Michael followed his youthful passion for the arts, which drew him from his origins in Des Moines, Iowa and transplanted him in Los Angeles during the turbulent social shifts of the late 1960s. By the mid 1970s he was actively performing in various Southern California dance companies, including the R’Wanda Lewis Afro American Dance Company, Momentum Dance Company, and Burch Mann’s American Folk Ballet. Ultimately, he earned a PhD in Dramatic Art from the University of California at Santa Barbara and taught for 28 years in the Department of Theatre at Santa Barbara City College. In 2022 he wrote, performed and co-produced an autobiographical play The War Shirt, that chronicles his personal navigation of history, political ideology, cultural, and sexual identity. A documentary film followed in 2023. The War Shirt: A Dialogue With The Ancestors traces the development of Michael’s play with an emphasis on the influences of non-living ancestors in daily life. Both projects were created in close collaboration with Santa Barbara based director and co-producer Rod Lathim.  Michael’s creative influences include the late African American Civil Rights activist, actor-writer John O’Neal (1940-2019). O’Neal was often identified with the folksy, insightful political attitude of his signature play for one actor, Don’t Start Me to Talking or I’ll Tell Everything I Know:Sayings From the Life and Writings of Junebug Jabbo Jones. 

Michael’s one-person play, The War Shirt explores his own personal vision of theatre as a great gathering place where the actor primes the audience for an empathetic encounter that ideally enables them to experience kinship with many different “others.” His work has been generously supported by The Marjorie Luke Theatre in Santa Barbara, Access Theatre Endowment Fund at the Santa Barbara Foundation, The Santa Barbara City College Foundation, and Pacific Pride Foundation. 

Rod is a playwright, director/producer having worked in theatre since 1979. He was the founder and Artistic Director of the award-winning national touring company Access Theatre (1979-1996). Access Theatre was the first fully accessible theatre company in the USA, integrating the talents of artists, writers and technicians living with disabilities with non-disabled artists. The company produced primarily original productions and is best know for its six-year tour of critically acclaimed play STORM READING by Neil Marcus. Lathim continues to independently produce and direct theatre and concerts. 

Lathim has been honored with awards including the Princess Grace Foundation USA Outstanding Achievement Award, the Leadership In The Arts Award from the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission, multiple Media Access Awards and humanitarian awards. He is also an author and launched his 5th book in early 2026 titled “Finding The Divine Child - A Journey of Spirit, Light and Art.” Lathim is also a successful visual artist - creating LightWorks neon sculptures with vintage objects. He has had gallery exhibits in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Palm Springs and Palm Desert, CA, Nashville, and New York City.

His journey with Michael Downey to stage THE WAR SHIRT and create the documentary film "The War Shirt - A Dialogue With The Ancestors” was an extraordinary experience he will treasure the rest of his life. Learn more about Rod at www.rodlathim.com

Daniel has been working in theater as a producer, production manager, stage manager, actor, designer, and director for nearly twenty-five years. He began his theater education at Santa Barbara City College and continued his education at Southern Oregon University to receive a Master of Theater Studies in Production and Design.

Some of his favorite credits include acting in Avenue Q (Brian), directing The Bible: The Complete Word of God [Abridged], costume designing Spectral Frequencies, sound designing The Government Inspector and stage managing George and Emily Get Married which was written and directed by his mentor and long-time friend Rick Mokler. 

Daniel is currently also working as the production manager for the Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara and as the producer for Santa Barbara Revels.