Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Serpe.

Hi Michael, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?

After falling in love with acting in high school, I began auditioning in New York while performing in dozens of community theater productions.

There I began my side hustle as Fight Choreographer for nearly a dozen theaters in the tri-state area.

After a decade in that realm, I began doing Improv in New York City after studying at the the Magnet Theater.

There I produced and co-host the monthly Improv show You Are Not Alone: An Uplifting Show About Depression. Our show showcases artists, storytellers, stand-up comedians, and musicians to share a story or piece about a time they faced challenges with mental health. That inspires long-form improvised scenes from my amazing team. Our show has been running in New York for over 10 years.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

The job of an actor is to face rejection over and over again. It’s a very competitive business. I needed to learn not to get too attached to fantasies of what getting a role would feel like and quickly move on to the next audition.

I made a promise to myself years ago if I ever completed a project and didn’t walk away a better artist than I started is the day I leave the business. Even if learned what NOT to do.

The older I get, the more I want to work in new genres. In my mental health show You Are Not Alone I’ve performed original songs and even co-created dance pieces about my mental health journey.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?

As a Fight Choreographer my focus is always on character. I may be given an actor that can do incredible physical feats but if the piece doesn’t call for it, I can’t have someone just do moves simply because they look cool.

I’ve also been experimenting with actors taking a split second during fight sequences to see an opening, to get the idea to attempt a move, rather than it look too fluid and choreographed.

What does success mean to you?

I define success by the fun I had, the work I helped create and the people I got to meet.

I want audiences to leave my work temporarily transported from what is going on in their lives or the world around us. Even for a few hours.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: badcaseofserpes

Image Credits

Bluehaus Photos
Joy Arzaga
Betsy Franco Feeney
Deb Failla
Alan Zenreich