MARK SALTZMAN – Instructor, Basics of Music for Lyricists and Librettists Who Never Studied Music

Mark Saltzman began his career in New York with the Muppets. His Sesame Street sketches and songs (including the music and lyrics for “Caribbean Amphibian”) earned him seven Emmy Awards. But behind Bert and Ernie’s back, Mark was writing shows for Soho Rep, 13th Street Theater, and the Village Gate, where he co-wrote the long-running revue A, My Name is Alice. Mark collaborated with Jerry Herman on the CBS holiday movie Mrs. Santa Claus, starring Angela Lansbury. For the movies, he wrote The Adventures of Milo and Otis, Three Ninjas Kick Back and screenplays for SONY, Universal, and Disney. His TV movie, The Red Sneakers, directed by and starring Gregory Hines, was nominated for a Writers Guild Award. In 1997, Mark’s musical, The Tin Pan Alley Rag opened at the Pasadena Playhouse, received five Ovation Award nominations, including Best Musical, and went on to a sold-out run at New York’s Roundabout Theater.

 

Other stage works: Falling for Make Believe: Lorenz Hart’s Life Story, (Colony Theater), and Mr. Shaw Goes to Hollywood (Laguna Playhouse), which will be filmed by the Little Film Company with Simon Callow directing.  His musical Romeo and Bernadette opened at Amas Musical Theatre in February 2020 and brought Mark two Drama Desk Award nominations, for best lyrics and best book of a musical. Mark is a graduate of Cornell University. More information at www.msaltzman.com.