“Oaks’ physicality gives puckish Leon a methodical air: he languidly sashays toward people, and sprawls across the divan like a cheeky cat. Oaks’ Leon is, perhaps, the shrewdest weed-smoker in the Western canon, and a delight to watch toy with people.” ~ Broadway World Review of “You Are Right, If You Think” at Theatre9/12, directed by Charles Waxberg. https://www.broadwayworld.com/seattle/article/BWW-Review-The-Rumors-Are-True-Theatre912s-YOU-ARE-RIGHT-IF-YOU-THINK-Is-Delightful-20180208
“The players, headed by Michael Oaks, portray their characters with gusto. Oaks brings charm to Peter Seacliff, an absent-minded reference librarian haunted by his past. Though the performance is mostly played straight, there is a scene in the final act where he is allowed a looser, more impressionistic vibe.” ~ Drama in the Hood review of “Winter Bird” at Eclectic Theater, directed by Tony Doupé. https://www.dramainthehood.net/2015/10/winter-bird-et-review/
“As other helpers, fools and hangers-on, Michael Oaks as the doltish sponger Pishchik, and Eric Olson as the lovelorn, much-maligned clerk Yipikhodov, handily merge idiocy with insight.” ~ The Seattle Times review of “The Cherry Orchard” at Theatre9/12, directed by Terry Edward Moore. https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/review-the-cherry-orchard-is-still-in-season/
“Played by Michael Oaks, Lyman Conroy, as the modern Everyman, was a real flesh and blood representative of the imperfect individual facing a profound temptation and in the process expresses every human emotion known to mankind.” ~ Drama in the Hood review of “A Shade of Green” at Theatre9/12, written and directed by Charles Waxberg. https://www.dramainthehood.net/2012/01/a-shade-of-green/
“. . . the sweet caring charm of Oaks as Lyman. Oaks inhabited the core of this docile man with every fiber of his being turning every vocal inflection and physical twitch into a brilliant tapestry of a flawed human. Furthermore the chemistry between the two men is palpable.” Broadway World review of “A Shade of Green” at Theatre9/12, written and directed by Charles Waxberg. https://www.broadwayworld.com/seattle/article/BWW-Reviews-A-SHADE-OF-GREEN-from-Theatre-912-20120206
“The two leads, Terese (sic) Diekhans and Michael Oaks were more than up to the task as they portrayed very uptight but malleable prey.” ~ Drama in the Hood review for “Six Degrees of Separation” at Theatre9/12, directed by Charles Waxberg. https://www.dramainthehood.net/2017/02/six-degrees-of-separation/
“Diekhans . . . and Oaks have some great chemistry together and with the audience as they narrate the situation like some anecdote at a cocktail party.” ~ Broadway World review of “Six Degrees of Separation” at Theatre9/12, directed by Charles Waxberg. https://www.broadwayworld.com/seattle/article/BWW-Review-Theater-912s-SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION-Strong-Performances-but-a-Bit-Static-20170130
“Once again, Michael Oaks is along for the raucous ride to brilliant effect.” ~ Broadway World review of “Ham for the Holidays: Jurassic Pork” at Theatre-off-Jackson, directed by David Koch. https://www.broadwayworld.com/seattle/article/BWW-Review-The-Gift-We-All-Need-for-Christmas-is-HAM-FOR-THE-HOLIDAYS-JURASSIC-PORK-20161212 “
“And Oaks’ hyper energy fits his part to a tee making him a delight to watch.” ~ Broadway World review of “Speed the Plow” at Theatre9/12, directed by Charles Waxberg. https://www.broadwayworld.com/seattle/article/BWW-Review-Theatre912s-SPEED-THE-PLOW-Needs-a-Touch-More-Focus-20160711
“Oaks also keeps an amazing strength throughout and his eventual devolution into desperation while still keeping the final outcome at bay is stunning.” ~ Broadway World review of “Doubt” at Theatre9/12, directed by Charles Waxberg. https://www.broadwayworld.com/seattle/article/BWW-Reviews-Gripping-DOUBT-from-Theatre-912-20130714
“Michael Oaks couldn’t be funnier or more intense as he ranges from ridiculous store manager to a man fed up with a bleak existence.” ~ Broadway World review of “The Twilight Zone” at Theater Schmeater, directed by Tim Moore. https://www.broadwayworld.com/seattle/article/BWW-Reviews-Schmeaters-TWILIGHT-ZONE-LIVE-Offers-Up-The-Creepy-Mixed-With-The-Sweet-20130518
“As Tartuffe, Michael Oaks’ spirituality is excessively spurious. He excels, however, in outrageous sleaze.” ~ The Seattle P.I. review of “Tartuffe” at Ghost Light Theatricals, directed by Beth Raas. https://www.seattlepi.com/entertainment/article/nightlife-on-stage-clean-house-is-a-tidy-1233734.php
“Boys in High Heels: Michael Oaks (“Ham for the Holidays”)” ~ The Seattle Times Best of 2010 in Seattle-area theater: The Footlight Awards. https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/best-of-2010-in-seattle-area-theater-the-footlight-awards/
“In an undeniably affecting evening of self-revelation, (Oaks) takes you through three sessions of family slides and five different sketches of his own writing.” ~ The Seattle Gay News review of “Nomads” at Northwest Actors Studio, written and performed by Michael Oaks, directed by Peggy Platt. https://washingtondigitalnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=SGN19911115.1.31
‘“Nomads” doesn’t just wander from the home of the “amazing brahmalo” to typhoon-devastated Okinawa and then on to Renton. It also extends from miniature comedy to miniature tragedy to miniature tragi-comedy. Michael Oaks’ one-man show at the Northwest Actors Studio displays Oaks’ writing and acting abilities. Both the material and the performance are quirky and intriguing.” ~ Seattle P-I review of “Nomads” at Northwest Actors Studio, written and performed by Michael Oaks, directed by Peggy Platt. https://seattlepi.newsbank.com/doc/news/0EB049E0618651B4?search_terms=
“At the center of this company is Michael Oaks as Blanche DuBois. His performance is not to be missed. His Blanche is soft and hard, brittle and unbreakable, encompassing the entire range of Blanche’s fantasy of herself and the rage that comes from being trapped in it.” ~ The Seattle Gay News review of “A Streetcar Named Desire” at Pilgrim Center for the Arts, directed by Robert Lawson. https://www.newspapers.com/article/seattle-gay-news/143991082/
“Speaking of Laugh-In, there’s the terrific Lily Tomlin who was mimicked to perfection by my cute little friend Michael Oaks who attended the same Baptist church in Renton that I did in my Jesus Freak days. How appropriate that 20 years later, I would be playing Stella to his brilliant Blanche DuBois in a local production of Streetcar.” ~ The Seattle Gay News – mentioned in the article “The Lavender Tube Part I” by Maggie Bloodstone. https://washingtondigitalnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=SGN19970516.1.26
“Michael Oaks tackles the deeply disturbed character of the poet with great flair and energy. Like William Hurt’s unsettling English professor in One True Thing, this aging intellectual is thoroughly unlikable under the smugness of his pretended literary talent.” The Lexington Herald-Leader review of “The Monogamist” at Actors’ Guild of Lexington, directed by David Hurt. https://www.newspapers.com/article/lexington-herald-leader/143991388/
“As his seducer, Lord Henry Wotton, Michael Oaks glosses over evil lines with a veneer of charm that demonstrates how an impressionable young man might think he isn’t so bad.” ~ The Lexington Herald-Leader review of “The Picture of Dorian Gray” at Actors’ Guild of Lexington, directed by Deb Shoss. https://www.newspapers.com/article/lexington-herald-leader/143991525/
“Michael Oaks, as Sister Boom Boom in Emily Mann’s ”Execution of Justice” (which deals with the trial of a man who murdered a homosexual politician), probes much more subtly into the various tendons that anchor the muscles of hatred. Oaks, mixing sadness and viciousness, speaks with understanding of the deranged state of murderer Dan White. With sinister ease he goes on to a similar understanding of the hypothetical gay militant who might make it his or her mission to kill White.” ~ The Seattle P-I review of “Stages: The History of Gay Characters on the American Stage” at Alice B. Theatre, conceived and directed by Tammis Doyle. https://seattlepi.newsbank.com/doc/news/0EB0492ACCEAE5CF
“And finally, Michael Oaks, the secret weapon of Seattle comedy. From his hilarious take on Danny Kaye’s debut as a frenetic photographer to the arch repartee of Haunted Host, he is killingly funny.” ~ The Seattle Gay News review of “Stages: The History of Gay Characters on the American Stage” at Alice B. Theatre, conceived and directed by Tammis Doyle. https://washingtondigitalnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=SGN19890616.1.17