The Playwrights Database
MATTHEW A SPROSTY (1982 - )
Nationality: USAemail: Click here to contact Website: n/a
Literary Agent: n/a
MATTHEW A. SPROSTY was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He chose to attend Ohio University after being flown out to Marymount Manhattan and being disappointed in the NYC campus. Graduating from Ohio University's Playwriting Program with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in the Spring of 2004, Sprosty returned to Cleveland with Tatum and Smith to start the groundwork of Fourth Wall Productions. Sprosty says the main reason he's with Fourth Wall is "its open-mindedness. Even though I am the only born-and-raised Clevelander in the company, I don't feel I'm the only one with devotion to Cleveland. Every member seems to put "What's-Best-For-Cleveland" before any selfish goals. Also, the complexity of trying to make Cleveland a stopping ground for talent trying to build up resumes before they head to Chicago, New York, or Los Angeles (such as cities like St. Louis, Cincinnati, Seattle, or D.C.) is a task I think Fourth Wall has the chops for. Never competing with other theatres, trying to work with everyone- makes me feel good about Fourth Wall's chances." Matthew helped initiate the Ohio University's Undergraduate Playwrights Ten-Minute Play Festival to showcase the writing skills of the School of Theatre's undergraduate talent. Also, Matthew's first full length, Ganareys' 101 (which had a reading in Atlanta, GA before Sprosty graduated,) was one of the first school-sanctioned productions of an undergraduate playwright's full-length play at Ohio University. After that, Sprosty paired up with director Rebecca Cole again for the full length All's Fair, where on closing night- they had to turn away half the theatre-goers due to an already full house. Fourth Wall Productions has produced three shows of Sprosty's (Schism, Plans Change, and Malicious Bunny) where he received write-ups such as: "Sprosty has a gift for dialogue that keeps the audience entertained and engaged. . . [gives] the feeling of being apart of an intimate conversation between close friends, rather than listening to actors on a stage." -Vanessa Lange, WestLife, on Plans Change. "It's been awhile since I've had such a good time at a theatre production. The twists, turns, and "oh-my-goodness" moments in 'mALICIOUS BUNNY' keep the audience laughing and thinking of what's going to happen next. Bravo!" -Roy Berko. "Sprosty is a writer to watch - his ear for the rhythms of dudedom is impeccable." - Linda Eisenstein, CoolCleveland.com "It truly was one of the. . . best written shows I've seen [in Cleveland]" Lincoln King-Cliby, NeoPal, on Schism. He has also had two ten-minutes produced at Ohio University- The Nightcap, and No Apologies. Matthew A. Sprosty has one new World Premiere, The Bank Guards, opening in Fourth Wall's next season.
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below is a list of Matthew A Sprosty's plays - click on a Play Title for more information
All's Fair Ganareys' 101 Malicious Bunny Nightcap, The No Apologies Plans Change SchismAll's Fair
Synopsis:
All's Fair is a play about the inner workings of Michael and Alice's mind as they fight over a promotion over the course of one workday. Alice has been constantly struggling with the overbearing scrutiny from her chauvinistic boss, Mr. Banin, and the chiding of her co-worker, Michael. And Michael constantly struggles with his immaturity when it comes to treating Alice right, because, essentially he wants to ask her out on a date. Alice's subconscious occasionally leads Michael's on, while Michael's is having a difficult time get Michael to say what he wants him to say. When the Head of Public Relations passes away in a freak car explosion, Mr. Banin has to find a replacement, and fast. He immediately offers up interviews for the position to Michael and Alice. But, Banin is distracted because his enamored secretary is now beating up women in the workplace in order to secure his affection. In the end, Alice wins the promotion by using Michael's affection for her against him and talking insensible guy talk to Mr. Banin to show that while she's proud to be a woman, she can definitely hang with the guys.
Notes:
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1st Produced:
Space 306, Kantner 2003
Organisations:
Ohio University School of Theatre
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
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Genre:
Comedy
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageGanareys' 101
Synopsis:
Ganareys' 101 is a comedic play that deals honestly with the dating world as it stands today. Three nice guys, Brian, Mark, and Omar, are realizing that today's women are looking for a headstrong male to rescue them from their humdrum lives. Mark realizes that the best person to train them on how to become this type of man is the C.E.O. of their company- Mr. Ganarey, a cocky, self-righteous individual who carries his own secret. Mr. Ganarey is married to a woman who controls every aspect of his life. When Rebecca Ganarey finds out her husband is training men on how to be jerks to women she first intercedes by telling her husband exactly what he is going to teach. Then, she decides to have a little fun herself, and finds the women that Mr. Ganarey's students are going for to train them on how to control the guys. Ganareys' 101 is a play about the battle of the sexes in the twenty-first century. And how equality made the saying "All's fair in love and war" a reality in the domineering ways to keep a girl interested in you as she tries to mold you into what she wants.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Space 306, Kantner 2002
Organisations:
Ohio University School of Theatre
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:
Comedy
Parts:
Male: 4 Female: 4 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageMalicious Bunny
Synopsis:
Malicious Bunny is a dark comedy about the commonness of divorce, and one man, Jonathon, who is trying to keep his marriage together. When his wife of less than two years brings up the fact that she wants a divorce because she feels stifled in the marriage- Jonathon tells her to take a vacation, and think about if there's anything he can do to make her happy with him. Angela comes back from the vacation to say that if Jonathon kills her parents, it will make them millionaires, and she feels she'd be happy to remain married to him. Jonathon tries to win them all the money she needs in Atlantic City with his friend, Greg, but ends up losing everything and putting them in a worse situation. Hopeless, he decides to kill her parents. As Angela and Greg's greed for the money comes to sink in, Jonathon realizes that his plight to make everyone happy is making him the least happy, and lashes back as the monster they made him to be.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Kalliope Theatre, Cleveland, OH 2007
Organisations:
Fourth Wall Production
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:
Black Comedy Comedy
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageNightcap, The
Synopsis:
An ex-wife revisits her husband's new girlfriend, who was actually the woman she hired to kill her husband. The hitwoman is now in love with the husband, and the wife has to somehow convince the girlfriend that it is all in the husband's bag of tricks.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Space 308, Kantner 2004
Organisations:
-
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:
drama Ten Min
Parts:
Male: 1 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageNo Apologies
Synopsis:
The night of the playwright's play opening, and the memory of his dead ex-girlfriend comes to his mind. As he sits, depressed because he can't spend the occasion with her, he contemplates suicide. Unless she can talk him out of it through their good times together- he will see her in the after life.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Space 203, Kantner 2001
Organisations:
Ohio University School of Theatre
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:
drama Ten Min
Parts:
Male: 1 Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PagePlans Change
Synopsis:
Plans Change is a play about the confusion college graduates feel after they graduate college, and their angst with the slowness of the "real world" once being in it for a year. Hugh and Rachel are in a relationship waiting for the next step. Ston and Gna are a couple having fun, but also wanting something more. Werrick is the man that has everything he needs, even if he has too much. Jimmy is the man that has everything he wants, because he doesn't want much; and Fayna is the lowest character on the social ladder- wishing she had everything she feels she deserves. When a condom breaks for Rachel and Hugh, adding the hassle of an unwanted pregnancy- it brings the friends together. Rachel and Hugh plan to wed, while having Ston and Gina follow in their footsteps. Jimmy develops a crush on Fayna, which Werrick intrudes upon when he takes out Fayna first. In the end, the characters realize they don't need all the answers in life; they just have to let it take them where it wants to every once and awhile. And sometimes looking back is more satisfying than moving forward.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Brooks' Theatre, The Cleveland Play House 2005
Organisations:
Fourth Wall Production
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:
Comedy
Parts:
Male: 4 Female: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageSchism
Synopsis:
It's opening night of a college production played entitled Perfectly Imperfect You where the lead actor has confessed to the Female lead that he was in love with her, and now, seconds before the curtain is supposed to open- she's not there. This begins the unraveling of opening night. Female lead is dating the Supporting actor who is the Lead actors best friend. Realizing that if the play ends the way it was written (Female lead and Lead Actor ending up together) Supporting Actor's chances keeping Female lead's focus on him will diminish- so he begins to ad-lib his way out of the play, and into Mother Role's arms to make Female Lead jealous. Mother Role is has played the mother role in every play she's been in, and she's yearning for a sexier role. The Director loves the new direction the play is taking, while Matthew, the playwright- hates it. Constantly, they bicker about the quality of the show, and who has the control. Finally, they must agree to help each other get the play back on track before the play gets too long. And, thus, Perfectly Imperfect You ends on the line it was supposed to.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Brooks' Theatre, The Cleveland Play House 2006
Organisations:
Fourth Wall Production
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:
Comedy
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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