Michael John Smith

A graduate of Tulane University (BFA Musical Theatre), Michael has been a part of the New Orleans performing arts community since 2006 with the United States Marine Corps Band, Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane, Jefferson Performing Arts Society, the World War II Museum, The Company at St. Bernard, and Rivertown Theatres for the Performing Arts.  He first appeared on the Rivertown stage with NOVEMBER (2019) as Chief Dwight Grackle and is thrilled to be back for the 2025-2026 season with the incredible cast of Gypsy!  Smith is a retired Marine Corps officer (32 years), including three combat deployments, the Director of the Marine Corps Band New Orleans, and the Head of Marine Corps Field Music at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.  Currently, he teaches Leadership & Character Development to high school seniors at the New Orleans Military & Maritime Academy as a Senior Marine Instructor.  Past local productions highlights include “Santa Meets Sousa,” a Marine Corps Toys for Tots Holiday Spectacular (Principal Conductor), Captain O’Hurley in two productions of FLY - The Tuskegee Airman Story, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Sheriff), Newsies! (Joseph Pulitzer), Assassins (The Proprietor), A Christmas Story (Ralphie’s Old Man), Pipin (King Charlemagne), Jekyll & Hyde (Gabriel Utterson), Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music, and most recently as Daddy Warbucks in Annie!