"A versatile playwright-lyricist-composer."
 
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News

13 Nov 2011

Actors Theatre of Louisville Announces Lineup for 36th Annual Humana Festival of New American Plays

Oh, Gastronomy!

by Michael Golamco, Carson Kreitzer, Steve Moulds, Tanya Saracho and Matt Schatz

directed by Amy Attaway

co-conceived and developed with Sarah Lunnie

Performed by the 2011-2012 Acting Apprentice Company

Commissioned by Actors Theatre of Louisville.

March 16- April 1

Bingham Theatre

Food, that most delicious human unifier, is rife with contradiction. It can signal both comfort and compulsion, imply both nourishment and deprivation, and make your mouth water—or your stomach turn. Get ready to dig in, as five hungry playwrights join forces with twenty-two ravenous Acting Apprentices to serve up the pleasures—and paradoxes—of food.

29 Aug 2011

After receiving 250 applications, Page 73 has named Matt one of 25 semi-finalists for this year's fellowship. Matt is an alumnus of P73's writers group (2009) and was a finalist for the 2008 fellowship and a semi-finalist in 2009. Finalists will be announced some time in the fall.

23 Aug 2011



From Feb. 10-18, 2012, APAC will workshop the Matt Schatz musical comedy Love Trapezoid, with Wojtunik at the helm. The company will present a staged, off-book presentation, with minimal setting. Love Trapezoid "examines art, technology, and everything we use to grieve the loss of someone that we love." --Playbill.com

01 May 2011

BIG IDEA Pun Bandhu, left, as Yama; David Bonanno, as Gino; and models of the future World Trade Center in the premiere of "The Tallest Building in the World," by Matt Schatz.



27 April 2011

16 April 2011

08 April 2011
For the record, I'm at least 5' 6''.

26 Jan 2011
Diana Grisanti and Matt Schatz's musical RICHIE FARMER premiers at Austin's FRONTERA FEST!

Richie Farmer Will Have His Revenge on Durham, book by Diana Grisanti; music and lyrics by Matt Schatz (ScriptWorks Commission). It’s 1992. Post-March Madness. Duke’s in; Kentucky’s out. The Bluegrass State is in ruins, and UK cheerleader Carly has a deep, dark secret: she’s in love with the enemy. Oh, and she also prefers flannel and greasy hair to short skirts and ponytails. At the height of the basketball wars and the culture wars, Diana Grisanti and Matt Schatz bring you a grunge rock musical that’s, like, totally all that and a bag of early 90s chips.

http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Graphics/Players/richie_farmer.jpg


22 Jan 2011
Matt's work featured in New Jersey One-Minute Play Festival


25 Oct 2010
LOVE TRAPEZOID Concert at the Beechman to feature Rodriguez, Rubin and Boyer

The 9:30 PM concert will feature the talents of Krysta Rodriguez (The Addams Family), Steven Boyer (I’m Not Rappaport), Andrew Durand (Spring Awakening, The Burnt Part Boys), Leo Ash Evens (West Side Story), Jim Poulos (Rent), Lance Rubin (Things to Ruin), Dana Steingold (The Battery’s Down) and Alex Wyse (The Last Smoker in America).

Audiences can expect to hear highlights from Everyone’s Waiting by Leah Miles and Donny Codden and Love Trapezoid by 2009 Fred Ebb Award finalist Matt Schatz.


15 Sept 2010

2010-11 Season in New Luna Stage Home On Sale Now
April 14 - May 15, 2011
WORLD PREMIERE!

The Tallest Building in the World
By Matt Schatz

With equal measures of ego and genius, a young engineer orchestrates the birth of the World Trade Center towers, revealing what is lost and what is gained when we try to reach to the sky.


1 Sept 2010
Matt's play "The Tallest Building in the World" will have its world premier production at New Jersey's Luna Stage this spring!

23 April 2010
Michael Kooman/Matt Schatz musical "Exchanges" premiers in Altoona, PA!

16 April 2010
Michael Lew/Matt Schatz short musical "Ling Leventhal" to be part of 2G's 13: Instant Vaudevile

26 March 2010
Matt Schatz composes music for the 52nd Street Project's "Me First, The Pioneer Plays!"

23 January 2010
Love Trapezoid excerpt to be part of "8 Track: B Sides and Mashups!

19 October 2009
Matt is a finalist for the 2009 Fred Ebb Award!

Matt and his composer/collaborator Dina Pruzhansky have been named as finalists for THE FIFTH ANNUAL FRED EBB AWARD FOR MUSICAL THEATRE SONGWRITING for their adaptation of Mike Leigh's film Secrets & Lies.

The Fred Ebb Award recognizes excellence in musical theatre songwriting, by a songwriter or songwriting team that has not yet achieved significant commercial success. The award is meant to encourage and support aspiring songwriters to create new works for the musical theatre. The prize includes a $50,000 award.  In addition to the monetary prize, the Fred Ebb Foundation will produce a one-night-only showcase of the winner's work in the spring of 2010.  The Fred Ebb Foundation is funded by royalties from Mr. Ebb’s vast catalogue of work.  The selection panel includes Mitchell S. Bernard, Sheldon Harnick, David Loud, Marin Mazzie, Tim Pinckney and Arthur Whitelaw.


16 October 2009
Oh My!, a new original musical with lyrics by Matt Schatz is having a developmental workshop at IRT!

Oh My!
is a new indie rock musical comedy about the invention of the vibrator. The play takes place in an American town during the late 1800s, a time when vibrators were more popular than toast. There will be four workshop performances of Oh My!, October 16-18, 2009. Learn more.

05 October 2009
Matt's play The Tallest Building in the World kicks off Lunastage's "New Moon" Reading Series!

FREE and open to the public, the first Monday of every month @ 7:30pm
Join us for a reading of a new play and a discussion with the playwright.
Readings are at Luna Stage’s temporary theatre space, 406 Tompkins Street in Orange, NJ

Monday October 5th, 2009 @ 7:30pm
The Tallest Building in The World
By Matt Schatz
Directed by Troy Miller

In the 1960s, a New York engineer sets out to build the world's tallest building. An easy task, just as long as he can get his architect, the owner of the Empire State Building, and the Laws of Physics to cooperate. Based on actual events, The Tallest Building in the World examines the birth of The World Trade Towers and what is gained and what is lost when we try to reach into the sky.


04 October 2009
Eight new and original Matt Schatz songs in the '52nd Street Brunch' at Ensemble Studio Theatre!

Matt was commissioned to write music and lyrics in collaboration with the emerging playwrights of Youngblood for five original ten minute musicals each starring and inspired by an alumnus of the great 52nd Street Project.  Matt is also music directing and accompanying for the performance!

The mighty YOUNGBLOOD SUNDAY BRUNCH returns for a new season! We're kicking it off with a very special episode - new plays about our neighborhood, our stomping grounds, our traditional haunts: 52nd Street. And to do it, we're collaborating with Hell's Kitchen's own, beloved 52nd Street Project!

13 September 2009
Matt has a musical in "3rd Annual One-Minute Play Festival" at Here Arts!

It's theater boiled down to its essence. Sixty seconds from lights up to lights down. With over 40 of the BESTwriters in the American Theatre, 6 directors and 30+ actors this is a weekend not to be missed.

PROGRAM A is Saturday September 12th 2009 at 8:30 PM

PROGRAM B is Sunday September 13th 2009 at 8:30PM

*please note that each program contains a completely 100% different line-up of plays!!! Get your tickets early, before they sell out!!

For tickets: Visit http://www.here.org/see/now/autumnartistlodge/ or call 212-352-3101 (please make sure you buy for the correct night!!)

Program A: plays by: Ashlin Halfnight, Emily Conbere, Bixby Elliot, John Devore, Michael John Garces, Jakob Holder, Jessica Litwak, Matt Olmos, Saviana Stanescu, Kyle Jarrow, Ken Urban, David Zellnik, Lanna Joffrey, Megan Mostyn-Brown, Liz Meriwether, Mat Smart, Mac Rogers, Andrea Thome, Matt Freeman, James Comtois, anton dudley, Christine Evans, Robert Kerr, Callie Kimball, Sam Forman, Padraic Lillis, Trav SD & more!

Program A directed by Dominic D'Andrea, Gyda Arber, and Brian Rhinehart

Brogram B: plays by: Callie Kimball, Clay Mcleod Chapman, Dave Anzuelo, Bixby Elliot, Kris Diaz, Christine Evans, Jeff Lewonczyk, J Julian Christopher, Courtney Brook Lauria, Adam Szymkowicz, Migdalia Cruz, Chiori Miyagawa, Ian Cohen, anton dudley, Michael John Garces, Matt Olmos, Saviana Stanescu, Crystal Skillman, Liz Meriwether, Matt Freeman, Matt Schatz, Caridad Svich, August Schulenburg, Daniel Talbott, Trav SD & more!

Program B directed by Jordan Young, Nicole A. Watson, West Hyler

Featuring: Toby Knops, Bryan Davis, Anna Kull, Melissa Dowty, Lee Dolson, Tyronne Davis, Rena Anakwe, Charlie Coniglio, Gino Constabile, India Macdonald, Vincent Pullara Jr., Moema Umann, Matt Walters, Jenny Schutzman, Abi Kornet, Tony Lance, Ashley Simona Baker, Irene Hsi, Anais Alexandra Tekerian, Jacob Murphy, Eryn Rosenthal, Michael Criscuolo, Art Wallace, Samantha Mason, Stephen Heskett, and many more to be announced!

Curated by Dominic D'Andrea

produced by Dominic D'Andrea & Toby Knops

Shstrng Prodctins is Dominic D'Andrea, Toby Knops and Ashlin Halfnight.


This production is being presented through HERE’s Autumn Artist Lodge, which provides artists with subsidized space and equipment, as well as technical and administrative support.


16 July 2009
Page 73 Reading of "Love Trapezoid" at Manhattan Theatre Club!

Love Trapezoid
A Musical Comedy
Book, music and lyrics by Matt Schatz

July 16th at 3:00 @
Manhattan Theater Club
311 West 43rd Street on the 8th Floor - Studio 3


When blocked musical theater lyricist Betty Lou decides to use a special robot to generate “new music” written in the style of her recently departed composer-collaborator, it seems she has found the answer to her prayers.  But when this new “collaboration” begins to affect her other relationships, Betty Lou must choose between being a writer and being a girlfriend in this musical comedy that examines art, technology, and everything else we use to grieve the loss of someone that we love.


Matt was given the opportunity to have this reading as part of his membership in P73's "Interstate 73" Writers Group.

"Love Trapezoid" is a commission from the Ensemble Studio Theatre / Alfred P. Sloan Science and Technology Project.



16 June 2009
Matt invited to join the Advanced BMI Workshop!

Matt and his composer collaborator Dina Pruzhansky were asked to join the workshop on the strength of their musical adaptation of Mike Leigh's 1996 film Secrets & Lies.

The BMI Lehman Engel Advanced Musical Theatre Workshop combines members who have come up through the ranks as well as seasoned professionals presenting work from ongoing musicals and participation is by invitation only. Outer Critics award winning lyricist Richard Engquist serves as moderator.

28 April 2009
Matt receives third EST/Sloan New Play Commission!

Matt has been commissioned by the EST//Sloan Project (with bookwriter Jihan Crowther) to write music and lyrics for Before The Moment, a new concept musical that will examine and imagine the comedy and drama that can occur just before the elusive "eureka!" moment.

Previous EST/Sloan Commissions for Matt include the musical comedy Love Trapezoid and his play about the building of the World Trade Center The Tallest Building in the World (2007 Workshop, directed by Hal Brooks).  Matt's song "Gonna Write Me A Science Play" was licensed for use in a CUNY TV documentary celebrating  the 10th  anniversary of the EST/ Sloan Project.

The EST/Sloan Project has been at the forefront of the wave of science-related theatre. Plays originally commissioned by the EST/Sloan Project have been produced at major venues around the country, including The Black Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, American Conservatory Theatre (San Francisco), The Empty Space Theatre (Seattle), Actors Theatre of Louisville and Williamstown Theatre Festival. The EST/Sloan Project has also hosted symposia involving Pulitzer and Nobel prize-winning scientists and authors, as well as award-winning playwrights. It continues in its mission to bridge the gap between the two cultures, science and the arts.


4 Mar 2009
Matt's music and lyrics in Humana Festival!

LOUISVILLE, KY – Actors Theatre of Louisville will round out its 33rd Humana Festival of New American Plays (March 1 - April 11) with a bill of three ten-minute plays, one of which is the winner of Actors' National Ten-Minute Play Contest and the recipient of the Heideman Award.

The Festival’s trio of ten-minute plays are 3:59am: a drag race for two actors by Marco Ramirez (winner of Actors' National Ten-Minute Play Contest), On the Porch One Crisp Spring Morning by Alex Dremann and Roanoke by Michael Lew (music and lyrics by Matt Schatz).

The Festival is made possible by a generous grant from The Humana Foundation.

The bill of ten-minute plays will have two performances: April 4 at 9 p.m. and April 5 at 5 p.m. — a weekend when audiences will be comprised of both theatre industry professionals from across the country and Louisville-area theatregoers.



29 Jan 2009
Matt's new musical in EST's First Light Festival!


Posthumusical by Matt Schatz
7 pm at Ensemble Studio Theatre. A blocked musical theater lyricist invents a piece of software to create "new" work from her dearly departed composer-collaborator and pass it off as their long lost masterpiece in this musical comedy about "Artificial Musical Intelligence" and genuine romantic stupidity.

15-17 Jan 2009
Matt's "Pinning Hope" part of OBAMA DRAMA Inauguration Remount!

17 Nov 2008
New Musicals Will Tune Up in BMI's "Fall Smoker" Showcase Nov. 20

21 Oct 2008
Youngblood's Asking for Trouble Play Festival Begins Oct. 21

16 Oct 2008
Playwrights, Directors and Cast Announced for E.S.T.'s Asking for Trouble Youngblood Festival

9 Oct 2008

It Had to Happen: "Obama Drama"


03 Feb 2008
EST's Thicker Than Water 2008 Festival Begins Feb. 3

14 Jan 2008
EST Announces Thicker Than Water 2008 Line-Up

14 Mar 2007
EST Announces First Light Readings and Workshops
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