michele was born in the bronx, new york city, in 1986. her mother is edith sarfati, a nurse, and her father is marc sarfati, a deli owner. michele's mother is italian american and roman catholic, while her father is a spanish sephardic jew. michele grew up in new york city and tenafly, new jersey. she went to rockland county day school for elementary school in new york and then tenafly high school. michele was home schooled one year while working in toronto canada on "ragtime". she went to stagedoor manor in the catskills, a performing arts training center. she was then later accepted to the cap21 program at the tisch school of the arts at new york university, but instead continued working on stage.