Michael Shannon
Michael Shannon is a founding ensemble member at A Red Orchid Theatre and has done just about every job here at some point including designing our very first poster. You may have seen him on stage here in Victims of Duty, Pilgrim’s Progress, Simpatico, Mistakes Were Made, Gagarin Way, Mr. Kolpert, BUG, 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, The Killer, The Persecution of Arnold Petch, Canus Lunis Balloonis, and Drinking in America, among others. He also made his directorial debut at A Red Orchid with Hunger and Thirst and also directed playwright Brett Neveu’s world premiere of Traitor, which earned him a Jeff Award for Best Direction.
Elsewhere around Chicago, he has worked at Steppenwolf, Lookingglass, Northlight, Famous Door (RIP), and the Next Lab, birthplace of Killer Joe, in which he originated the role of Chris Smith and performed it a gillion times all over God’s green earth. Mike currently lives in NYC where he recently performed in Waiting for Godot at Theatre for a New Audience and Frankie and Johnny in the Clair De Lune on Broadway with Audra MacDonald. He also appeared in Ionesco’s The Killer with Theatre for a New Audience, A Long Day’s Journey Into Night on Broadway alongside Jessica Lange and Gabriel Byrne (for which he was nominated for a Tony Award), and Grace at the Cort Theatre (his Broadway debut). He also played Astrov in Annie Baker’s adaptation of Uncle Vanya at Soho Rep, directed by Sam Gold.
Michael recently made his film directing debut with Eric LaRue by fellow ensemble member Brett Neveu. Select film credits include The Bikeriders, Amsterdam, Bullet Train, Knives Out, Take Shelter, Mud, Machine Gun Preacher, Premium Rush, The Iceman, Man of Steel, 99 Homes, Free Held, Elvis & Nixon, The Shape of Water, Fahrenheit 451, Groundhog Day, Jesus’ Son, 8 Mile, Revolutionary Road, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, My Son My Son What Have Ye Done?, The Woodsman, World Trade Center, Cecil B. Demented, Zamboni Man, and more. On TV: George and Tammy, Boardwalk Empire, Waco, Room 104, Fahrenheit 451, and Nine Perfect Strangers, among others.