Michael Patrick Thornton

Thornton is a native of Jefferson Park, a neighborhood on Chicago's northwest side. He is a graduate of The School at Steppenwolf, The Second City Conservatory, and The Second City Directing Program.

Thornton is artistic director and co-founder of The Gift Theatre.[1] He has acted in productions including Richard III at Steppenwolf, where he became the first actor to act onstage while wearing a robotic exoskeleton. He has also portrayed Iago in Othello at The Gift Theatre and in Actors Theatre of Louisville’s 50th anniversary production of Our Town. Thornton received a Jeff Nomination for his performance in The Gift's premiere of ensemble member Andrew Hinderaker's Suicide, Incorporated.

Thornton also directs at The Gift, including the world premiere of David Rabe's Good For Otto, War of the Worlds, the Chicago Premiere of Will Eno's Oh, The Humanity (and other exclamations). As a writer, his plays have been workshopped in New York through Young Playwrights, Inc. and in Chicago through Second City. He is the theater's artistic director.[2]

Thornton's has appeared in episodes of television's Elementary (CBS) The Exorcist (FOX), Private Practice, The Chicago Code, Ron Howard's The Dilemma and the independent feature film The View From Tall.

Thornton suffered a "spinal stroke" on St. Patrick's Day 2003 that left him comatose for three days and paralyzed from the neck down. After rehabilitation at The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, he subsequently regained some of his mobility, although not full use of either hand. He can walk with the assistance of a walker. He lives in Chicago and is married to performance artist Lindsey Barlag Thornton.

• Michael Patrick Thornton at IMDb