Acting Alum Michael Johnson ’14 Releases New Album and Founds Production Company in NYC

Michael Johnson ’14, a graduate of MMC’s BFA in Acting program, released his new album Jungle Savior on December 1, 2020, under the stage name BROCRISP. A collaboration with Summer Dregs, the album was produced while working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Johnson began writing music during high school, during which he wrote a one-act musical as his senior project. He continued to foster his passion with an education from MMC’s Department of Theatre Arts. After graduation, Johnson released his EP #DONTOPENTILNEXTSUMMER on SoundCloud, followed by the album #by2020 on January 7, 2020. Johnson’s music is available on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and more.

Johnson works as the Creative Director of Rock Rising, a nonprofit production company that he founded with his wife, Julie. Rock Rising is an artist-focused company that produces podcasts, music, and assets for theater productions.

With a community-based focus, Johnson and Rock Rising are currently fundraising to develop a new musical and hope to run music workshops in the spring for middle and high school students in the NYC area. “We created Rock Rising for creatives to have a home. We thrive off of being a community of artists, a place where similar minded people can work together on projects,” says Julie Johnson, the organization’s Executive Director.

Rock Rising additionally offers three-month-long internship opportunities for college students. MMC students seeking an internship specializing in music, theatre, social media, or marketing are encouraged to reach out to Ms. Johnson at julie@rockrising.org.

Congratulations, Michael!

Published: January 12, 2021

Acting and Musical Theatre Alum Nick LaMedica ’10 Makes TV Debut on ‘Chicago Fire’

Nick LaMedica ’10, who graduated from MMC’s Acting and Musical Theatre programs, was recently cast to play a paramedic on NBC’s Chicago Fire. The episode aired on Wednesday, March 18, and marked LaMedica’s first performance for national television.

Congratulations Nick!