Super-powered Producer: Alumni Profile - Mitch Marois ’10

Mitch Marois ’10 has always been at home on the stage, and he recently had the chance to stand on one of biggest – at Radio City Music Hall – where he received a Tony award for co-producing "Maybe Happy Ending," winner of best musical for 2024. Although the magnitude of the experience didn’t sink in until the next day, he does remember the trip from his seat to the stage.

“My sister was hosting a watch party, and I knew they expected to see me on stage if we won. The co-producing pod was seated near the back of the orchestra, so when I heard the 'Mm' for 'Maybe Happy Ending,' I bolted!” Those who were watching got to see him be recognized for a theatrical achievement that wasn’t part of his initial career aspirations.   

Known during his Shorecrest days as an actor, singer and dancer who had the lead in shows including "Fiddler on the Roof" and "West Side Story," he saw Broadway in his future and says, “being an actor was always the plan.” Although, in an interesting and providential coincidence, he sang “I Wanna Be a Producer!” from "The Producers" in the Shorecrest Fall Showcase of his junior year. He credits Janet Root H '16, longtime Chair of the Arts and Humanities department; and teachers Bill Leavengood '78, Lee Ahlin and Cheryl Lee as being among those who provided the artistic foundation that has led to a very successful career.

“Bill, Cheryl and Lee gave me my first professional role in seventh or eighth grade in their musical, 'Crossing the Bay.' And Janet took a shine to me and was so supportive and so eager to take me under her wing. I wouldn’t be where I am without her.”

He also recalls learning from Jeff Norton, local actor and former manager of the Janet Root Theatre. “He had some of the best acting training of anyone I can imagine. He had studied with Suzuki [Tadashi Suzuki developed the Suzuki Method of Actor Training]. When Bill (Leavengood) and Cheryl (Lee) were busy, he would take me aside and say, ‘I can see what you’re trying to do here.’ And then he’d give me some suggestions."  

Faculty members outside of the theatre also had a significant influence on Mitch. “It wasn’t just the arts teachers who set me up to be where I am today. Richard Beaton was amazing. And Señora Powers, and Señora Andres, and Ron Heller."  

In addition to playing leading roles on stage, Mitch was a leader on campus and was named Outstanding Senior in 2010. That meant he was slated to be the Commencement speaker a decade later, for the Shorecrest Class of 2020. Although the COVID pandemic prevented his in-person return to the Janet Root Theatre stage, he shared some of the following advice with the Class of 2020 for the School's carline commencement ceremony.  

“You’re going to be thrown into situations you can’t even dream of yet, and how you work through the fear you’ll experience will start to define who you are. The best you can do at any given moment is your best. Your dreams can and probably will change. That’s OK. Be brave enough to follow your gut.”

Mitch followed his dream of being a Broadway performer to his first-choice college, Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University, an institution that counts Ted Danson and Shorecrest grad Patrick Wilson ’91 among its alumni. When asked what he would tell others who are aspiring to theatre careers, he says choice of school isn’t necessarily a make-or-break decision. “It doesn’t matter where you go. I am lucky to have gone to CMU, where I had mentors who taught me to be a choreographer, to be a director, to be a producer. Find a mentor. Always have a mentor.”

After receiving a BFA in musical theater in 2014, he was ready for the performance career that he and his family had long expected. “I had an agent, and I was in the union. I did some great projects, but I hated the lifestyle of being an actor.” 

In 2015 he founded JAG Productions in Vermont and realized that a different path was a better fit. “I started filling my days with things that needed to be done for the new company, and even though we weren’t making any money, I was able to say, producing is where my superpowers are.” 

After two years with JAG Productions he became the director of sales and marketing for New London Barn Playhouse. In 2018, he joined Hendel Productions as the managing producer; and three years later, he and Maxwell Beer founded Mix and Match Productions in order to take on outside projects.  

The day after the Tony awards, Mitch was back in the office – there’s no rest for a multi-tasking producer with more than a dozen shows to get up and running.

“For Hendel Productions, we currently have five shows in varying stages of production; at Mix and Match, we have seven shows that we’re developing; and we’re working on eight projects with other producers.” 

One of the most exciting upcoming ventures for Mix and Match is a premier of "Marcel on the Train," a story of Marcel Marceau guiding Jewish children to safety in Nazi-occupied France. It was co-written by and will star Ethan Slater, Tony award-nominee for playing Spongebob Squarepants in 2018 and one of the stars of the "Wicked" films. 

“We actually founded our company in order to produce this,” says Mitch. “I had been saying to Max that I wanted to find something that made me feel like the movie, 'Life Is Beautiful' did. Something that gives you hope even when you’re dealing with the scariest thing in the world. And then this script fell in our laps. We took it on in 2022, workshopped it, and will have the world premiere off-Broadway at Classic Stage Company in February 2026. It’s a dark subject matter, but there’s so much joy in it.” 

From the days when he dreamed of his own performances on Broadway, Mitch has found that his recognized talent for producing helps to make those dreams come true for countless other performers. Following his gut led to a different - but equally rewarding - way to stand in the spotlight.