Michael Kostroff is a television, stage, and film actor best known for his five seasons as unscrupulous gang attorney Maury Levy on HBO's legendary series, "The Wire," and for his recurring roles on a long list of popular television shows. Born in New York City, he grew up attending theatre and went on to study at the High School of Performing Arts. He traveled throughout the US as a member of the original cast of the first national tour of "The Producers," and again as the comic villain, Thénadier, in "Les Misérables," a role he reprised for the re-imagined 25th anniversary production. Kostroff is the author of four books including "The Stage Actor's Handbook" (Rowman & Littlefield, 2022), named one of Playbill.com's must-reads for fall, 2022. He's a former advice columnist for Backstage and a former writer for Disneyland. His blog, "The Weekly Curmudgeon," offers humorous gripes. As an instructor, he's offered classes in acting, comedic acting, the business of the business, and more. His popular Audition Psych 101 workshop deals with the mental part of the audition process. Kostroff has also been a frequent guest at colleges, universities, and theatre schools. He divides his time between New York and Los Angeles.