John Michael Sefel

John Michael Sefel (1977- ) is a theatre educator, practitioner, and scholar, with research specialties in the intersections of theatre history, disability studies, Jewish history, and horror. He has taught at Ohio State University, Baylor University, Cowley College, Chester College of New England, and now serves as the head of theatre at Henry Ford College. He has served as a Fellow with the Melton Center for Jewish Studies and in Curriculum Development with the Ohio History Connection. Other credits include film casting, playwriting, dramaturgy, and nearly 100 directing credits, including in NYC, Boston, the New England Fringe, the Provincetown Fringe, and the Central Texas Opera Festival.

His work has been published by Routledge, Macmillan, McFarland, Hippocampus Press, Stage Directions Magazine, Texas Theatre Journal, New England Theatre Journal, and several small press publishers. He holds a PhD in Theatre History & Literature and an MFA in Theatrical Directing. John Michael is a first-generation American on his father's side who came to America as a refugee and Holocaust survivor. He lives in Metro Detroit with his wife, kids, and two evil cats.