Michael Gruber (actor)

Michael Thomas Gruber (born November 1, 1964) is an American actor. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the youngest of four children, two sisters and one brother. At an early age, Michael showed great interest in gymnastics and diving. He became the 2nd best diver in his age class in the world at the age of fourteen.

Michael was an All-American diver who graduated from Indian Hill High School in 1982 and attended the University of Michigan on an athletic scholarship as an Olympic diving hopeful training under then Olympic coach Dick Kimball.

His passion was acting and he decided to study theatre at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He made his Broadway debut in the final company of A Chorus Line, 1989-90.

Michael is a composer and co-lyricist, with long-time collaborator Jennifer Allen, of three musicals: The Old Dead Five, Vegas Organic and Hit It, Mike!. He has also composed music for poems, currently working on a series set to children's poetry.

Michael has performed the roles of Munkustrap both on Broadway and in the Cats video. He quotes regarding the Cats video, "It is sort of the signature of my career."