Michael Scheman's (original director-choreographer/co-conceiver) adaptation of The Pirates of Penzance, which he staged on board the Good Ship Peking at South St. Seaport, earned him a a Lucille Lortel Award nomination. His play Running from the Rhyme, won the John Golden prize for Playwriting. He directed and choreographed the world premiere production of Snapshots at the Westport Country Playhouse. He has written and/or directed dozens of plays and musicals in New York City and regionally, as well as internationally (at theaters including Rattlestick Theatre Company, Capital Repertory, Stages Repertory, Theatreworks/USA,Virginia Stage Company and the Vineyard Playhouse).  He has assisted on Broadway, at the Public, Second Stage, the Minetta Lane, and on the American premiere of Ragtime. He earned his MFA from Columbia University and studied directing and writing at Harvard University as well as the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center.  Michael is an alumni lyricist of the BMI Advanced Workshop.