Most Influential Business Professional
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Michael McDonagh |
From the very beginning, Michael McDonagh’s world was shaped by language and performance. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, he was captivated by the rhythm of poetry, the electricity of theater, and the enduring magic of cinema. This passion would grow into a lifelong artistic journey—one that would span continents, mediums, and decades, all rooted in the transformative power of words. After earning his Bachelor of Arts in English from Loyola Marymount University in 1973, Michael launched into the literary world with a hunger not just to write, but to explore. In a career now spanning over 40 years, he has worn many hats: poet, critic, dramatist, filmmaker, director, and actor. Yet through all these identities, one constant has remained—his unwavering devotion to the arts. Michael is not simply a poet who writes about the world; he is a poet who listens to it. His verse, shaped by acute observation and lyrical depth, has appeared in respected journals such as Mirage and Stanford’s Mantis, and in anthologies that echo his commitment to both form and feeling. His three published collections—Before I Forget, the rare and intimate Once, and All Kinds of Weather—reveal a mind attuned to the subtleties of life: fleeting moments, shifting light, unspoken thoughts. Each book feels like a conversation between artist and audience, whispered across time. But poetry is only one thread in the fabric of his work. Michael is equally at home in the world of criticism, where he has earned a reputation as an incisive and fearless voice. His writing has graced the pages of The San Francisco Chronicle, The Los Angeles Times, The Advocate, CultureVulture, and SF Review of Books, among many others. Whether writing about music, film, theater, or architecture, he approaches each subject with a blend of intellectual rigor and artistic sensitivity. His criticism doesn’t just inform—it illuminates. Michael’s curiosity has also taken him into the realm of performance and filmmaking. As a playwright and director, he has crafted theatrical experiences that blur the line between poetry and stagecraft. His one-woman play Sight Unseen—premiered at New York’s Bowery Poetry Club on the solemn weekend of September 11, 2011—was later adapted for the screen in Berlin. It was not simply a performance, but a reckoning with time, loss, and memory. Works like Touch and Go, Speaking Terms, and A Russian Novel followed, each blending experimental form with intimate storytelling, often premiered through the Berkeley Arts Festival, where Michael is a respected and frequent contributor. Behind the curtain, Michael’s fascination with sound and storytelling led him to a unique collaboration with Anna North, widow of legendary film composer Alex North (A Streetcar Named Desire, Spartacus). Tasked with preserving North’s musical legacy, Michael created the film ALEX NORTH: VIVA ZAPATA! and co-hosted a series of radio specials on KUSF-FM that explored North’s influence on modern cinema and culture. What sets Michael apart is his refusal to be confined. His creative compass points in all directions: he travels widely, reads voraciously, and constantly seeks new mediums through which to express his ideas. His life is an evolving conversation between poetry and critique, between performance and introspection. Now based in the Bay Area, Michael continues to write, direct, and inspire. Whether contributing arts reviews to CultureVulture, appearing in experimental films, or shaping his next collection of poetry, he remains a vital force in contemporary culture. His work crosses borders—not just geographical, but emotional and artistic. It invites readers, listeners, and viewers to pause, reflect, and feel. To encounter Michael McDonagh’s work is to be drawn into a lifelong dance with the arts—a dance that is fearless, intimate, and deeply human.