Michael Frank Park (born July 20, 1968) is an American actor, best known for his roles as Jack Snyder on As the World Turns (1997– 2010), Larry Murphy in the original Broadway cast of Dear Evan Hansen (2016), and reporter Tom Holloway in the third season of the Netflix series Stranger Things (2019).
Park won back-to-back (2010, 2011) Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. In 2018, for his work in Dear Evan Hansen, Park won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album and the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program.
Early life Park was born in Canandaigua, New York, but spent a year of his childhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Career Park attended Nazareth College, Rochester, New York, originally intending to become an architect, before deciding to become an actor."Michael Park Biography" tvguide.com, accessed June 26, 2011 He worked in the 1992 New Plays Festival at Geva Theatre in Rochester. He appeared in regional productions including Ellen Universe Joins The Band and Peephole.Biography michaelparkonline.net, accessed June 26, 2011
In 1994, Park appeared in the musical Hello Again at Lincoln Center Theater.Richards, David."Review of 'Helo Again'" The New York Times (from michaelparkonline.net), January 31, 1994 In August 1994, Park was in the Goodspeed Opera House production of Shenandoah,Richards, David.THEATER REVIEW; 'Shenandoah' in a 20th-Anniversary Go-Round" The New York Times, August 18, 1994 (subscription required) and Good News at the North Shore Music Theatre (1994). After understudying Billy Bigelow in the 1994 revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel, he made his Broadway debut in 1995 in Smokey Joe's Cafe.Brantley, Ben."Theater Review: 'Smokey Joe's Cafe'" The New York Times, March 3, 1995 (subscription required) In 1997, Park played Monty in the Playwrights Horizons production of Violet.Heineman, Eva."A CurtainUp Review:'Violet'" CurtainUp, accessed June 26, 2011
The day after Violet opened was Park's first day in the long-running daytime soap opera As the World Turns as Jack Snyder, joining in April 1997."Michael Park" soap-news.com, accessed June 26, 2011 Park received three Emmy nominations and several other soap-opera acting awards, including winning the 2010 and 2011 Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.Gioia, Michael.How to Succeed's Michael Park Among Winners at 38th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards" Playbill, June 20, 2011.
During his 13-year tenure in As the World Turns, he continued to work in theatre, playing Lucky Malone in the Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of Little Me (1998).McGrath, Sean et al."Roundabout's 'Little Me' Hopes For Big Laughs From Prince & Short; Opens Nov. 12" November 12, 1998 He made two New York City Center Encores! appearances: Bloomer Girl in 2001 as Jeff Calhoun, and Applause in 2008 as Bill Sampson.Fox, Jena Tesse."Applause and Encores for Michael Park" broadwayworld.com, February 7, 2008
With As the World Turns coming to an end in June 2010, Park returned to the stage, and played the role of Pete's ghost father who appeared to his son as three "Alamo" characters in the coming-of-age musical The Burnt Part Boys at Playwrights Horizon.Jones, Kenneth."'Burnt Part Boys', a Musical Tale of West Virginia, Begins in NYC; Park, Brady, Calderon Star" Playbill, April 30, 2010 In the summer of 2010, he appeared as Lord Capulet in the musical The Last Goodbye at Williamstown Theatre Festival.Rizzo, Frank."Legit Reviews: 'The Last Goodbye'" Variety, August 15, 2010 Park then appeared as the cop in Will Eno's play Middletown at the off-Broadway Vineyard Theatre (2010).Probst, Andy."Review: 'Middletown'" theatermania.com, November 4, 2010
Park performed in the role of Bert Bratt in the Broadway revival How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (2011), starring Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette.Hetrick, Adam. "That Grin of Impetuous Youth": 'How to Succeed' Revival, With Daniel Radcliffe, Opens on Broadway" Playbill, March 27, 2011
In the 2012 independent financial thriller film Supercapitalist, Park appears as Morris Brown, co-starring along with Linus Roache.
On December 5, 2013, he participated as a cast member of the NBC telecast production of The Sound of Music Live! starring Carrie Underwood. He played Cecco, one of Captain Hook's pirates, in the NBC presentation of Peter Pan Live! starring Allison Williams and Christopher Walken; the musical was broadcast on December 4, 2014.Hetrick, Adam. "Handful of Broadway Newsies Make Up Peter Pan's Lost Boys and Swashbuckling Pirates", Playbill, October 7, 2014
Park has appeared in episodes of numerous television series, including The Good Wife (2012), The Blacklist (2016), You (2018, two episodes), Blue Bloods (2018), and FBI (2021).
In 2015, he originated the role of Larry Murphy in the world premiere of the stage musical Dear Evan Hansen at Washington, DC's Arena Stage. He was not in the off-Broadway run, starting in early 2016, as he was appearing in the Broadway musical, Tuck Everlasting.Tuck Everlasting The Broadway League. 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2016 He returned to Dear Evan Hansen in the fall of 2016 when the musical made its debut on Broadway. For his work in Dear Evan Hansen, Michael Park earned the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album and his third Daytime Emmy Award, this one a Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program for his and the rest of the cast's Today Show performance that was broadcast on April 25, 2017.McPhee, Ryan. "Dear Evan Hansen Wins 2018 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album", Playbill, January 28, 2018McPhee, Ryan. "Ben Platt and Dear Evan Hansen Co-Stars Win Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Award", Playbill, April 28, 2018
In 2022, Park played Philip Abshire in the HBO series The Time Traveler's Wife.
Personal life Park has been married to music therapist Laurie Nowak since January 6, 1996. They have three children.
Stage credits Year(s)ProductionRoleNotes1993-1994Hello AgainThe College BoyMitzi E. Newhouse Theater, Broadway1994ShenandoahJames AndersonGoodspeed Opera House1994-1995CarouselBilly Bigelow (standby)Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Broadway1995-1997Smokey Joe's CafePerformerAugust Wilson Theatre, Broadway1997VioletMontyPlaywrights Horizons, Off-Broadway1998-1999Little MeLuckyRoundabout Theatre Company2001Bloomer GirlJeff CalhounNew York City Center, Encores!2008ApplauseBill Sampson2010MiddletownCopVineyard Theatre, Off-Broadway2011-2012How to Succeed in Business Without Really TryingBert BrattAl Hirschfeld Theatre, Broadway2012-2013Cat on a Hot Tin RoofGooperRichard Rodgers Theatre, Broadway2013The Cradle Will RockTrixie / Bugs / DickNew York City Center, Encores!2014The Threepenny OperaMacheathAtlantic Theater Company, Off-Broadway2015Tuck EverlastingAngus TuckAlliance TheatreDear Evan HansenLarry MurphyArena Stage2016Tuck EverlastingAngus TuckBroadhurst Theatre, BroadwayRagtimeFatherEllis Island Concert2016-2019Dear Evan HansenLarry MurphyMusic Box Theatre, Broadway2017Jagged Little PillSteve HealyWorkshop2018My One and OnlyPrince Nicolai Erraclyovitch TchatchavadzeStephen Sondheim Theatre, Broadway Concert2019FootlooseReverend Shaw MooreKennedy Center2020Next to NormalDr. Madden / Dr. Fine2024RedwoodFinnLa Jolla Playhouse2025Nederlander Theatre, Broadway2026 The Recipe McWilliams La Jolla Playhouse Newsies Joseph Pulitzer The MunyGalileo Galileo Galilei (alternate) Shubert Theatre, Broadway
See also Jack Snyder and Carly Tenney
References
External links
SoapCentral entry