My last play, The Listeners, was quite a cool, weird production. The text, I think, is its own kind of fun. Of it, Helen Shaw at Time Out New York said:
"Matthew Freeman’s The Listeners boasts a swinging, Aleister
Crowley naughtiness. It’s a Lynchian fable set in a bed-and-breakfast
where time has a habit of looping back on itself. Imagine The Wicker Man sprinkled with Pinter: dark and silly, silly and dark."
So, why don't you give it a read for yourself?
About Me
- Freeman
- Matthew Freeman is a Brooklyn based playwright with a BFA from Emerson College. His plays include THE DEATH OF KING ARTHUR, REASONS FOR MOVING, THE GREAT ESCAPE, THE AMERICANS, THE WHITE SWALLOW, AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR, THE MOST WONDERFUL LOVE, WHEN IS A CLOCK, GLEE CLUB, THAT OLD SOFT SHOE and BRANDYWINE DISTILLERY FIRE. He served as Assistant Producer and Senior Writer for the live webcast from Times Square on New Year's Eve 2010-2012. As a freelance writer, he has contributed to Gamespy, Premiere, Complex Magazine, Maxim Online, and MTV Magazine. His plays have been published by Playscripts, Inc., New York Theatre Experience, and Samuel French.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Monday, April 20, 2015
The debut of ND: In-Depth
New Dramatists has launched a new podcast series. The first episode features A. Zell Williams interviewing yours truly. Quite the honor. Hope you enjoy it.
Thursday, April 02, 2015
Wednesday, April 01, 2015
The Listeners closes
Today, The Listeners closed at the Brick. I have to say, a run of over two months was such a rare treat, and nearly impossible given the state of the Showcase Code. Thanks to all the non-equity performers that entered into substandard contracts in order to make my dream a reality. Thanks for everyone who attended our show over the past few months. To see a play like this really take root and grow means everything.
Because of this success, I've decided that all my productions going forward will be pay-what-I-will. Meaning, when you come to the door, I'll assess you, and assign you a ticket price based on what I think your means probably are.
"Always prepare realistic ideals! Loving folly, over ole Lord Spring!" - William Shakespeare, Henry V, Act I, Scene iv
Thursday, February 05, 2015
Tuesday, January 06, 2015
Tickets for The Listeners are now available
My new play, The Listeners, opens February 4th and has both a limited run - two weeks - and very limited seating. The staging will be unique, and will require that less than half of the usual house at The Brick will be available.
So if you want to see the show, given the terrific cast and strangeness that awaits...I'd totally suggest you get tickets soon. Like now.
So if you want to see the show, given the terrific cast and strangeness that awaits...I'd totally suggest you get tickets soon. Like now.
Thursday, January 01, 2015
A New Year
It's the first day of 2015.
What a year 2014 was for us.
I won't speak at length for Pam, but between her frequent lectures about the Occult and Art, she managed to help create the Lean-In Collection at Getty Images. For that work, she was named one of Marie Claire's "20 Women Changing The Ratio" in their 20th Anniversary Edition and featured in the Washington Post and NPR and pretty much everywhere else. And that's just me keeping it brief. She flew all over the world and generally was just awesome, all the time, everywhere.
As for me, 2014 was a very special, strange, transformational one.
My brother Dan got married this year to his husband Joe - a new Freeman. Two of my best friends got married this year. New babies came into our expansive family here in Brooklyn. As I sit here in our apartment in something between South Slope and Park Slope and Gowanus and Greenwood Heights (and whatever Real Estate agents think up next) that's what makes me happiest. Time passes, and on most days, I sit up in bed scared to death that it's running out. Then, I have a moment of nostalgia and gratefulness that could not exist without the passage of time. So, come on, new ache and odd gray hair. You're worth it.
In terms of travel, I've been to St. Louis, Boston, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware and Utah this year. I think that's the full list. Oh wait. One more thing. Scotland. A two week adventure in Scotland with Pam and our dear friends and oft-times collaborators Robert and Moira. I hiked without complaint - a first - and sang a duet with Pam, for the benefit of drunken strangers and friends, at a bed and breakfast on the Isle of Skye. What could be better?
As for my playwriting work... I had my first collaboration with Djahari Clark and Desert Sin with Cloud Cuckooland, and I created a new audio piece called Lift Lift Lift. I also wrote a new play called The Starving Dress, when I was a part of a silent week of writing called The Writer's Army in late August. I'm in the midst of working on a new play, which opens in February, called The Listeners, with some of my favorite people. Plus, work on Traveling to Montpelier, a new play that takes place in the world of That Old Soft Shoe/Confess Your Bubble, and revisions of That Which Isn't. A good and productive year.
I also, of course, was invited to become a resident playwright at New Dramatists. I'm just ridiculously grateful and proud of that. The number of people that I need to hug and thank in my life, from New Dramatists alone, just went up by multiples of multiples. I just hope I can take full advantage of the opportunity I've been given.
In other just life news...did you hear there's more Star Wars coming out? My f*cking God. (He places his hand over his mouth and just thinks for a moment. Whispers, to God, maybe.) ...thank you...
Finally... this is a time of year that will forever make me miss my friend John Walsh, who died just before New Year's last year. John, I hope you're making them laugh somewhere.
I'm sure there's more to say, but I'm either too tired or too forgetful to mention it.
Happy New Year. Love and more love.
What a year 2014 was for us.
I won't speak at length for Pam, but between her frequent lectures about the Occult and Art, she managed to help create the Lean-In Collection at Getty Images. For that work, she was named one of Marie Claire's "20 Women Changing The Ratio" in their 20th Anniversary Edition and featured in the Washington Post and NPR and pretty much everywhere else. And that's just me keeping it brief. She flew all over the world and generally was just awesome, all the time, everywhere.
As for me, 2014 was a very special, strange, transformational one.
My brother Dan got married this year to his husband Joe - a new Freeman. Two of my best friends got married this year. New babies came into our expansive family here in Brooklyn. As I sit here in our apartment in something between South Slope and Park Slope and Gowanus and Greenwood Heights (and whatever Real Estate agents think up next) that's what makes me happiest. Time passes, and on most days, I sit up in bed scared to death that it's running out. Then, I have a moment of nostalgia and gratefulness that could not exist without the passage of time. So, come on, new ache and odd gray hair. You're worth it.
In terms of travel, I've been to St. Louis, Boston, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware and Utah this year. I think that's the full list. Oh wait. One more thing. Scotland. A two week adventure in Scotland with Pam and our dear friends and oft-times collaborators Robert and Moira. I hiked without complaint - a first - and sang a duet with Pam, for the benefit of drunken strangers and friends, at a bed and breakfast on the Isle of Skye. What could be better?
As for my playwriting work... I had my first collaboration with Djahari Clark and Desert Sin with Cloud Cuckooland, and I created a new audio piece called Lift Lift Lift. I also wrote a new play called The Starving Dress, when I was a part of a silent week of writing called The Writer's Army in late August. I'm in the midst of working on a new play, which opens in February, called The Listeners, with some of my favorite people. Plus, work on Traveling to Montpelier, a new play that takes place in the world of That Old Soft Shoe/Confess Your Bubble, and revisions of That Which Isn't. A good and productive year.
I also, of course, was invited to become a resident playwright at New Dramatists. I'm just ridiculously grateful and proud of that. The number of people that I need to hug and thank in my life, from New Dramatists alone, just went up by multiples of multiples. I just hope I can take full advantage of the opportunity I've been given.
In other just life news...did you hear there's more Star Wars coming out? My f*cking God. (He places his hand over his mouth and just thinks for a moment. Whispers, to God, maybe.) ...thank you...
Finally... this is a time of year that will forever make me miss my friend John Walsh, who died just before New Year's last year. John, I hope you're making them laugh somewhere.
I'm sure there's more to say, but I'm either too tired or too forgetful to mention it.
Happy New Year. Love and more love.
Friday, December 12, 2014
Tuesday, December 09, 2014
Senate Torture Report
In honor of the release of the Senate Torture Report, here is my own little addition to our national shame: That Old Soft Shoe, free for you to read.
Tuesday, December 02, 2014
Thursday, November 06, 2014
Wednesday, November 05, 2014
In honor of our fine country, some text
Ah, midterm elections. In honor of the Republican party gaining national power after six years of doing the least amount possible, I would like to share a bit of text from my play, Confess Your Bubble.
"The United States of America is the greatest nation in the history of the world, because it exemplifies the ideals of humankind. We, as a People, believe in the right of all people to practice their own religion, to wear what they like, to think what they like, to speak freely, to invent new spellings and punctuations, to do what they want for a living, even if it’s painting or dancing or something like that. We are a nation of laws, and no one is above the law, except a few people, but what can you expect? We believe in the power of the human spirit, and the innovation, and the free market, except when it screws up, and we think everyone should vote, even though most people don’t bother, because they have been disheartened systematically by calculatingly free speech.
So be proud, is my point. Proud of yourselves for who you are, for being born to this, being born in this, because it was born inside you, in you, in you, in you. You were infected with Exceptionalism, and so you are exceptional, and you are manifestly destined to manifest your destiny by writing a manifesto about how to pick a girl named Destiny. Not that she is black, that’s just her name. Her very attractive name.
Stand up, I say, the next time you bother to try, and thank God, if you believe in God, that you are from the good old USA. USA! USA! USA! Scream it at a football game, or yell it at that Italian professional wrestler that is dressed up like Saddam Hussein. Do it with passion and verve. Be it. You are of it. Of it. Of it. Of it."
"The United States of America is the greatest nation in the history of the world, because it exemplifies the ideals of humankind. We, as a People, believe in the right of all people to practice their own religion, to wear what they like, to think what they like, to speak freely, to invent new spellings and punctuations, to do what they want for a living, even if it’s painting or dancing or something like that. We are a nation of laws, and no one is above the law, except a few people, but what can you expect? We believe in the power of the human spirit, and the innovation, and the free market, except when it screws up, and we think everyone should vote, even though most people don’t bother, because they have been disheartened systematically by calculatingly free speech.
So be proud, is my point. Proud of yourselves for who you are, for being born to this, being born in this, because it was born inside you, in you, in you, in you. You were infected with Exceptionalism, and so you are exceptional, and you are manifestly destined to manifest your destiny by writing a manifesto about how to pick a girl named Destiny. Not that she is black, that’s just her name. Her very attractive name.
Stand up, I say, the next time you bother to try, and thank God, if you believe in God, that you are from the good old USA. USA! USA! USA! Scream it at a football game, or yell it at that Italian professional wrestler that is dressed up like Saddam Hussein. Do it with passion and verve. Be it. You are of it. Of it. Of it. Of it."
Friday, October 31, 2014
The Witching Hour: A video essay
My perpetually powerful partner Pam has a new hotness up for Halloween. It's a video essay on Film Comment about witches (what else?). Check it out below or on Film Comment.
The Witching Hour: A Video Essay from Film Comment on Vimeo.
The Witching Hour: A Video Essay from Film Comment on Vimeo.
Thursday, October 09, 2014
Friday, August 15, 2014
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Updates!
Haven't updated this blog in a month and a half. Which says what? Busy. Oh and there's lots of other places to find out information about me now. Facebook and twitter (@Mfreemanwriter) and my new website www.matthewfreemanwriter.com. And at the New Dramatists website.
But there is news to come. I'll be a part of the Brick's upcoming season, with a workshop in October and a production in early February of next year. This is a new collaboration with the Brick's Artistic Director Michael Gardner, with whom I created Exposition, Denouement and Brandywine Distillery Fire.
And some monologues from Why We Left Brooklyn appear here:
Also, I mostly think about this.
But there is news to come. I'll be a part of the Brick's upcoming season, with a workshop in October and a production in early February of next year. This is a new collaboration with the Brick's Artistic Director Michael Gardner, with whom I created Exposition, Denouement and Brandywine Distillery Fire.
And some monologues from Why We Left Brooklyn appear here:
Also, I mostly think about this.
Thursday, June 05, 2014
Atlanta Fringe Audio
You can, in fact, donate a fuck bucks to the artist (Theater Accident) if you like what you hear. Which I think you will.
Listen here. There's lots of great content for all you NPR and podcasting junkies, who are looking for something new.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
New Dramatists
In very happy news, I was offered a seven-year residency with New Dramatists. Kind of a big moment for yours truly.
I've had this blog since 2005, so that means about nine years, working with the amazing Blue Coyote Theater Group and at the Brick and the Access and all over the place. My first play produced in New York was 2001. So, it's been nearly 15 years living in New York, working Off-Off, 13 of which as a playwright. The work continues, of course. But this is a big, new step for me. Excited to see what comes next.
I've had this blog since 2005, so that means about nine years, working with the amazing Blue Coyote Theater Group and at the Brick and the Access and all over the place. My first play produced in New York was 2001. So, it's been nearly 15 years living in New York, working Off-Off, 13 of which as a playwright. The work continues, of course. But this is a big, new step for me. Excited to see what comes next.
Wednesday, May 07, 2014
Refreshed and revisited personal webpage
I've updated my personal webpage, to make it simpler for me to keep current. It's now on the almighty and fun Squarespace.
www.matthewfreemanwriter.com
Please. Read it. There are things there.
www.matthewfreemanwriter.com
Please. Read it. There are things there.
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