Biography

Devon Michaels (aka Devon Schwartz) has written, performed and directed various forms of drama and comedy for more than three decades, making his Broadway debut in the Tony-nominated musical "Rags" and going on to perform in several prominent Off-Broadway venues such as the Lamb's Theatre, the Goodspeed Opera House and The Public (including two NY Shakespeare Festival productions at the Delacorte), working with such actors as Mandy Patinkin and Joan Cusack and such directors as JoAnne Akalaitis and David Hare. He attended Yale University, graduating with a degree in Theater Studies and Psychology and joining "The Doox of Yale" an a Capella singing and comedy group that performs around the world.

In his 20s and 30s, Devon wrote, edited and directed for various companies in NY and LA, creating content for museums, corporations, public television and National Lampoon. Three of his scripts won first place in the Carl Sautter Memorial Scriptwriting Competition for Film and Television, and his sitcom pilot "Frenemies" made it to the top 30 (culled from 2,000) in the NBC Playground competition. He also worked as a feature development assistant for Jonathan Prince.

Devon has directed over 30 plays and various short film projects. Favorite NYC directing credits are "Woman of Paris" for Chain Lightning Theatre and the world premiere of Steven Fechter's "Intimacies" for EST's OctoberFest. He relocated to Los Angeles with the award-winning drama "Mortal Coil," then directed plays by Jason Katims, Tim McNeil, Nicky Silver and the critically acclaimed "From Bonkers to Botox," chosen to be part of HBO's U.S. Comedy Festival in Aspen. After staging multiple one-acts for the Young Storytellers Foundation and A Light in Dark Places, he also helmed the Northeast tour of "Right Before I Go," bringing attention for this same cause to five cities, from The Rex Theatre in Manchester, NH to The Atlas Performing Arts Center in Washington, D.C. Devon enjoyed one of his favorite collaborations mounting the world premiere of Maia Pecci's "Brace for Impact," a case study on finding humor in the most painful spheres of grief.

Still a working actor with experience on some of the top sets in television (best known for his recurring role as Bill on the hit show "Gilmore Girls"), Devon returned to his roots in musical theater last summer, playing Seymour in Big Bear Theatre Project's "Little Shop of Horrors," and has lately moved into independent film, playing an 1880s doctor in "Long Shadows" - a dramatic western with Dermot Mulroney premiering soon, and an amoral producer in "The Hermit" - a horror film starring Malina Pauli Weissman and Lou Ferrigno. He's attached to direct the dramedy of errors "Wake," a feature that qualified for this year's California Tax Credit, scheduled to shoot in July/August