MICHAEL ANANIA

Head of Design and Production

Michael Anania has designed for Broadway, Off-Broadway, New York City Opera and many regional theaters throughout the United States. His Broadway credits include Laughing Room Only starring Jackie Mason, the revival of I'm Not Rappaport in association with Tony Walton, The Gathering starring Hal Holbrook, Change in the Heir, Run For Your Wife and The Canterbury Tales.

At New York City Opera Mr. Anania has designed The Most Happy Fella, A Little Night Music directed by Scott Ellis and choreographed by Susan Stroman (Live From Lincoln Center), H.M.S. Pinafore, The Merry Widow (live From Lincoln Center), La Boheme (Live From Lincoln Center), Wonderful Town, 110 in the Shade, The Pajama Game, The Desert Song and the New Moon (Live From Woolftrap).

Televised productions also include The Rodgers and Hart Story; Thou Swell, Thou Witty (Great Performances) and Emanuel Ax, Yo-Yo Ma & Friends a Celebration of his music Live from Lincoln center.

Mr. Anania has also designed for The American Stage Company, Barrington Stage Company, Boston Ballet, Boston Shakespeare Company, The Charles Playhouse in Boston, The Cherry County Playhouse, The Cleveland Playhouse, The Coconut grove Playhouse, Cornell University, Dallas Summer Musicals, Ford's Theater, The Fifth Avenue Theater in Seattle, The George Street Playhouse, Goodspeed at Chester,Hartt School of Music, Hinsdale Opera Theater, Houston's Theater Under the Stars, McCarter Theater, Montclair State University, The Muny, North Shore Music Theater, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Anchorage Opera, Central city Opera, Chautauqua Opera, The Holland Festival, The Lake George Opera Festival and The Minnesota Opera.

For twenty years, Mr. Anania was resident designer at The Paper Mill Playhouse, The State Theater of New Jersey designing such productions as Showboat (televised by Great Performances) and the critically acclaimed production of Follies starring Ann Miller.

Mr. Anania was designer in residence at The O'Neil Theater Center for five years and resident designer for The Cohoes Music Hall for three seasons.

In 2002 Mr. Anania was nominated for the Australian Helpmann Award (The Australian Tony Award) for Singin’ in the Rain and the Dallas Theater League’s, Leon Rabin Award for Outstanding Scenic Design for the Dallas Summer Musical production of My Fair Lady. Mr. Anania received the HBO award of excellence for Inherit the Wind at the Paper Mill Playhouse and La Boheme at New York City Opera received an Emmy Award for best classical production

In 1996 Mr. Anania was asked to design an ornament for the White House Christmas Tree in the Blue Room and was invited to the White House to view the finished tree which was dedicated to the Nutcracker Ballet.

Mr. Anania is a member of United Scenic Artists Local 829 out of New York City.

Phone: 860-486-4185
Fax: 860-486-3110
Email: michael.anania@uconn.edu