Michael Faulkner

Nine Nights of Twelfth Night

This summer I had the pleasure of performing a dream role at the Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival. Two summers ago I donned yellow stockings as Malvolio in William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. This summer I strapped on my guitar and played Django-style in a Twelfth Night set in the Roaring 20’s as one of Shakespeare’s most famous fools, Feste.

As a young actor I got to play Fabian in Twelfth Night with at Shakespeare Santa Cruz and watched two masters of the stage tackle the roles of Feste and Malvolio. The production was directed by prolific theater director Tim Ocel and featured the brilliant James Winker as Malvolio and the inimitable, irrepressible James Newcomb as Feste. It was a master class for a young actor. I was bowled over to be in their company back then, and to get to do both roles now in quick succession (and to learn to do tricks with my bowler hat). Yes, I stole from both. But I was able to add a lot thanks to my on-the-job clown training over my past 13 years with the Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Here are a few pics from the production. Thanks, Kingsmen Shakespeare, for this midsummer night’s dream. Click to embiggen.

The Complete History of Comedy (abridged)

There’s a new Reduced Shakespeare Company Show. And the Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged) (touring this winter – just two performances!) hasn’t even been published yet. I love that my friends and authors at the Reduced have been churning out the shows the past few years… and this one is incredible. They finally tackled a subject close to all of our hearts.

I am blessed to be a part of this company, and was blessed to perform this show for 5 weeks in Massachusetts in May. New England Theater Geek said:

Dominic Conti, Michael Faulkner, and Jerry Kernion form a high-energy three-man team that works seamlessly together to bring the correct amount of yuckle to your chuckle. These extremely talented gentlemen deliver the material with comic dexterity. Zigging and zagging as an unstoppable force, they know exactly when to punch it and exactly when to let it ride on home. They are adept at handling an audience (even when literally handling them).

Seriously. Catch it on tour, whether I’m in that particular performance or not.

Flat Stanley. Sings. In Tune Though. Not Flat.

It isn’t often I get hired to act alongside my wife, Amanda. Sure, we act out all the time at home. But at the beginning of the year we got hired together to play Mr. and Mrs. Lambchop in “The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley.” The first I heard of Flat Stanley was a few years ago when one of my touring partners asked if his daughter could send me her Flat Stanley. If you’ve never gotten one, do it. When Flat Stanley visited me, he went to the moon at Griffith Observatory.

But guess what — Flat Stanley sings. Neither sharp nor flat. There’s a company that has been quite successful churning out musicals based on popular childrens’ books. Good ones, too. Even the adults loved this one. Fun.

Happy Merry Chrismakwannukahanzakah!

Had an absolutely stunning time at San Diego Rep over the holidays, performing the brand spanking new Reduced Shakespeare Company show, “The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged).” Here’s a review. Here’s another one. Here’s a whole mess of quotes from a whole mess of reviews from performances all across the country. Stay tuned for more possible Reduced Shakespeare Company updates.

The Shakespeare Clowning Continues…

In the last 18 months, I’ve played Elbow (Measure for Measure), Hortensio (Taming of the Shrew), Launcelot Gobbo (Merchant of Venice) and am currently appearing as Malvolio in perhaps my favorite Shakespeare comedy of all-time, “Twelfth Night.” I get to do this under the stars on top of a mountain overlooking the San Gabriel valley, in a Greek amphitheater on the grounds of a Catholic Girls’ School. And I’m being paid Equity wages. It doesn’t get much sweeter than this. I know there are plenty of Hollywood types that don’t think Shakespeare applies to our little industry, but when you are killing them with laughter, it doesn’t matter if the words are 400 years old. Here’s a review:

There’s also an oddball gentleman named Malvolio (Michael Faulkner) who inspires laughs aplenty, particularly when tricked by the aforementioned trio into wearing “yellow stockings and purple cross-garters” (or their semi-contemporary equivalent)… there’s Faulkner’s brilliant comic work as Malvolio, whether practicing what appears to be the gent’s first smile ever, or romping about in skin-tight yellow-and-black checked pants, or doing frequent face-first pratfalls into the sand. – Stage Scene LA

The La Cañada Flintridge Shakespeare Festival is in its third season and is growing by leaps and bounds. It’s an all-professional (all-union) cast that is a joy to work with. Half-price tickets are available here.

Yeah, that’s me in the pic. OH YEAH.

Working my way through Shakespeare’s Clowns…

So my turn as “Elbow” in MEASURE FOR MEASURE at A Noise Within (Pasadena) last fall has really started a trend. This summer I’ve had the joy and pleasure of working with the fine folks at the Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival in Thousand Oaks in two classic plays: “The Taming of the Shrew” and “The Merchant of Venice.”

Amazingly enough, Kate’s final monologue in “Shrew” only got the feminist hiss once, at which point Kate stared down the offender and delivered the rest of the monologue straight to…. erm… at her. This is why i love live theater. I played Hortensio in Shrew, and am playing Launcelot Gobbo in Merchant, where I’m injecting my own brand of modern sensibilities. In order to make Gobbo’s soliloquy about the argument between the devil and his conscience work, I’m actually pulling unsuspecting audience members out of the audience, on stage with me, to make them A) be the devil and my conscience and B) SAY SHAKESPEARE’S WORDS! It’s a blast, and people are falling out of their camping chairs every night. Did I mention the stage is in a lovely park with creek running through it and frogs chirping all night long?

Commercial Clips

I’ve devoted an entire page to some commercial clips. Click here if you’d like to see them.

Comedy Reel 2010

This new comedic reel has the latest, greatest footage, including some from “Agent X” and “Special Delivery.” I’ve also put up a complete scene from Agent X (different from the snippet in the reel). The “Ocean Shark” footage that opens the reel was  mostly improvised. The footage that looks like it is from American Idol is actually a spoof-sketch I shot for the Jay Leno show. Enjoy!

Dramatic Reel (2-minutes)

Here’s the latest edit of my theatrical dramatic reel, with footage from television’s “Strong Medicine” and the films “Pledge of Innocence” and “Hollywood Sign.” Yeah, I was a baby in “Hollywood Sign.” I’m really proud of my work in “Pledge of Innocence.” My sister is mentally disabled, so the chance to bring that kind of character to life in a feature film was a real gift. After performing slapstick nouvelle-vaudeville with the Reduced Shakespeare Company all over the world the last 9 years, I am longing to stretch some dramatic muscles again.

“Agent X” Clip

Here’s a full scene from “Agent X; The First Mission.” This film was an absolute joy to work on. It’s currently making the festival rounds.