Michael Arden

Michael Arden is a Tony Award–winning director and actor whose productions, including Parade, Maybe Happy Ending, and Spring Awakening, blend intimacy, spectacle, and extraordinary humanity. Across film, television, and theater, his work returns again and again to questions of belonging, connection, and what becomes possible when people truly feel seen. He joins to discuss the childhood experiences that shaped him, his journey from actor to acclaimed director, and the enduring power of live theater to change lives.