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Matty Selman

MATTY SELMAN

  

Nationality:    USA
email:    Click here to contact     Website:    Click here

Literary Agent:    Leo Bookman  

Matty Selman began his career as an actor. He is a graduate of the High School of Performing Arts in New York City where he met OBIE award winning actress, playwright, and director, Julie Bovasso. When Matty returned to New York City after studying at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts, in London, he was invited to join Julie Bovasso's Master Class in Playwriting that met each week at the legendary Cedar Tavern in the Village. At that time, he also studied screenwriting and film production at NYU and wrote and produced his first of many plays, "Borough of Braggarts," which premiered at the WestBeth Cabaret Theatre and later toured the New York City parks under a grant from the Brooklyn Arts and Cultural Association, (BACA). Shortly thereafter, Matty wrote the Off-Broadway musical, "A Yankee Circus on Mars," which featured an actor named John Pielmeier, who later wrote "Agnes of God." John and Matty then began a collaboration that produced three new works for the musical theatre: "Young Rube" (music and lyrics), based on the early years of Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist, Rube Goldberg, had its world premiere on the Main Stage at the Repertory Theater of St. Louis; "Steeplechase The Funny Place" (music and lyrics), an adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream - set in Coney Island's famous Steeplechase Amusement Park, was selected for full development at the New Harmony Project; and "Slow Dance with a Hot Pickup" (music and lyrics) , selected by CETM's Next Wave Festival of New Musicals in Montreal and had its world premiere at The Boulder's Dinner Theatre in Boulder, Colorado. Matty is the author of "Uncle Philip's Coat," a Herbert Berghof Memorial Play, originally directed by Marcia Jean Kurtz, featuring the late actor, Larry Block. featured in the permanent collection of the Foundation for Jewish Culture. The play has been presented at such diverse venues as the Heritage Museum in New York City and The Yiddish Book Center, Amherst, Massachusetts. A filmed performance of "Uncle Philip's Coat," directed by David Spital was the recipient of the 2014 CINE Golden Eagle for Independent Fiction. "Uncle Philip's Coat," performed by Matty, won Best Production at the 2015 United Solo Theatre Festival on Theatre Row in New York City. It was directed by David Spital and featured original underscore by composer and arranger, Caryl Fantel. Matty has been invited to join The United Solo Europe Festival to present "Uncle Philip's Coat" in Warsaw, in 2016. In 2002, Matty was selected by A.R.T. Founder and Artistic Director Robert Brustein to write the lyrics for "Lysistrata," collaborating with Hair composer Galt MacDermot. "Lysistrata" was a co-production of A.R.T. in Cambridge, MA and The Prince Music Theatre in Philadelphia, PA, starring Tony Award winner Cherry Jones. Galt and Matty went on to write the musical, "Goddess Wheel," which has had two concert performances at Carnegie Hall's Weill Hall, and its world premiere, presented by Wagner College at The Snug Harbor Cultural Center. Most recently, Matty has written the music and lyrics and co-authored with Iris Burnett, the new musical, "Gefilte Fish Chronicles," inspired by the cult PBS documentary. The show was presented at the White House as part of Jewish Heritage Month in May 2013. Matty was commissioned to write the play, "Touched by Blood," based on the unpublished manuscript, diaries and correspondence of the late Dutch poet, scientist and artist, Leo Vroman. The play was presented at the 100th Anniversary Celebration of Dr. Vroman's life, in Gouda, NL in the Spring of 2015 and recently was included in the Tongues series at the legendary Cherry Lane Theatre in New York City. Matty is happy to announce his latest project: "La Dottoressa" a new musical based on the life of educator, feminist and advocate for world peace, Dr. Maria Montessori. "La Dottoressa" is being created in association with the American Montessori Association. Matty is proud to be collaborating on "La Dottoressa" with Tony Award winner, Daisy Eagan. Matty is the recipient of an Emmy Award for his original compositions on the CBS broadcast, Martha Stewart Living. He is proud to have served on the Board of Directors, as Script Chair, of the New Harmony Project, a writers conference in New Harmony, Indiana. He is a member of the Ensemble Studio Theatre Playwrights Unit, a member of the Dramatists Guild, Actors Equity Association, as well as a writer/publisher member of ASCAP (the American Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers).

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below is a list of Matty Selman's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

        Gefilte Fish Chronicles         Goddess Wheel         Parcel From America         Slow Dance With a Hot Pickup         Steeplechase - A Coney Island Love Story         Tinderbox Musical, The         Uncle Philip's Coat         Young Rube



Gefilte Fish Chronicles

Synopsis:
A daughter decides to go to Hollywood rather then attend the family Passover

Notes:
Music and lyrics by Matty Selman; book by Iris Burnett; Matty Selman

1st Produced:
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Organisations:
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1st Published:
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Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  5            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Goddess Wheel

Synopsis:
The war between Sparta and Athens. The women decide they have had enough of it and withhold having sex with their husbands until a peace treaty is signed

Notes:
Music by Galt MacDermott; lyrics by Matty Selman; book by Matty Selman

1st Produced:
Shop On West 18th Street, New York     2005

Organisations:
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1st Published:
-   -

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  11            Female:  9            Other:  extras

Further Reference:
-

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Parcel From America

Synopsis:
Christmas 1950 and in a small Irish village a widow awaits a Christmas present from her son who ran away to the United States. But she waits in vain.

Notes:
Music by Matty Selman; lyrics by Matty Selman; book by Tomaseen Foley

1st Produced:
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Organisations:
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1st Published:
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Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Slow Dance With a Hot Pickup

Synopsis:
A hands on contest. Eight contestants are chosen and have to stand with a hand on a truck - last one standing wins the truck

Notes:
Music and lyrics by Matty Selman; book by John Pielmeier

1st Produced:
-     2006

Organisations:
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1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Steeplechase - A Coney Island Love Story

Synopsis:
Two couples elope to the Steeplechase Amusement Park - it is 1935 in the Depression. They meet the park manager and his girlfriend whose relationship is on the rocks. There are numerous employees who are all miserable. Everyone must find their true love before dawn or replay this day ad infinitum

Notes:
Music and lyrics by Matty Selman; book by John Pielmeier

1st Produced:
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Organisations:
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1st Published:
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Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  10            Female:  6            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Tinderbox Musical, The

Tinderbox Musical, The
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Notes:
Music by Galt MacDermot; lyrics by Matty Selman; book by Galt MacDermot; Matty Selman

1st Produced:
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Organisations:
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1st Published:
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Music:
Download: cdbaby.com

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Uncle Philip's Coat

Synopsis:
From the pogroms of Russia - to Ellis Island. From trying to make it in a new land - to family break ups. Uncle Philip's coat - smelly with a tatty fur collar and lining coming unstitched - saw it all

Notes:
based on A story by Mr. Selman And Larry Block

1st Produced:
Herbert Berghof Studio Theatre     1998

Organisations:
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1st Published:
http://www.indietheaternow.com/Play/uncle-philips-coat   -

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Monologue play 80 min

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Young Rube

Synopsis:
The life of cartoonist Rube Goldberg

Notes:
Music and lyrics by Matty Selman; book by John Pielmeier

1st Produced:
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Organisations:
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1st Published:
-   -

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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