Michael John Smith

Michael can’t find the words to describe his excitement for not only being cast in his favorite Christmas Story, be to be playing the character that mentions of his own hometown of Terre Haute, Indiana.  And to tell this story with THIS cast is a dream come true!  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, and Rivertown Theaters.  He first appeared on the Rivertown stage with NOVEMBER (2019) as Chief Dwight Grackle and is thrilled to be back for the 2023-204 season with Assassins and A Christmas Story.  Smith is a retired Marine Corps officer (32 years) including 3 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 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), Eccentricities of a Nightingale (Rev Winemiller), Annie Get Your Gun (Chief Sitting Bull), 42nd Street (Pat Denning), The Addams Family (Malcomb Beinecke) and Captain O’Hurley in two productions of FLY.  Most recently with Rivertown you’ve seen him in Kinky Boots (Don), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Sheriff) and Joseph Pulitzer in Newsies!