Michael Marszalkowski
Michael is an attorney in Buffalo, NY  who practices immigration and entertainment law.  A voracious reader and sporadic writer, Michael used to make up bedtime stories, create improv scenes on rainy days and write original plays for his four children.  His influences are his parents and their incredible work ethic and his exposure to the world at large, his Catholic faith, being married and being a first generation Polish-American.  He has recently accepted the fact that after numerous knee operations, he may not grow up to become a professional soccer player.

Paul Marszalkowski
Paul graduated with a degree in Music Education from SUNY Fredonia (2011). Paul attended Canisius High School where he played lead trumpet in the jazz band, acted in and directed various theatrical productions, and founded a Writer's Club which is still going strong.  After graduating, Paul spent three years in Washington, D.C., studying Political Science and English before realizing that Music was his calling - and he transferred to Fredonia to pursue it.  In his spare time, Paul enjoys reading anything he can get his hands on, watching old movies, playing the first two bars of Hanson songs and seeing who recognizes them, brainstorming epic novels that never go anywhere, putting on ridiculous accents, sitting in his hot tub and making up limericks with his younger brother, and playing frisbee.

The Story of Spirit
In 2005, after attending the 191st performance of one of his kids' plays, musicals and voice or piano recitals, Mr. Marszalkowski had an idea.  "I seem to enjoy the theater", said Mr. Marsz, "and I think I am a fairly decent writer.  Maybe there is a way that I can bring these two things together?"  Unbeknown to Mr. Marsz, his son Paul, who also seemed to have some talent in acting and writing, had a similar idea.
Mr. Marsz had recently finished teaching a Confirmation course, and was struck by his students' love of Jesus Christ, yet their claimed disconnection from the Church.  Having the benefit of a few more years of experience, Mr. Marsz stated: "I know that Jesus and the Church that He founded are fundamentally connected.  Perhaps there is a way that I can convey this message without being overly didactic, boring or lame?"
Having heard this last sentence, son Paul noted: "Dad, you may have good intentions, but you just sounded like a lawyer from a Dickens novel.  You need help." So Paul decided to help.
Three years later... after many starts and stops, the musical began to come together.  With help from daughters Sara and Anna, the girls dialogue actually began to sound like girls talking. Then the Holy Spirit touched the project, and it changed from something Mr. Marsz and Paul wanted to do, to something that had to be done.  A 2008 workshop performance, with a talented cast, put on something special.  Hollywood director Tony Pastor, Jr. led the first staged production in 2009.  Development continued over the next 3 years and the show was completed in 2011 with several new songs and arrangements. SPIRIT has been performed in Buffalo, Lockport, Fredonia and Syracuse to over 3,500 fans to date.