Michael Jean-Marain

Artist Bio

Michael is a multidisciplinary artist with a career that bridges theatre, television, and emerging performance technologies. Since graduating from The Urdang Academy in 2012 with a BA in Musical Theatre and Dance, he has built a rich and varied portfolio as a performer, director, and creative collaborator.

His stage credits include acclaimed productions such as War Horse (National Theatre), Sally Cookson’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Robert Icke’s Animal Farm. He has also contributed to a range of R&D projects, most notably the upcoming live stage adaptation of Spirited Away. On screen, Michael recently appeared in Sky TV’s mini-series Lockerbie, and is currently Associate Director for the new family production There’s a Bear on My Chair, which premiered in February 2025.

Outside of performance, Michael is a co-founder of Tracked Illusions, a company exploring the intersection of puppetry and performance capture. Working with teams at Target3D and Rev Rooms, and with Keith Higginbotham as Vocal and Performance Director, the company is developing innovative ways to bring physical storytelling into digital spaces.

Playing Accents