Akers, KT Sullivan, Tovah Feldshuh, Jessica Keenan Wynn, Carolyn Montgomery, Marieann Meringolo, and a host of others.  He is most proud, however, of his work on behalf of Benjamin House, a home for mentally disabled adults in Elizabeth City NC.

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