Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Mullen.
Michael, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m a costume designer, actor, artist, and writer who lives in Los Angeles with my dog Choo Choo. I came to Los Angeles many years ago for college. I went to U.S.C., where I got a degree in theatre. After that, I went to F.I.D.M. and earned a degree in fashion design. Since graduating from school, I’ve had all sorts of jobs, but nothing has brought me more joy than my theatre career. I’ve performed in and costume designed several productions both on stage and on film throughout Los Angeles. Some of my favorite theatre roles to date include: Miss Tracy Mills in “The Legend Of Georgia McBride” (Desert Theatre League Award nomination for Leading Actor In A Play- Comedy-Professional, Scenie Award for Outstanding Performance By A Lead Actor In A Comedy (Intimate Theatre), Lady Bracknell In “The Importance Of Being Earnest” (Eddon Award for Best Leading Performance, Scenie Award for Outstanding Featured Actor-Comedy), Paravicini in “The Mousetrap” (Eddon Award for Best Performance, TicketHolder Runner-Up for Featured Actor In A play, Scenie Award for Outstanding Ensemble-Drama), my solo show “Hungry Bitch”, various roles in a show I wrote called “TransActions”, “Babberly in “I’m Just Wild About Harry”, Tom/Phyllis/Leslie in “Sylvia” (Scenie Award for Best Featured Actor-Comedy), Voice 2 in “Porcelian” (Scenie Award for Best Ensemble-Drama), Arthur in “On Tidy Endings”, Miss Texas in “Pageant”, Harry Roat in “Wait Until Dark” (Scenie Award for Outstanding Featured Actor- Drama), and Cupid in “The Eight: Reindeer Monologues” (Scenie Award for Outstanding Ensemble-Comedy). As far as costume designing goes, I’ve designed a few hundred projects over the last several years. Among my credits are “Dreamgirls”, “The Boy From Oz”, “Siamese Sex Show”, “Fugue”, “When Jazz Had The Blues”, “Burners”, “Cabaret”, Year Of The Rooster”, “Fixed”, “Sweeney Todd”, “American Idiot”, “She Loves Me”, “Company”, “The Wild Party”, “As You Like It”, “Othello”, and “The Legend Of Georgia McBride” I’ve received several awards and nominations for my work including eight Ovation Award nominations and three wins, an L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award, an L.A. Weekly Award, two N.A.A.C.P. nominations and one win, four Stage Raw Award nominations and one win, three Robby Award nominations and one win, several Scenie Awards including “Costume Designer Extraordinaire”, “Costume Designer Of The Year”, and “Costume Design Of The Year-Individual Production”, several Broadway World Award nominations and two wins, and four Ticket Holder mentions including two wins. I love theatre and hope to keep doing it for many years to come! Besides costume design and acting, I hope to get more into writing and producing. I also would love to become more involved in the television and film world as a costumer and actor. I also hope to do more artwork which has become a favorite hobby of mine in the last few months. And I hope to become more involved with activism and social justice. And eat good food. I love to eat! 😉
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not always been a smooth road. There have been times where I have taken too much work on at a time and it becomes stressful and challenging to juggle it all and get it all done, but I always somehow get the work done. There’s usually no other option- if you commit to a job- you get the job done. 😉
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m a costume designer, actor, artist, and writer. I costume design all sorts of things: plays, musicals, dance shows, live events, film and television, music videos, basically anything that needs costumes. I’m versatile and can do any genre and style…As far as acting goes, I’ve done some commercials and film, but mostly theatre. I want to do it all. It’s all fun and fulfilling! As far as my art goes, I love to just be creative and have posted a lot of my work on my Instagram page. I’d love to start turning my art and designs into fabric, wrapping paper, wallpaper, and stationary…As far as my writing goes, I want to start writing more plays and short stories. :)….I think my work in all of these areas is fun and hopefully unique.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I have had the most amazing and supportive parents to cheer me on for all of my life. Unfortunately, my beautiful mother just recently passed away due to Pancreatic Cancer. But I know she will root for me from Heaven or wherever we go when we die. I miss her profusely! Thank God I still have my wonderful dad! He’s my best friend. And I have some other really wonderful, fabulous, and supportive friends. I’ve also had the great fortune of working with some amazing and talented directors, co-designers, choreographers, and performers throughout my career. I owe a lot to all of them!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 213-841-1614
- Instagram: Michael Mullen
- Facebook: Michael Mullen
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