About me
Michael Langlois is a theatre artist, lecturer, performer, and storyteller with decades of experience in directing, performance, and arts education. He has directed productions throughout New England, served for 20 years as Artistic Director of the Ashford Youth Theatre, and spent more than a decade as Associate Artist with New London, Connecticut’s Flock Theatre. Working with audiences and students of all ages, he has helped individuals discover their voice and tell their unique stories through performance and creative expression. His directing credits include Macbeth; Othello; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Godspell; The Crucible; Lysistrata; Antigone; The Imaginary Invalid; and The Tempest. Acting credits include: The Stage Manager in Our Town; King Henry in Henry V; Brutus in Julius Caeser; and the Baker in Into the Woods.
Drawing on his theatre background, Michael lectures nationwide on topics ranging from acting and directing to the ways passion and storytelling can bridge divides and foster meaningful connection. His recent focus, exploring the intersection of culture and history, is seen in many of his lectures including From Liberty to Legacy: Exploring American Ideals in the Musicals 1776 and Hamilton; Shakespeare Through Performance; The Crown and Compass: Leadership Lessons from Shakespeare’s Kings; Blood and Magic: A Journey into Jacobean Theatre; and A Taste of the Colonial Tavern.
In addition to his lectures, Michael presents a wide range of public readings that blend the immediacy of theatrical performance with the richness of history and culture. Drawing from classic literature and dramatic storytelling traditions, his readings invite audiences to experience the spoken word as a living event rather than simply a recitation. His performances include Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown, and selections from the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Through these presentations, Michael combines vivid storytelling, theatrical resonance, and historical atmosphere to create engaging programs that illuminate the enduring power of literature and performance.
Upcoming Lectures and Readings
June 30: Lecture/Reading - “Declaring Independence” - Lucy Robbins Welles Library, Newington, CT
July 6: Lecture - “From Liberty to Legacy” - Lucy Robbins Welles Library, Newington, CT
July 9: Lecture/Reading - “Declaring Independence” - Groton Public Library, Groton, CT
July 15: Lecture - “From Liberty to Legacy” - Stratford Public Library, Stratford, CT
July 16: Lecture - “From Liberty to Legacy” - Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, URI, Kingston, RI
July 18: Lecture - “From Liberty to Legacy” - Easton Public Library, Easton, CT
July 20: Lecture - “Shakespeare and the Sea” - Ridgefield Public Library, Ridgefield, CT
July 22: Lecture - “From Liberty to Legacy” - Howard Whittemore Public Library, Naugatuck, CT
July 28: Lecture - “From Liberty to Legacy” - Garden City Public Library, Garden City, NY
July 30: Lecture - “Much Ado About Nothing and the Birth of the Rom Com” - Darien Public Library, Darien, CT
August 4: Lecture - “The Greeks: Comedy, Tragedy, and the Birth of Western Theatre” - Rogers Library, Bristol, RI
August 12: Book Discussion - “The Tempest” - Seymour Public Library, Seymour, CT
August 13: Lecture - “Hamlet: Innaction, and the Tragedy of Thought” - Simsbury Public Library, Simsbury, CT
August 17: Lecture - “From Liberty to Legacy” - New Milford Senior Center, New Milford, CT
August 27: Lecture - “From Liberty to Legacy” - Portsmouth Public Library, Portsmouth, NH
September 9: Lecture - “From Liberty to Legacy” - Welles-Turner Memorial Library, Glastonbury, CT
September 16: Lecture - “From Liberty to Legacy” - North Haven Public Library, North Haven, CT
September 17: Workshop - “Acting Techniques for Public Speaking, Performance, & Open Mics” - Jamestown Philomenian Library, Jamestown, RI
September 18: Lecture - “From Liberty to Legacy” - Shoreline Institute for Lifelong Learning at the Guilford Community Center, Guilford, CT
September 30: Lecture - “From Liberty to Legacy” - Otis Library, Norwich, CT
October 6: Lecture - “From Liberty to Legacy” - Stratford Public Library, Stratford, CT
October 14: Lecture - “Toil and Trouble: The Supernatural in the Plays of Shakespeare” - Ashaway Free Library, Ashaway, RI
October 18: Lecture - “From Liberty to Legacy” - Fairfield Museum and History Center, Fairfield, CT
October 27: Reading - “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” - Darien Public Library, Darien, CT
October 28: Reading - “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” - Simsbury Public Library, Simsbury, CT
October 29: Reading - “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” - Essex Public Library, Essex, CT