Michael Hasty returns to the Casa Mañana stage for the second time in Disney’s Newsies! You may have seen his debut in Shrek the Musical earlier this year.
Michael’s interest in theatre peaked later in life – at 17 years old. “I did some shows at church and a one-act play growing up, but that was it.” In 2015 he stepped on stage for the first time in Guys & Dolls, which sparked his passion. Now he’s completed over 2,000 performances – 25 musicals and four shows at theme parks.
A childhood friend of Michael’s, Wes Vaugh, was influential in his career path. “He was the one who encouraged me to audition. I watched him in shows growing up. He inspired me; I don’t know if I would have stepped into the audition room if it weren’t for him.”
His advice to his younger self is, “Ignore the people who said acting was a bad idea. Embrace theatre! Find a professional theatre sooner. Make more connections and strive to be the best actor you can be. The future is bright and full of incredible opportunities! Never stop auditioning.”
After playing “Morris Delancy” in Artisan Center Theatre’s 2019 production of Disney’s Newsies, he’s thrilled to step into the role of “Seitz” in our production.
His one good thing? Casa Mañana. No, we didn’t tell him to say that! “After the pandemic, I wasn’t sure what life would look like. Having Casa Mañana as my restart has been a blessing. I love the entire company.”
Disney’s Newsies runs thru June 12. Don’t miss Michael on stage! Get tickets here.
