"The English Bride" at 59 E 59 Theatres, Directed by Carl Wallnau
"The line between truth and lies is nicely blurred in “The English Bride,” a mystery wrapped in a love story — or the other way around — by Lucile Lichtblau, at 59E59 Theaters. And three solid performances keep the interest level up... Ali (Michael Gabriel Goodfriend) is so convincing in his denials that he might have fooled even himself."
~Neil Genzlinger, The New York Times (www.nytimes.com)
"Michael Gabriel Goodfriend’s smoldering Said crackles with subterranean life."
~Rochelle Denton, nytheater now (www.nytheaternow.com)
"Michael Gabriel Goodfriend (Said) is credibly many-layered. At ease with each lie, his character breaks down before our eyes, pride turning to shame. We’re privy to Said’s desire, his astonishment at having secured a youthful dream, and the now-what squirming that ensues. There’s a point in the latter part of the play during which the actor describes to Finney how it will be in Jerusalem with such joy, sadness, and fervor, it’s as if he’s conjuring her dying wish. A splendid portrayal."
~Alix Cohen, Woman Around Town (http://www.womanaroundtown.com)
"Ali, played by Goodfriend with initial hostility and then canny charm toward his questioner, is never what he seems. [He is] invested with confidence and much courtliness by Goodfriend…"
~Edward Karam, OffOffOnline (http://offoffonline.com)
"Goodfriend provides a lovely balance through his thoughtful portrayal of Ali. At one moment a romantic victim and the next a calculating manipulator, Goodfriend’s character cannot be nailed down. In flashbacks, we all fall for his promises of love and ever afters, but as the play progresses, we’re unsure if this is a man misunderstood or a monster. Again, the facts of the case are true - he did attempt to bomb that plane. But his humanity is questioned on every level, and Goodfriend has worked to ensure that Ali cannot be nailed down - by Dov, by Emily, or by us."
~Bradley Troll, “Theatre is Easy” (www.theasy.com)
"In as crisp and taut a thriller as any in town, an expert cast under expert direction by Carl Wallnau are delivering playwright Lucile Lichtblau to the upper echelons of theater accolades. Once again, the discerning producers at 59E59 Theaters have found a worthy effort for their faithful family of theatergoers and friends. The English Bride crackles... Goodfriend, excellent as Ali, layers his task with notions of nobility to cover his shame and guilt not only toward Eileen but toward his parents he has impoverished. "
~Eugene Paul, theaterscene.net (www.theaterscene.net)
"A truly outstanding, compelling tale of love, hate and deceit combined in the dark world of international espionage... Michael Gabriel Goodfriend is throughly convincing... This superior, thought-provoking drama is beautifully acted, staged and written... a must-see-event."
~Rick Busciglio, New Jersey Footlights
"Goodfriend is so good at playing the role of a devoted lover that you almost believe him when he sends Eileen, his bride-to-be, ahead on a plane to Israel with the promise that he will arrive the next day."
~Joyce Friedland, CurtainUp (http://www.curtainup.com)
"The actors, reprising their roles here for the NYC premiere, are perfectly cast and their characters beautifully realized…
Michael Gabriel Goodfriend as Ali Said is charming, nervous and a total surprise. His performance is perfectly nuanced."
~Susan Hasho, Theater Pizzazz (www.theaterpizzazz.com)
"The actors play off one another in sparkling performances... Michael Gabriel Goodfriend in the role of Ali Said, effectively conveys Ali’s political anger and personal emotional ambivalences."
~Alan Miller, A Seat on the Aisle… (www.http://aseatontheaisle.blogspot.com)
~Neil Genzlinger, The New York Times (www.nytimes.com)
"Michael Gabriel Goodfriend’s smoldering Said crackles with subterranean life."
~Rochelle Denton, nytheater now (www.nytheaternow.com)
"Michael Gabriel Goodfriend (Said) is credibly many-layered. At ease with each lie, his character breaks down before our eyes, pride turning to shame. We’re privy to Said’s desire, his astonishment at having secured a youthful dream, and the now-what squirming that ensues. There’s a point in the latter part of the play during which the actor describes to Finney how it will be in Jerusalem with such joy, sadness, and fervor, it’s as if he’s conjuring her dying wish. A splendid portrayal."
~Alix Cohen, Woman Around Town (http://www.womanaroundtown.com)
"Ali, played by Goodfriend with initial hostility and then canny charm toward his questioner, is never what he seems. [He is] invested with confidence and much courtliness by Goodfriend…"
~Edward Karam, OffOffOnline (http://offoffonline.com)
"Goodfriend provides a lovely balance through his thoughtful portrayal of Ali. At one moment a romantic victim and the next a calculating manipulator, Goodfriend’s character cannot be nailed down. In flashbacks, we all fall for his promises of love and ever afters, but as the play progresses, we’re unsure if this is a man misunderstood or a monster. Again, the facts of the case are true - he did attempt to bomb that plane. But his humanity is questioned on every level, and Goodfriend has worked to ensure that Ali cannot be nailed down - by Dov, by Emily, or by us."
~Bradley Troll, “Theatre is Easy” (www.theasy.com)
"In as crisp and taut a thriller as any in town, an expert cast under expert direction by Carl Wallnau are delivering playwright Lucile Lichtblau to the upper echelons of theater accolades. Once again, the discerning producers at 59E59 Theaters have found a worthy effort for their faithful family of theatergoers and friends. The English Bride crackles... Goodfriend, excellent as Ali, layers his task with notions of nobility to cover his shame and guilt not only toward Eileen but toward his parents he has impoverished. "
~Eugene Paul, theaterscene.net (www.theaterscene.net)
"A truly outstanding, compelling tale of love, hate and deceit combined in the dark world of international espionage... Michael Gabriel Goodfriend is throughly convincing... This superior, thought-provoking drama is beautifully acted, staged and written... a must-see-event."
~Rick Busciglio, New Jersey Footlights
"Goodfriend is so good at playing the role of a devoted lover that you almost believe him when he sends Eileen, his bride-to-be, ahead on a plane to Israel with the promise that he will arrive the next day."
~Joyce Friedland, CurtainUp (http://www.curtainup.com)
"The actors, reprising their roles here for the NYC premiere, are perfectly cast and their characters beautifully realized…
Michael Gabriel Goodfriend as Ali Said is charming, nervous and a total surprise. His performance is perfectly nuanced."
~Susan Hasho, Theater Pizzazz (www.theaterpizzazz.com)
"The actors play off one another in sparkling performances... Michael Gabriel Goodfriend in the role of Ali Said, effectively conveys Ali’s political anger and personal emotional ambivalences."
~Alan Miller, A Seat on the Aisle… (www.http://aseatontheaisle.blogspot.com)
"Laughing Stock" at Peterborough Players, Directed by Charles Morey
New Hampshire Theatre Award: Best Supporting Actor
"Brilliant! ...Michael Goodfriend, who plays the smarmy, womanizing Tyler Taylor, excels at physical comedy!"
~Monadnock Ledger-Transcript
"Eternal Equinox" at 59 E 59 Theatres, Directed by Kevin Cochran
“Michael Gabriel Goodfriend (Duncan Grant) is simply marvelous. The quicksilver commitment with which he switches from gravitas to flamboyant antics conjures a character who is, despite his selfish carelessness, irresistible—to both sexes. Goodfriend makes Grant’s playacting infectiously, his libido palpable, dedication and tender regard for Bell credible. He moves like a narcissistic athlete both precisely and with elemental freedom. Shades of Alan Bates and Oliver Reed in Women in Love.”
~Woman Around Town
"Goodfriend’s Duncan has black, curly hair, a Mediterranean complexion, and a solid muscular physique. He is by turns masculine and fey, a mischievous imp and a respected man of the arts. He alternates between bitchy remarks and deep self-knowledge. He uses his sexuality for all it is worth."
~Theaterscene.net
Read an interview with Michael on his portrayal of Duncan Grant here
~Woman Around Town
"Goodfriend’s Duncan has black, curly hair, a Mediterranean complexion, and a solid muscular physique. He is by turns masculine and fey, a mischievous imp and a respected man of the arts. He alternates between bitchy remarks and deep self-knowledge. He uses his sexuality for all it is worth."
~Theaterscene.net
Read an interview with Michael on his portrayal of Duncan Grant here
"Stunning" at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Directed by Anne Kauffman
"Director Anne Kauffman elicits several keenly etched performances; Michael Gabriel Goodfriend plays a fitness-crazed brute named Ike whose notions of femininity derive from concepts abandoned in the Eisenhower era... He makes a swell contribution as greasy, self-pitying Ike."
~Peter Marks, Washington Post
"Goodfriend's brutish husband teeters convincingly on the edge of violence."
~Variety
"Director Anne Kauffmann has a stellar cast and her fast and ferocious direction is scintillating in its surgical precision. Michael Gabriel Goodfriend as husband Ike carries a sinister mean streak that sets in motion the disturbing conclusion."
~Washington Jewish Week
"Michael Gabriel Goodfriend brings a very convincing and creepy menace to this overlord"
~Metro Weekly
Featured in American Theatre Magazine. Read the article here
~Peter Marks, Washington Post
"Goodfriend's brutish husband teeters convincingly on the edge of violence."
~Variety
"Director Anne Kauffmann has a stellar cast and her fast and ferocious direction is scintillating in its surgical precision. Michael Gabriel Goodfriend as husband Ike carries a sinister mean streak that sets in motion the disturbing conclusion."
~Washington Jewish Week
"Michael Gabriel Goodfriend brings a very convincing and creepy menace to this overlord"
~Metro Weekly
Featured in American Theatre Magazine. Read the article here
"Measure for Pleasure" at the Woolly Mammoth, Directed by Howard Shalwitz
Helen Hayes Award Nomination: Best Ensemble
"As the randy, dissembling Capt. Dick Dashwood, Michael Gabriel Goodfriend, shows completely different colors than he did in this season’s earlier Stunning... His cartoon Italian dialect when he is in disguise as the music teacher Fidelio is worth celebrating."
~Honey of an Anklet
"A topdrawer cast. A combination of
Restoration comedy and modern raunch."
–Washington Times
"A gifted cast!"
~dctheatrescene.com
~Honey of an Anklet
"A topdrawer cast. A combination of
Restoration comedy and modern raunch."
–Washington Times
"A gifted cast!"
~dctheatrescene.com
"Arrivals" at Bank Street Theatre, Directed by Dan Wackerman
“Playing Mohammed El Rafi, the thin, dark-eyed Goodfriend maximizes his character's anguish. Far from taking any sort of detached, Brechtian approach to the character, Goodfriend lives through the ordeal as if incarcerated himself. He progresses harrowingly from befuddlement and dudgeon to a terror marked by pleading and hair-raising screams.”
~Theatremania
"As Mohammed El Rafi an excellent Michael Gabriel Goodfriend gives a terrific, naturalistic performance that counterbalances brilliantly with Lau's Jenkins."
~nytheatre.com
~Theatremania
"As Mohammed El Rafi an excellent Michael Gabriel Goodfriend gives a terrific, naturalistic performance that counterbalances brilliantly with Lau's Jenkins."
~nytheatre.com
"Treasure Island" at the Irondale Center, Directed by B.H. Barry
“The ultimate adventure story.The cast is uniformly excellent.”
~CurtainUp
“Rod Brogan, Michael Gabriel Goodfriend, Lindsay Smiling and Philip Willingham are particulary good at the brawling and fighting.”
~Theaterscene.net
“The two-hour show includes a stellar cast of believably roguish actors, including Tom Hewitt as Long John Silver, Michael Gabriel Goodfriend as Black Dog, John Ahlin as Billy Bones and Philip Willingham as Willoughby.”
~24/Seven
"Expertly acted by all. You will be enthralled by Michael Gabriel Goodfriend as Black Dog and George Merry."
~Talk Entertainment
Read the New York Times feature article on "Treasure Island" here
~CurtainUp
“Rod Brogan, Michael Gabriel Goodfriend, Lindsay Smiling and Philip Willingham are particulary good at the brawling and fighting.”
~Theaterscene.net
“The two-hour show includes a stellar cast of believably roguish actors, including Tom Hewitt as Long John Silver, Michael Gabriel Goodfriend as Black Dog, John Ahlin as Billy Bones and Philip Willingham as Willoughby.”
~24/Seven
"Expertly acted by all. You will be enthralled by Michael Gabriel Goodfriend as Black Dog and George Merry."
~Talk Entertainment
Read the New York Times feature article on "Treasure Island" here
"London Cries" at the Irondale Center, Directed by Di Trevis
"Michael Gabriel Goodfriend brings expressive warmth to share in Nathaniel, the proverbially downtrodden Jew."
~Variety
"Headed by British stage star Jenny Galloway the cast--all Irondale members or alumni, deliver expert performances, including Michael Gabriel Goodfriend as Nathaniel..."
~NYtheatre.com
~Variety
"Headed by British stage star Jenny Galloway the cast--all Irondale members or alumni, deliver expert performances, including Michael Gabriel Goodfriend as Nathaniel..."
~NYtheatre.com
"Sleuth" at Cincinnati Playhouse, Directed by Michael Evan Haney
“Goodfriend makes Tindle sincere and forthright but no less capable of guile and gamesmanship.”
~City Beat
“Michael Gabriel Goodfriend as Milo Tindle is versatility at its finest. He is to the stage what Picasso is to art.”
~Cincinnati Examiner.com
"Twelfth Night" at The Pearl Theatre, Directed by J.R. Sullivan
"Michael Gabriel Goodfriend is amusingly broad as Duke Orsino"
~Theatermania.com
"Michael Gabriel Goodfriend, as the narcissistic object of Viola’s affection, is appropriately unbalanced, bearing Orsino’s futile flame for Olivia as well as his clueless inability to discover Viola’s true identity."
~Show Business Weekly
~Theatermania.com
"Michael Gabriel Goodfriend, as the narcissistic object of Viola’s affection, is appropriately unbalanced, bearing Orsino’s futile flame for Olivia as well as his clueless inability to discover Viola’s true identity."
~Show Business Weekly
"Intimate Apparel" at Pittsburgh City Theatre, Directed by Dianne Rodriguez
Best Supporting Actor, Pittsburgh Post Gazette's "Year's Bests"
"This is a near perfect cast. ...Goodfriend manages great emotional delicacy as Marks. ...There is excitement in meeting new talent on the order of Leigh, Parker and Goodfriend."
~Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"No one was better than Michael Gabriel Goodfriend in Intimate Apparel"
~Pittsburgh Post Gazette, 2006 "Year's Bests"
~Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"No one was better than Michael Gabriel Goodfriend in Intimate Apparel"
~Pittsburgh Post Gazette, 2006 "Year's Bests"
"Michael Archangel" at The Fulton Theatre, Directed by Matthew Weiner
"A top-flight cast of actors including Michael Gabriel Goodfriend as a besotted Sergey"
~Lancaster Online
"Beast on the Moon" at the Fountain Theatre, Directed by Edwin Hamamdjian
Garland Award: Best Production of the Year
"Goodfriend brings a kindly, controlled intensity to Aram... creating an electric, palpable atmosphere of trauma, dangerously exposed by frayed nerves and barely submerged memories.
~Los Angeles Times
"Goodfriend is thoroughly convincing and absolutely compelling as he confronts his emotional wounds."
~The Hollywood Reporter
"Goodfriend plays his role with mastery, giving us revelatory glimpses here and there of the stern holocaust survivor's deeper feelings."
~New Times Los Angeles (also named "Beast on the Moon" one of the Years' Ten Best productions in Los Angeles)
"Michael Gabriel Goodfriend expresses his role to physical and emotional perfection. The climactic scene has shattering impact."
~Back Stage West
"Goodfriend is excellent as the authoritarian, Bible-quoting Aram"
~L.A. Weekly
"Superb performances make this piece elemental, emotional, heart-rending, and totally engrossing."
~Beverly Press
~Los Angeles Times
"Goodfriend is thoroughly convincing and absolutely compelling as he confronts his emotional wounds."
~The Hollywood Reporter
"Goodfriend plays his role with mastery, giving us revelatory glimpses here and there of the stern holocaust survivor's deeper feelings."
~New Times Los Angeles (also named "Beast on the Moon" one of the Years' Ten Best productions in Los Angeles)
"Michael Gabriel Goodfriend expresses his role to physical and emotional perfection. The climactic scene has shattering impact."
~Back Stage West
"Goodfriend is excellent as the authoritarian, Bible-quoting Aram"
~L.A. Weekly
"Superb performances make this piece elemental, emotional, heart-rending, and totally engrossing."
~Beverly Press
"Proof" at Ensemble Theatre of Santa Barbara, Directed by Robert Grande Weiss
"Mr. Goodfriend captures every nuance of Hal's underlying open-hearted generosity despite his shortcomings."
~Santa Barbara News-Press
~Santa Barbara News-Press
"A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the East L.A. Classic Theatre Company, Directed by Tony Plana
"Standouts among the cast include Michael Gabriel Goodfriend as the scenery-chewing, donkey-braying Bottom."
~Los Angeles Times
~Los Angeles Times
"USA" at the Met Theatre, Directed by John James Hickey
"The ensemble displays versatility and panache, with Michael Gabriel Goodfriend especially adroit in a wide range of roles."
~Back Stage West
~Back Stage West
"Three Musketeers" at Madison Rep, Directed by Scott Glasser
"Goodfriend gives an unforgettable performance as the young D'Artagnan. He successfully transforms from a clumsy, overpolite, immature boy to a mature, well-postured and clever man."
~The Daily Cardinal
~The Daily Cardinal
"Clean" at Playwrights Arena, Directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera
"Goodfriend's intense Junior, who finally comes to terns, if only momentarily, with his own sensitivity, is great"
~New Times Los Angeles
~New Times Los Angeles
"Degenerate Art!" With the Irondale Ensemble, Directed by Jim Niesen
"The Irondale Ensemble Project has created one of the most powerful, frightening and brutally funny productions I have seen. Their politics, passion and creativity should be emulated by all."
~BuzzNYC
~BuzzNYC