News
Box 4901 begins previews at Buddies In Bad Times Theatre
February 27, 2020
Michael and the cast of Box 4901 begin previews for Brian Francis' Box 4901 at Buddies In Bad Times Theatre.
In 1992, novelist Brian Francis placed a personals ad in the newspaper. In total, he received 25 responses but there were 13 letters he never responded to. Now, at a much different stage in life, Brian has written replies to those letters. Box 4901 is a hilarious, strange, sweet, and awkward look back at how gay men used to find one another.
Performances: February 27th - March 8th, 2020
Tickets: $25 - $42
"A profound must-see" - CBC
"A profound and deeply moving look at seeking connection" - NOW Magazine
directed + co-created by ROB KEMPSON; starring BRIAN FRANCIS, COLIN ASUNCION, HUME BAUGH, SAMSON BONKEABANTU BROWN, KEITH COLE, DANIEL JELANI ELLIS, JEFF HO, MICHAEL HUGHES, INDRIT KASAPI, DANIEL KROLIK, ERIC MORIN, G KYLE SHIELDS, CHY RYAN SPAIN + GEOFFREY WHYNOT; stage management LUCY MCPHEE; photo JAMES HEASLIP
Air Crash Investigation Australia and U.S. Air Dates
January 01, 2020
Michael's episode of Air Crash Investigation entitled "Taxiway Turmoil" will begin airing this January.
Jan. 16th at 7:30pm on National Geographic Australia.
Jan. 24th at 8:30pm on National Geographic (U.S).
Check your local listings.
Michael returning for 8th Annual Christmas Sing-A-Long: Sharron's Not So Silent Night!
December 15, 2019
Michael is excited to be returning for the eighth annual Christmas Sing-A-Long: Sharron's Not So Silent Night!
On Sunday, December 15th, Buddies in Bad Times will be transformed into a winter wonderland bringing the people what they want in a Christmas Party: Laughter, Fun and Sing-Alongs. Hosted by Sharron Matthews (CBC'S Frankie Drake Mysteries) and featuring performances by Thom Allison (Killjoys), Micah Barnes (The Nylons), and Michael Hughes as perennial favourite "Christmas Carol Burnett".
UPDATE: This event is SOLD-OUT. A limited number of standing room only tickets will be released on a first come first served basis on the afternoon of the event.
Michael to join Sheridan Alumni for Creativity in Motion Fundraiser
December 13, 2019
Michael will be performing alongside graduates and current students of Sheridan College’s renowned Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance program to raise funds for the newly implemented streaming electives within the Music Theatre program that focus on commercial performance, writing for musical theatre, and direction/choreography.
Tickets $40 in advance, $50 at the door.
Michael nominated for a Betty Mitchell Award
June 05, 2019
Michael has been nominated for a 2018-19 Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding Performance By An Actor in a Comedy or Musical for his performance in Mickey & Judy at the Lunchbox Theatre in Calgary last fall.
The Awards ceremony will take place on June 24, 2019.
Michael cast in Daytime Emmy Award-winning series "Odd Squad"
June 04, 2019
Michael has been cast in the upcoming season of Daytime Emmy Award-winning children's show "Odd Squad".
The program airs on TVO Kids in Canada and PBS Kids in the United States.
Stay tuned for more details.
Box 4901 coming to Buddies In Bad Times Theatre in 2020
May 31, 2019
Michael is pleased to be reuniting with the Box 4901 team for Buddies In Bad Times Theatre's 2019/20 Season.
Box 4901, written by Brian Francis (Fruit) and directed and co-created by Rob Kempson, was critically acclaimed at the 2018 Summerworks Festival.
The show will run from February 27th - March 8th.
Michael cast in upcoming season of Mayday
May 21, 2019
Michael has been cast in the upcoming 20th Season of Mayday. Entitled Air Emergency/Air Disasters in the United States and Air Crash Investigation in Australia and the United Kingdom, Mayday is a Canadian television program examining air crashes, near-crashes, hijackings, bombings, and other disasters.
Stay tuned for more details.
Michael to join cast of Sudbury Theatre Centre's Plaid Tidings
November 06, 2018
Michael is pleased to be spending the Holiday season performing in Plaid Tidings: A Special Holiday Edition of Forever Plaid at Sudbury Theatre Centre. This truly “heaven-sent” holiday treat will lift your spirits with classic music sung in perfect harmony, all tied up in a nifty package with a big Christmas bow on top! The show runs from December 6 -22, 2018.
REVIEW: Mickey & Judy a charming celebration of the joy of musicals
September 21, 2018
Michael's award-winning cabaret Mickey & Judy opened at Calgary's Lunchbox Theatre on September 17th and continues through October 6th.
★★★★ "Hughes is a charismatic performer whose beaming smile lights up the Lunchbox space. [He] is as much a comedian as he is a performer and it’s his carefree charm that makes the show so accessible. His quiet rendition of Over the Rainbow is beautifully heartfelt." - Louis Hobson, National Post
*Photo by Benjamin Laird Photography
Michael sits down with Jenn Thiessen and Kyla Musselman for Tits and Teeth Podcast
September 03, 2018
Tits and Teeth Podcast is a brand new podcast dedicated to Canadian musical theatre. Hosted by Canadian showgirls Jennifer Thiessen and Kyla Musselman, the podcast brings dressing room banter to the outside world.
The Podcast is available on Apple iTunes, Google Play Podcast, and Stitcher. For more information, and to listen, download, and subscribe, visit their website at www.titsandteethpodcast.com.
Michael and cast of Box 4901 named Outstanding Ensemble by NOW Magazine
August 22, 2018
The SummerWorks production also received nods for Outstanding Play and Outstanding Direction (Rob Kempson).
Michael to join cast of SummerWorks Festival's Box 4901
July 16, 2018
In 1992, novelist Brian Francis (Fruit, Natural Order) placed a personals ad in the newspaper. He received a number of responses but there were 13 letters he never responded to. Now, 26 years later, Brian has written replies to those letters. Featuring Brian Francis with Bilal Baig, Hume Baugh, Keith Cole, Izad Etemadi, Michael Hughes, Tsholo Khalema, Daniel Krolik, Eric Morin, G Kyle Shields, Chy Ryan Spain, Jonathan Tan, Chris Tsujiuchi, and Geoffrey Whynot.
Michael returning for 6th Annual Super Fun Christmas Sing-Along
November 15, 2017
Michael is excited to be returning for the sixth annual Super Fun Christmas Sing-Along. Mark it in your calendars now: Sunday, December 17th. ONE NIGHT ONLY!
Hosted by Sharron Matthews, Buddies in Bad Times will be transformed into a winter wonderland bringing the people what they want in a Christmas Party: Laughter, Fun and Sing-Alongs. Featuring Thom Allison (Killjoys), Steffi Didomenicantonio (Come From Away), and Michael Hughes as perennial favourite "Christmas Carol Burnett".
Michael to appear in series finale of the CW's REIGN
June 16, 2017
Reign is an award-winning American historical fantasy romance series that follows the early exploits of Mary, Queen of Scots, currently in its fourth and final season. Check your local listings for details!
Michael returning to the VPP for Happy Together 1967
June 13, 2017
Remember when The Beatles, Tom Jones, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Graduate, Sea Monkeys and Expo ’67 were all the rage? We’re getting nostalgic as we travel back to the year Canada turned 100. It’s a celebration of the timeless music, classic television shows, memorable movies and the pop culture of the day with great singing, dancing and stellar harmonies. We’ll be so ‘Happy Together’ going back to 1967.
July 4th - 23rd
Victoria Playhouse Petrolia
Bobby Hsu's "Ob-Sessions" to feature Michael
March 26, 2017
Michael is excited to be the featured vocalist for the third edition of Bobby Hsu's Ob-Sessions - a Manhattan jazz-cabaret style evening devoted to beautiful, underperformed songs from Broadway and the Great American Songbook, curated and presented by Bobby Hsu.
Michael will be accompanied by pianist Stu Harrison.
"When it comes to the Great American Songbook, [Hsu seems to have] more depth and breadth of knowledge than anyone I know, certainly of our generation." --Peter Hum, Ottawa Citizen / jazzblog.ca
Bobby Hsu's Ob-Sessions
Sunday, March 26th
120 Diner
120 Church Street, Toronto
6:00pm
Tickets: $20
Michael returns for 5th Annual Christmas Sing-Along
December 19, 2016
Michael is excited to be returning for the FIFTH annual Super Fun Christmas Sing-Along.
Monday, December 19th - One Night Only!
Once again, Michael will be teaming up with Ari Weinberg for what is sure to be another memorable holiday romp as "The Christmas Carols" (Channing and Burnett).
The Michael Hughes Christmas Special heads to Soulpepper
December 03, 2016
Michael is excited to be heading back to the Young Centre for the Performing Arts with an evening of music and comedy inspired by The Judy Garland Christmas Special.
Featuring guest stars Jeigh Madus (YPT's Seussical), Sara Farb (Stratford Festival's Juliet in Romeo and Juliet), Alicia Toner (Soulpepper's Chasse Galerie), Justin Stadnyk (Kinky Boots), James Daly (Ross Petty's Sleeping Beauty), and Mark Selby on piano - this will be an evening certain to get you into the holiday spirit.
***UPDATE*** As of November 27th, this performance is SOLD-OUT
Michael nominated for 2016 Broadway World Award
November 18, 2016
Michael has been nominated for the 2016 BroadwayWorld Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his performance as Percy Blakeney in The Scarlet Pimpernel.
This marks Michael's fifth nomination, having previously been nominated for BroadwayWorld Toronto and BroadwayWorld New York Awards in 2011, 2012 and 2014.
BroadwayWorld.com is the largest theatre site on the Internet devoted to all things Broadway as well as theatre around the country and world. The BroadwayWorld Awards are an award decided by the fans - from nominations all the way to selecting the final winner.
Michael to headline Stratford Summer Music's Over The Top
November 04, 2016
If you sense a buzz in the air, you're right because the best fundraiser of the season is now on sale. There's always a buzz when tickets are available for Stratford Summer Music's Over The Top. The ninth edition is set for 6:30pm at Revival House on Friday, November 4th.
The night begins with good cheer and the usual unique variety of silent auction items in the upstairs Chapel and with one lucky key that opens a treasure trove of private cellared wines. Then comes Chef Byron Hallett and the Revival Team's delicious menu followed by the award-winning cabaret, Mickey & Judy, featuring vocalist Michael 'Mickey' Hughes and the story of a kid's fascination with the music of Judy Garland.
Be part of the buzz. Call Lana Mau at the office (519.271.2101) to reserve your table with your friends. Over The Top will once again be an evening not to be missed!