Meet the Creative Team!
Matt Patrick Walsh is the composer/lyricist for The Coincidentals. Matt is a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College and a current member of the BMI Workshop. Other works include Jealous Husband Returns in Form of Parrot (composer, lyrics: Nathan Brisby), Ladies First, Piss Off Lyle, and Fetch! Walsh has had NYC readings/staged readings of his plays and musicals. Matt has put on many concerts of his original material through his cabaret series, How’s This Sound!? at venues such as The Metropolitan Room and The Duplex (received two encore performances). Matt’s material was recently featured in Primary Stages’ Detention Series, the Annual Duplex 2012 Gala, and the Directory of Contemporary Musical Theatre Writers. The Coincidentals can be seen later this summer at The PITCH, the new works division of the Finger Lakes Musical Theater Festival produced by Merry-Go-Round Playhouse. He wants to thank Emma for being such a brilliant, out-of-this-world collaborator. He would also like to thank Sarah Anne, Ami, and this wonderful cast for breathing such LIFE into this project! Lastly, he'd like to thank his parents, his brother, and all his supportive friends for always telling him to pursue what he loves! Twitter: mattpatwalsh
Composer/Lyricist - Matt Patrick Walsh
Emma Jeszke is the book writer for The Coincidentals, which can be seen later this summer at The PITCH, the new works division of the Finger Lakes Musical Theater Festival produced by Merry-Go-Round Playhouse. Other complete works include Manic Pixie Dream Girl (University of Michigan, 2012) and Working in Restaurants (Renegade Theatre Festival, 2012; Dexter Community Players, 2012). She is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan where she received a Bachelor of Theatre Arts, and studied writing under OyamO. She is also the recipient of an honorary degree from the Moscow Art Theatre School in Russia for her intensive studies in the summer of 2011. She currently works at Theatre Communications Group in New York City as an editor for TCG Books, the head theatrical publisher in North America. Emma is so happy to have embarked on her first musical-writing journey with someone as talented and inspiring as Matt. She would like to thank Sarah, Ami, and the beautiful cast of The Coincidentals for all the love they've given our little show.Twitter: @emjesz
Director/Dramaturg - Sarah Anne Simmons
Sarah Anne Simmons is a theater artist living in New York City, originally from Washington State. She relocated two years ago to continue her education after taking a break from academia. Prior to then, Sarah was pursuing performance opportunities in the Pacific Northwest, when a change in focus led her to Marymount Manhattan College to complete her B.A., in Theater with an emphasis in Directing. In addition to freelance work as a director, Sarah has begun to explore an interest in writing - she is currently working on an adaptation of Eugene Ionesco’s The Lesson. Sarah serves as a member of the Literary Committee for Urban Stages and previously interned with Jean Doumanian Productions covering various script submissions. There is a special place in her heart for the development of new works. Sarah loves to work with dramatic writers of all kinds as a director/dramaturg, with the goal of discovering an effective presence for their material within our astoundingly diverse and ever-changing society. She is excited and grateful to be collaborating with Walsh and Jeszke on The Coincidentals. Special thanks to Ami Shibasaki, Brenan Grant and the amazing cast for helping to make this phase of the project possible!
Book Writer - Emma Jeszke
