Dave Malloy
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Dave Malloy (born January 4, 1976) is an American composer, playwright, lyricist, singer, orchestrator, and actor. He has written several theatrical works, often based on classic works of literature. His most well known work is the Tony Award winning '' Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812,'' an electropop opera based on ''
War and Peace ''War and Peace'' (; pre-reform Russian: ; ) is a literary work by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, the work comprises both a fictional narrative and chapters in which Tolstoy discusses history and philosophy. An ...
''. His other works include '' Ghost Quartet'', a song cycle about "love, death, and whiskey"; '' Preludes,'' a musical fantasia set in the mind of romantic composer
Sergei Rachmaninoff Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff; in Russian pre-revolutionary script. (28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and Conducting, conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a compos ...
; ''
Octet Octet may refer to: Music * Octet (music), ensemble consisting of eight instruments or voices, or composition written for such an ensemble ** String octet, a piece of music written for eight string instruments *** Octet (Mendelssohn), 1825 compo ...
'', a chamber choir musical about internet addiction; and '' Three Houses'', a chamber musical about the Covid-19 pandemic.


Career

Malloy grew up in
Lakewood, Ohio Lakewood is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, on the southern shore of Lake Erie. Established in 1889, it is one of Cleveland's historical streetcar suburbs and part of the Greater Cleveland, Cleveland metropolitan area. The popula ...
and studied music composition and English literature at
Ohio University Ohio University (Ohio or OU) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus in Athens, Ohio, United States. The university was first conceived in the 1787 contract between the United States Department of the Treasury#Re ...
. He began making theater in San Francisco in 2000. Early work included pieces with Banana Bag & Bodice, for whom he has been the composer since 2002. In 2008 he composed music for ''Beowulf – A Thousand Years of Baggage'', a Banana Bag & Bodice SongPlay written by Jason Craig and commissioned by the
Shotgun Players The Shotgun Players is a California East Bay regional theatre group located in Berkeley, California. It runs 6 to 7 productions per season. Its main stage is the Ashby Stage located in the Lorin District near the Ashby BART station. About The ...
in Berkeley, California. ''Beowulf'' received the 2008 Glickman Award and a 2011 Edinburgh Herald Angel, and has played a number of venues and festivals, including Berkeley Repertory's Roda Theatre, ART's Club Oberon, Joe's Pub, and festivals in England, Ireland, Scotland and Australia. After ''Beowulf'', he co-created and performed in ''Three Pianos'', a drunken romp through
Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; ; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical period (music), Classical and early Romantic music, Romantic eras. Despite his short life, Schubert left behind a List of compositions ...
's "
Winterreise ''Winterreise'' (, ''Winter Journey'') is a song cycle for voice and piano by Franz Schubert (Schubert Thematic Catalogue, D. 911, published as Opus number, Op. 89 in 1828), a setting of 24 Poetry, poems by German poet Wilhelm Müller. It is the ...
" (with Rick Burkhardt and Alec Duffy, directed by Rachel Chavkin) that premiered in 2010 at the
Ontological-Hysteric Theater Richard Foreman (born Edward L. Friedman; June 10, 1937 – January 4, 2025) was an American avant-garde experimental playwright and the founder of the Ontological-Hysteric Theater. Though highly original and singular, his work was influenced by ...
, winning a Special Citation
Obie Award The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given since 1956 by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theater artists and groups involved in off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. Starting just after th ...
, and had runs at
New York Theatre Workshop __NOTOC__ New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) is an Off-Broadway theater noted for its productions of new works. Located at 79 East 4th Street between Second Avenue and Bowery in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, it h ...
and
American Repertory Theater The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) is a professional not-for-profit theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1979 by Robert Brustein, the A.R.T. is known for its commitment to new American plays and music–theater explorations; to ne ...
. His next work was ''Beardo,'' a Russian indie rock musical based on the life of
Rasputin Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin ( – ) was a Russian mystic and faith healer. He is best known for having befriended the imperial family of Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, through whom he gained considerable influence in the final ye ...
, which Malloy wrote with ''Beowulf'' collaborator Jason Craig. It played in 2011 in San Francisco and had its New York premiere in February 2017 in a production by Pipeline Theater Company. For '' Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812'', Malloy was the composer, lyricist, orchestrator, music director and performer in the role of
Pierre Bezukhov Count Pyotr "Pierre" Kirillovich Bezukhov (; ) is the fictional protagonist of Leo Tolstoy's 1869 novel '' War and Peace''. He is the favourite out of several illegitimate sons of the wealthy nobleman Count Kirill Vladimirovich Bezukhov, one of th ...
. ''Comet'' was commissioned by
Ars Nova ''Ars nova'' ()Fallows, David. (2001). "Ars nova". ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell. London: Macmillan. refers to a musical style which flourished in the Kingdom of ...
and premiered there in October 2012, directed by Chavkin; in May 2013 the show transferred to
off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
playing in Kazino, a tent custom-built for the piece, first erected in the Meatpacking District and then in Times Square. In December 2015 the show played a pre-Broadway run at the
American Repertory Theater The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) is a professional not-for-profit theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1979 by Robert Brustein, the A.R.T. is known for its commitment to new American plays and music–theater explorations; to ne ...
in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The show has won an
Obie Award The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given since 1956 by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theater artists and groups involved in off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. Starting just after th ...
, the 2013 Richard Rodgers Award for Musical Theater, the Off Broadway Alliance's Best New Musical Award, three
Elliot Norton Awards The Elliot Norton Awards are presented annually to honor the best achievements in Boston-area theater. The genesis of the awards was the Norton Medal, which was first awarded in 1983 and was named after long-time theater critic Elliot Norton (190 ...
, eight
IRNE Awards The IRNE Awards are presented annually by the Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) to honor the best achievements in Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts ...
, eleven
Lucille Lortel Awards The Lucille Lortel Awards recognize excellence in New York Off-Broadway theatre. The Awards are named for Lucille Lortel, an actress and theater producer, and have been awarded since 1986. They are produced by the League of Off-Broadway Theatres ...
nominations (winning three), five
Drama Desk The Drama Desk Awards are among the most esteemed honors in New York theater, recognizing outstanding achievements across Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway productions within the same categories. The awards are considered a signific ...
nominations, and two
Drama League Award The Drama League Awards, created in 1922, honor distinguished productions and performances both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in addition to recognizing exemplary career achievements in theatre, musical theatre, and directing. Each May, the awards ...
nominations. '' Ghost Quartet'' opened in October 2014 at the Bushwick Starr. After an extended sold out run, the piece transferred to the McKittrick Hotel, home of '' Sleep No More'', and has since played in a number of cities, including Edinburgh, San Francisco, and Cambridge, where it won an
Elliot Norton Award The Elliot Norton Awards are presented annually to honor the best achievements in Boston-area theater. The genesis of the awards was the Norton Medal, which was first awarded in 1983 and was named after long-time theater critic Elliot Norton (190 ...
. The piece is a staged concept album, about love, death, and whiskey. This was followed by a high school musical, ''Don't Stop Me'', a "dance-a-thon to the death" with book and co-lyrics by Krista Knight, produced by Youth Musical Theatre Company in Berkeley CA, where he worked as musical director from 2006–09. While the show was in performances, his next musical, '' Preludes'', a piece about
Rachmaninoff Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff; in Russian pre-revolutionary script. (28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of ...
and hypnosis, premiered at
Lincoln Center Theater The Vivian Beaumont Theater is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater in the Lincoln Center complex at 150 West 65th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Operated by the nonprofit Lincoln Center Theater (LCT ...
in June 2015. '' Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812'' opened on
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...
at the
Imperial Theatre The Imperial Theatre is a Broadway theater at 249 West 45th Street ( George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1923, the Imperial Theatre was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and ...
in October 2016 with
Josh Groban Joshua Winslow Groban (born February 27, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. His first four solo albums have been certified multi-platinum, and he was charted in 2007 as the number-one best selling artist in the United States, ...
as Pierre. The show was nominated for twelve
Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cere ...
including Best Musical, Book, Score and Orchestration awards. Malloy reprised his role as Pierre multiple times throughout the run, and was the final Broadway Pierre. In 2022, the show was staged at Malloy's alma mater, Ohio University, the first American production since its departure from Broadway. ''
Octet Octet may refer to: Music * Octet (music), ensemble consisting of eight instruments or voices, or composition written for such an ensemble ** String octet, a piece of music written for eight string instruments *** Octet (Mendelssohn), 1825 compo ...
'', a
chamber choir A chamber choir is a small or medium-sized choir of roughly 8 to 40 singers (occasionally called "chamber singers"), typically singing classical or religious music in a concert setting.Riemann, Hugo. Dictionary of Music'. Trans. J.A. Shedlock. A ...
musical written by Malloy and directed by Annie Tippe, ran at the Signature Theatre Company Residency 5 Theatre in New York City from April 30 to June 30, 2019. The show features an eight-part
a cappella Music performed a cappella ( , , ; ), less commonly spelled acapella in English, is music performed by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Rena ...
chamber choir and "explores addiction and nihilism within the messy context of 21st century technology" premiered in a limited run at the Signature Theatre Company in New York City. It is the first part of his Signature Residency, which will include three shows over the course of five years. ''
Moby-Dick ''Moby-Dick; or, The Whale'' is an 1851 Epic (genre), epic novel by American writer Herman Melville. The book is centered on the sailor Ishmael (Moby-Dick), Ishmael's narrative of the maniacal quest of Captain Ahab, Ahab, captain of the whaler ...
'', a musical based on
Herman Melville Herman Melville (Name change, born Melvill; August 1, 1819 – September 28, 1891) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance (literature), American Renaissance period. Among his best-known works ar ...
's ''
Moby-Dick ''Moby-Dick; or, The Whale'' is an 1851 Epic (genre), epic novel by American writer Herman Melville. The book is centered on the sailor Ishmael (Moby-Dick), Ishmael's narrative of the maniacal quest of Captain Ahab, Ahab, captain of the whaler ...
'' with book, music, lyrics, and orchestrations by Malloy and directed by Rachel Chavkin, ran at the
American Repertory Theater The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) is a professional not-for-profit theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1979 by Robert Brustein, the A.R.T. is known for its commitment to new American plays and music–theater explorations; to ne ...
from December 3, 2019, to January 12, 2020. The middle section of the show, titled ''Moby Dick, Part III: The Ballad of Pip'' was previewed at Joe's Pub back in March 2014. In 2021, he had a cameo in
Lin-Manuel Miranda Lin-Manuel Miranda (; born January 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, actor, singer, filmmaker, rapper, and librettist. He created the Broadway musicals '' In the Heights'' and ''Hamilton'', and the soundtracks for the animated films '' Moana' ...
’s
film adaptation A film adaptation transfers the details or story of an existing source text, such as a novel, into a feature film. This transfer can involve adapting most details of the source text closely, including characters or plot points, or the original sou ...
of
Jonathan Larson Jonathan David Larson (February 4, 1960 – January 25, 1996) was an American composer, lyricist and playwright, most famous for writing the musicals ''Rent (musical), Rent'' and ''Tick, Tick... Boom!'', which explored the social issues of mult ...
’s stage musical, '' Tick, Tick... Boom!''. In September 2022 he wrote music and lyrics for ''Love Around the Block'', a one night only musical event celebrating the opening of Hermés's new flagship store in NYC. In November 2023, his musical '' The Witches'' opened at London's
Royal National Theatre The National Theatre (NT), officially the Royal National Theatre and sometimes referred to in international contexts as the National Theatre of Great Britain, is a performing arts venue and associated theatre company located in London, England, ...
. In May 2024, his new musical ''Three Houses'' opened at the Signature Theatre in NYC. Malloy lives in New York.


Theater works


Musicals

*''Gogol'' (2001) (composer/orchestrator/music director/performer; lyrics & book by Jason Craig and Sean Owens; directed by Meredith Eldred) *''Sandwich'' (2003) (co-creator, with Banana Bag & Bodice) *''Clown Bible'' (2007) (composer/lyricist/co-bookwriter/orchestrator/Job/Judas; co-written & directed by Maya Gurantz) *''Beowulf – A Thousand Years of Baggage'' (2008) (composer/orchestrator/musical director/Hrothgar; lyrics & book by Jason Craig; with Banana Bag & Bodice) *''Haarlem Berlin'' (2009) (composer/orchestrator; written by Talaya Delaney, directed by Rachel Chavkin) *''Three Pianos'' (2010) (co-creator/co-orchestrator/sound & video designer/performer; written & created with Rick Burkhardt and Alec Duffy, directed by Rachel Chavkin) *''Beardo'' (2011) (composer/orchestrator; lyrics & book by Jason Craig, directed by Patrick Dooley) *'' Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812'' (2012) (composer/lyricist/bookwriter/orchestrator/Pierre; directed by Rachel Chavkin) *''Black Wizard / Blue Wizard'' (2013) (composer/co-lyricist/orchestrator/Black Wizard; book and co-lyrics by Eliza Bent, directed by Dan Safer) *'' Ghost Quartet'' (2014) (composer/lyricist/bookwriter/orchestrator/Astronomer/Edgar/David; developed with Brent Arnold, Gelsey Bell and
Brittain Ashford Brittain Ashford is an American actress, singer and songwriter best known for portraying Sonya Rostova in the 2016 Broadway musical '' Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812'' and her performance in the original cast of '' Ghost Quartet''. S ...
, directed by Annie Tippe) *'' Preludes'' (2015) (composer/lyricist/bookwriter/orchestrator; directed by Rachel Chavkin) *''Don't Stop Me'' (2015) (composer/co-lyricist/orchestrator; book & co-lyrics by Krista Knight; directed by Jennifer Boesing) *''Little Bunny Foo Foo'' (2018) (composer/orchestrator; book & lyrics by
Anne Washburn Anne Washburn is an American playwright. Life Washburn graduated from Reed College and from New York University, with an M.F.A. Her plays have been produced in New York City by Cherry Lane Theatre, Clubbed Thumb, The Civilians, Vineyard Theat ...
, directed by Les Waters) *''
Octet Octet may refer to: Music * Octet (music), ensemble consisting of eight instruments or voices, or composition written for such an ensemble ** String octet, a piece of music written for eight string instruments *** Octet (Mendelssohn), 1825 compo ...
'' (2019) (composer/lyricist/bookwriter/orchestrator; directed by Annie Tippe) * ''Moby-Dick'' (2019) (composer/lyricist/bookwriter/orchestrator; directed by Rachel Chavkin) *''Love Around the Block'' (2022) (composer/lyricist/co-orchestrator; book by Isaac Oliver; co-orchestrations by Or Matias; directed by Jason Eagan. Commissioned by Hermés for the grand opening of their flagship store in NYC.) *'' The Witches'' (2023) (composer/co-lyricist/orchestrator; book & co-lyrics by Lucy Kirkwood; directed by Lyndsey Turner) * ''Three Houses'' (2024) (composer/lyricist/bookwriter/orchestrator; directed by Annie Tippe)


Other theater works

*''Gulag Ha Ha'' (2002) (composer/sound designer/Old Timer; with Banana Bag & Bodice) *''in3'' (2003) (composer/performer; written by j. ries and Jason Craig; directed by Meredith Eldred) *''The Sewers'' (2005) (composer/sound designer; with Banana Bag & Bodice) *''Dysphoria'' (2007) (composer/sound designer; written & directed by Alec Duffy) *''Space//Space'' (2009) (composer/sound designer; with Banana Bag & Bodice) *''Five Days in March'' (2010) (composer; written by Toshiki Okada, directed by Dan Safer) *''The Small'' (2010) (composer/Walt) (written by
Anne Washburn Anne Washburn is an American playwright. Life Washburn graduated from Reed College and from New York University, with an M.F.A. Her plays have been produced in New York City by Cherry Lane Theatre, Clubbed Thumb, The Civilians, Vineyard Theat ...
, directed by Les Waters) *''
Murder in the Cathedral ''Murder in the Cathedral'' is a verse drama by T. S. Eliot, first performed in 1935 (published the same year). The play portrays the assassination of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral during the reign of Henry II in 1170. El ...
'' (2010) (composer; written by
T.S. Eliot Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 18884 January 1965) was a poet, essayist and playwright.Bush, Ronald. "T. S. Eliot's Life and Career", in John A Garraty and Mark C. Carnes (eds), ''American National Biography''. New York: Oxford University ...
, directed by Alec Duffy) *''All Hands'' (2012) (composer/sound designer; written by Robert Quillen Camp, directed by Alec Duffy) *''LongYarn'' (2016) (composer/sound designer; with Banana Bag & Bodice)


Performance credits


Recordings

In addition to the full cast recordings listed below, rough recordings and demos to most of Malloy's shows can be found on his website. Official video recordings of ''Ghost Quartet'', ''Beardo'', and ''Beowulf'' have also been released online. A
Kickstarter Kickstarter, PBC is an American Benefit corporation, public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York City, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative project ...
was launched to fund the original cast recording of ''Octet'' on June 19, 2019, where it was fully funded in one day. The album was released digitally on November 15, 2019.


Honors and awards

He is the winner of three OBIE Awards, a
Lucille Lortel Award The Lucille Lortel Awards recognize excellence in New York Off-Broadway theatre. The Awards are named for Lucille Lortel, an actress and theater producer, and have been awarded since 1986. They are produced by the League of Off-Broadway Theatres ...
, a
Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Awards are among the most esteemed honors in New York theater, recognizing outstanding achievements across Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway productions within the same categories. The awards are considered a signific ...
, a Richard Rodgers Award, Glickman Award, ASCAP New Horizons Award,
Jonathan Larson Jonathan David Larson (February 4, 1960 – January 25, 1996) was an American composer, lyricist and playwright, most famous for writing the musicals ''Rent (musical), Rent'' and ''Tick, Tick... Boom!'', which explored the social issues of mult ...
Grant, and New Music USA Grant, a recipient of the 2009 NEA/TCG Career Development Program for Theatre Directors and Designers, and the 2011 Composer-in-Residence at
Ars Nova ''Ars nova'' ()Fallows, David. (2001). "Ars nova". ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell. London: Macmillan. refers to a musical style which flourished in the Kingdom of ...
. In 2017, Malloy was the recipient of Smithsonian Magazine's American Ingenuity Award for History.


References


External links


davemalloy.com
Official website {{DEFAULTSORT:Malloy, Dave American musical theatre composers American male musical theatre composers American musical theatre lyricists Broadway composers and lyricists Composers from New York City Living people Songwriters from New York (state) Musicians from Cleveland Actors from Lakewood, Ohio 1976 births