About Michael

Michael Fling is a freelance director and hails originally from Oklahoma (where the wind does indeed come sweeping down the plain). 

Recent Directing credits include: CRAZY FOR YOU & SHAKIN’ THE BLUES AWAY (Goodspeed Musicals); MY FRIENDS (Theaterworks Hartford), THE GREAT EMU WAR (Goodspeed Festival of New Musicals); TO FREE A MOCKINGBIRD (Edinburgh Fringe / Soho Playhouse); SHREK THE MUSICAL & MARY POPPINS (Craft Productions of Oklahoma); WEST SIDE STORY (Abilene Opera); KISS ME KATE, MY FAIR LADY, LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL, SPRING AWAKENING, & ASSASSINS (Hartt); HONK! (Webster). As an Associate: FUN HOME & NEXT TO NORMAL (Theaterworks Hartford); OSLO, EVITA, FOLLIES & A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis); RAGS & THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE (Goodspeed Musicals); GUYS & DOLLS, 1776, PAINT YOUR WAGON, GYPSY, JERSEY BOYS, THE WIZ, THE MUSIC MAN, OKLAHOMA!, INTO THE WOODS, HOLIDAY INN, MY FAIR LADY, HELLO, DOLLY!, SEUSSICAL, & BILLY ELLIOT (The Muny); ANTONY & CLEOPATRA (Shakespeare Festival St. Louis); INTO THE WOODS, LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL (Webster). Developmental credits include PAINT YOUR WAGON & THE WIZ (The Muny), RAGS (Goodspeed Musicals); PETE THE CAT (TheatreWorks USA); HOLIDAY INN (Roundabout).

​In addition to his directing work, Michael is the Associate Artistic Director at Goodspeed Musicals, where he oversees Goodspeed’s extensive New Works initiatives including the Festival of New Musicals, Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Grove, and the GoodWorks Commissioning Program. Some of the projects Goodspeed has developed during Michael’s tenure include THE SNOW GOOSE, THE GREAT EMU WAR, ABOUT TIME, LETTERS TO THE PRESIDENT, PRIVATE JONES, SUMMER STOCK, LITTLE MISS PERFECT, and ANNE OF GREEN GABLES.

Michael also hosts the popular podcast KNOW THE SHOW alongside Anika Chapin, a musical theatre podcast where they deep dive into classic musicals - one at a time.

Michael holds a degree in Directing from The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University and is a proud member of SDC.