The Creators & Original Vikings
SAM WILLMOTT
Music
www.samwillmott.com
Sam is an award-winning New York City-based composer/lyricist whose work has been performed at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, the Walnut Street Theatre, Joe’s Pub at the Public Theatre, The Duplex Cabaret Theatre, the Laurie Beechman Theatre and other venues across the country.
His written work includes Standardized Testing - The Musical!!!! (2009 Kennedy Center ACTF Musical Theatre Award for music and lyrics, Penn State NU Musicals Series, published through Playscripts Inc.), the mini-musical Scarlet Takes a Tumble (2011 Humana Festival Heideman Award Finalist), and Yo, Vikings!, a new musical with lyricist Marcus Stevens (commissioned by Upper Darby Summer Stage, 2011 Richard Rodgers Award Finalist).
Marcus and Sam were fortunate enough to be selected for the 2011 Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project, where they performed their new work at Northwestern University’s Pick-Staiger Concert Hall alongside theatre legends Charles Strouse and Christine Ebersole.
Sam’s work as a music director and arranger has taken him from Radio City Music Hall to Key West to Abu Dhabi to Seoul, and a whole bunch of other places along the way. He has been fortunate enough to work with an exciting and eclectic assortment of distinguished artists such as five-time Tony-nominee Elizabeth Swados, Dan Goggin (the creator of Nunsense), cabaret stars Will and Anthony Nunziata, and singer/songwriter Shaina Taub. He was an Associate Music Director for the Orchard Project’s 24-Hour Musicals 2011 with Emmy-winning actress America Ferrera, and is a member of the music team for the sketch comedy group Political Subversities at the People’s Improv Theatre.
Sam’s additional accolades include a 2009 Music Theatre Fellowship at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center, a Tisch School of the Arts Trustee Scholarship, Interlochen Center for the Arts’ prestigious Maddy Summer Artist Award, and two National Capital Area Cappie Awards. He is a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and New York University, and a member of the Dramatists Guild and the BMI Lehman Engel Advanced Musical Theatre Workshop.
MARCUS STEVENS
Book and Lyrics
www.marcus-stevens.com
Marcus earned a BFA from Point Park Conservatory and since then, he’s had the opportunity to act with The Pittsburgh Public Theater, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Sacramento Music Circus and many others. Most recently, he received a Barrymore nomination for playing Motel opposite Mark Jacoby’s Tevye in the Walnut Street Theatre’s Fiddler on the Roof.
As a writer, Marcus is the recipient of the 2005 Richard Rodgers Award for his musical Red, and is a member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. With collaborator, Sam Willmott, Marcus wrote the musical Yo, Vikings!, which premiered in Philadelphia last summer and is slated for productions in Fresno, Pittsburgh and Chicago over the next two years. Marcus has also written book and lyrics to Eastburn Avenue and Elliot and the Magic Bed.
Marcus has had the pleasure of directing at Upper Darby Summer Stage for the past 11 years and is actively seeking new directing opportunities. He has served on the faculty of Point Park University and coaches young actors with his company, Stevens Acting Coaching and Audition Prep.
