Michael Lee

Michael was born on June 5th in Brooklyn, NY. The first of his lineage to be born in the states, he joined an already perfect family of his father Won Yub, his mother Susie, his brother Gabriel, and his sister, Julie. Michael's father, a surgeon, chose the small hamlet of Salamanca, NY, to begin his practice. Being the only Asian family in a small city presented its challenges, but Michael fared well, doing his best to fit in and assimilate. The adage taught to him by his father then would be something he would take with him for the rest of his life: "If you want to compete in this world, you not only have to be as good as everyone else... you have to be better." With that as the backbone to his learning, Michael proceeded to excel in all areas, including academics, sports, and music. This well-roundedness led him to his acceptance into Stanford University. Expecting to follow in his father's and brother's footsteps, Michael began his Stanford career as a pre-med student. Though it challenged him to new academic heights, his desire for performance continued to grow, no matter how much he tried to stifle it. To keep his sanity, in addition to his rigorous academic schedule, he became involved in student productions of musicals, and joined a sketch-comedy, a cappella group called the Stanford Fleet Street Singers. As the years went on, the call to the Artists' Way proved too strong. Michael surrendered to it, and explored his options away from science. After his sophomore year, he followed some of his graduating friends to Los Angeles, where they were going to delve into the entertainment industry. It was a summer to remember, as he learned a lot about himself and took steps that would change his life. During that very skinny summer, Michael enrolled in a musical theater class at East West Players to satisfy his growing passion for the arts. There, he met a friend who encouraged him to audition for "Miss Saigon"... And the rest, as they say, is history.