"This role is a tour-de-force for Gardiner who aces it with his deadpan absurdities."
--Sharon Groblicki,
The Vermont Standard
Vice Principal Panch in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
The Grange Theatre
"Mr. Gardiner is comedically priceless."
--Daryl Reilly,
TheatreScene.Org
Carl in Eric Bogosian's new play 1+1
The Chain Theatre, The SoHo Playhouse, Black Box
"If you played Blue downtown in 1971 you would have won the Obie!"
-- Albert Poland,
Original Producer of Sam Shepard's THE UNSEEN HAND
Blue Morphan in Sam Shepard's The Unseen Hand
The Black Box
"Professor Higgins (Gardiner)... is the breathtaking heart of the show."
-- Susan Rosenbluth,
Jewish Voice & Opinion
Henry Higgins in Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw
The Black Box & The Nuyorican Poets Cafe
"Gardiner's portrayal of Katurian is particularly strong. He later emerges as a sort of relatable everyman, someone who finds meaning through his art."
-- Jay Lustig,
NJArts.net
Katurian in The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh
The Black Box
"Gardiner in particular projects so much energy as the unhinged Bishop that he always seems to be about to burst out of his skin."
--Jay Lustig,
NJArts.net
Bishop Hogan in Fat Men in Skirts by Nicky Silver
The Black Box
"As Hamlet lays dying in his arms, the full weight of Mr. Gardiner's performance takes hold...here we have a fully embodied character who brings history and loyalty forward and it adds a particular gravitas to the end of the play."
--Open Box Arts Blog
Hortatio in Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Hudson Theatre Works
"Michael Gardiner portrays Jason and the menacing puppet Tyrone brilliantly as he is forced to jump back and forth between the two characters during scenes within seconds. His intense tennis match of depicting the naïve and heartbroken Jason, to the sadistic, foul mouthed puppet, Tyrone is impressively seamless."
-- Gina Zenyuch,
BroadwayWorld.com
Jason/Tyrone in Hand to God by Robert Askins
The Black Box
"The four-member cast embraces the play’s black humor and random craziness so deeply you can feel their gleeful delight."
--Jay Lustig,
NJArts.net
Man in Edward Albee's The Play About the Baby
The Black Box/The Estate of Edward Albee
"Particularly strong performance from Michael Gardiner (Iago)..."
-- Bill Orr,
Teaneck Today
Iago in Othello by William Shakespeare
The Black Box/Shakespeare in the Park Bergen County, The Nuyorican Poets Cafe
"The beaming Michael Gardiner brings everyman charm to the catalyst role."
--Daryl Reilly,
TheatreScene.net