OUR TOWN / THE LARAMIE PROJECT
Theatrical Outfit - ATL (Aug-Sept 2019)
"Especially resonant here is the normally peripheral role of the outsider, the choirmaster, given a palpable and convincing sense of despair in just a few lines by Michael Hanson in a notably strong performance."
-Andrew Alexander, THE ALEXANDER REPORT
"The actors are uniformly fine, with many familiar faces among them, but several are particularly eye-opening... ...Michael Hanson, haunting as Simon Stimson, the soft-spoken and deeply troubled alcoholic choirmaster..."
"I’ve seen several live productions of “The Laramie Project,” including the New York original; I’ve also seen the HBO film; and I say without hesitation that the 10 professional actors who bring this true story to life at the Outfit have been inspired (so has Mr. Guterman), and this production is the finest, most deeply felt version I’ve been privileged to witness."
-Manning Harris, ATLANTA INTOWN
APOCRYPHA
Ensemble Studio Theatre - LA (July 2016)
"Notable comic turns among the ensemble include Ray Xifo as one of the Three Kings, Katon-Donegal as Mary, seeking counseling for her troubled marriage, and Hanson, recurring in multiple scenes as a rather clueless savior."
NICE THINGS
Rogue Machine Theatre (Sept-Nov 2014)
"As Justin, Michael Hanson gives a nicely understated performance. He is able to convey who Justin is through his interactions with Amy, and he punctuates these moments with his expressions towards her. We understand how he feels about Amy simply by the way he smiles at her, and that’s enough. It is the small moments that stand out for Mr. Hanson, perhaps proving that there is no such thing as a small moment."
-Patrick Hurley, ThatAwesomeTheatreBlog
MELVILLE BOYS
Little Fish Theatre (Mar-May 2014)
"Hanson is hilarious and his boyish charm irresistible."
-Ingrid Wilmot, WILLCALL.ORG
THE LARAMIE PROJECT: TEN YEARS LATER
The L.A. Gay and Lebian Center (Sept-Nov 2013)
"...Michael Hanson and Dylan Seaton embodied principal actor McKinney and unwilling accomplice Henderson, respectively, with chilling aplomb. Evidently the thesps are alternating in those roles, though it’s hard to imagine either one better played."
-Bob Verini, ARTS IN LA
"The ensemble, accompanied by singer Johanna Chase, is beyond praise."
"Michael Hanson and Dylan Seaton alternate nightly as killers Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, evoking a chilling duality."
-David C. Nichols, LOS ANGELES TIMES
THE FISHERMAN'S WIFE
Ensemble Studio Theatre - LA (Oct-Dec 2012)
"Michael Hanson plays the unintentionally charming, self-deprecating good guy of Cooper in a way that makes him completely relatable to everyone in the audience. The combination of his boy-next-door good looks and charming delivery puts us immediately on the characters side. His reaction to the ‘no win’ situation he was in with his wife was as real and honest as I‘ve seen. It was the perfect combination of frustration, anger and just that hint of amusement at the absurdity of it all."
-Dan Deevy, THE THEATRE SOURCE
"McCarron and Hanson are terrific at bringing the embattled Cooper and Vanessa to life, and completely uninhibited in roles requiring considerable physicality..."
-Steven Stanley, STAGE SCENE LA
"...Michael Hanson, a straight-faced stitch..."
-David C. Nichols, BACKSTAGE
THE WAR CYCLE: GOSPEL ACCORDING TO FIRST SQUAD
Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble (July-Sept 2011)
"As for the eight leads, Algatt, Crabtree, Hanson, Mahon, Malonzo, Meijer, Pappas, and Redding are all so out-and-out brilliant (i.e. dynamic, intense, and indefatigable) that it would be unfair to single one out. That being said, it must be mentioned that Hanson, who usually plays Grieshop, deserves major props for covering not only Jackson, a part he nailed last night with the fervor of an actual Bible-thumper, but also Gehrman and [Wright], all three of which he has gone on as. (All this from the boy-next-door charmer of Group: A Musical. Talk about versatility and cojones.)"
-Steven Stanley, STAGE SCENE LA
GROUP: THE MUSICAL
Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble (Dec '10 - Jan '11)
"...particularly that of Paul (an entirely charming Michael Hanson), an aw-shucks 20-something who falls hard for every woman with whom he goes on a first date. Hanson's character-driven singing is a delight."
-Amy Lyons, BACKSTAGE WEST
"We know Paul will fall in love with [Liz], but watching the romance progress is better than we expect it to be. Mr. Hanson's buoyant portrayal of a young man with a teenagers view of love shows remarkable growth. We watch him become a man with multi-faceted emotions as he copes with the complexities of real love. In his Defining Moment, we love him."
-Laurel Belgreen, SOCAL.COM
FATA MORGANA
Pacific Resident Theatre (Nov '08 - Feb '09)
"... Michael Hanson, a find..."
"Hanson's coltish gravitas and Conte's edgy jocularity dovetail with Brooks' airborne pragmatism, an ideal central triangle."
-David C. Nichols, LOS ANGELES TIMES
"George, the autobiographical alter ego of playwright Ernest Vajda, is a handsome 18-year-old, played with innocent charm by Michael Hanson, making his first post-UCLA debut and doing a handsome job of it."
-Cynthia Citron, SANTA MONICA DAILY PRESS / CURTAIN UP
