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Draft:Matt Zarley

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Matt Zarley
Birth nameMatthew William Zarley
Born (1973-04-30) April 30, 1973 (age 52)
Peoria, Illinois, U.S.
GenresPop, Dance, Musical Theatre
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, Actor, Producer
Years active1993–present
Websitewww.mattzarley.com

Matt Zarley (born April 30, 1973) is an American singer-songwriter, musical theatre performer, and LGBTQ+ advocate. He began his professional career on Broadway before gaining recognition in the pop and dance music scenes. Zarley is known for his expressive tenor voice, LGBTQ-centered storytelling, and award-winning musical works such as Change Begins With Me and the short film hopefulROMANTIC. He was the first openly gay man featured in People magazine’s “Bachelor” issue, and continues to use his platform to support queer youth and promote positive representation in media.

Early life

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Zarley was born in Peoria, Illinois, and raised in Southern California. His early interest in dance and musical performance began at the age of 12, leading him to pursue a career in the performing arts. He started working professionally as a teenager and eventually transitioned to Broadway in his early 20s.

Stage and television career

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Zarley made his Broadway debut at 17 in the revival of Cats as the youngest performer ever cast in the musical.[1] He later appeared in productions of A Chorus Line, Chicago, and The Who's Tommy. His stage work includes roles in national tours, off-Broadway productions, and regional theatre, frequently portraying leading or dance-heavy roles.[2]

In ‘‘A Chorus Line’’, he performed as Mike in the European tour and later understudied Mark on Broadway. He notably stepped in as Richie during an emergency when the original actor was injured. Zarley recounted the moment with humor, noting the racial implications of performing a role written as Black while being white, and reflected on the challenges of sudden casting changes.[3]

In October 2020, Zarley joined fellow Cats alumni JoAnn Hunter and Randy Slovacek on ‘‘Stars in the House’’, a live-streamed fundraising series supporting The Actors Fund during the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]

He also directed and starred in the 2012 music video “Change Begins With Me,” which featured fellow Broadway performers Hector Van Silva and Chuck Saculla.[5] The video was spotlighted by Playbill in their ‘‘Screening Room’’ feature.[6] In addition to stage roles, Zarley has appeared in TV commercials and special appearances on shows including Good Morning America and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. He has also served as a guest vocal coach and music supervisor for independent film projects.

Discography

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Studio albums

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  • Debut (2002)
  • Here I Am (2008)
  • Change Begins With Me (2012)

Other releases

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  • Where Did You Come From – Remixes (2010)
  • While You See a Chance (feat. Billy Porter) (2009)
  • The Estrogen Sessions (2017)
  • hopefulROMANTIC – The Deluxe Edition (2015)
  • 11 o’CLOCK NUMBER (2023)

Selected singles

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  • “You Always Want (What U Ain’t Got)” (2002)
  • “Say Goodbye” (2002)
  • “Here I Am” (2008)
  • “WTF” (2012)
  • “Trust Me” (2012)
  • “You Gotta Be” (feat. Billy Porter) (2017)

Visual albums and films

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In 2015, Zarley wrote, produced, and starred in hopefulROMANTIC, a musical short film that chronicles a relationship through song, told entirely through music and dance. The project starred Zarley alongside Jolie Jenkins and featured narration by George Takei.[7][8]

In 2023, he launched 11 o’CLOCK NUMBER, a 12-episode web series and visual album featuring reinterpretations of iconic Broadway solos originally performed by women. Zarley directed, produced, edited, and starred in the series. Guests included Billy Porter, Jason Graae, JoAnn Hunter, and Haviland Stillwell.[9][10] Zarley described the project as a “cathartic quarantine project” that turned into a full-scale production highlighting “personal and collective resilience.[11][12]

Recognition and advocacy

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Zarley has received multiple awards and recognitions for his music and advocacy:

  • He was the first openly gay man featured in People magazine’s annual "Bachelor" issue in 2012.[13] Zarley frequently speaks about the need for increased LGBTQ representation and visibility in media.
  • Zarley is a longstanding supporter of the Trevor Project, participating in their annual “Paint the Town for Trevor” fundraising events.[14]
  • He won Album and Single of the Year at the 2012 OutMusic Awards for Change Begins With Me.[15]
  • Zarley supports LGBTQ youth through charity work. In 2017, he recorded a cover of Des’ree’s “You Gotta Be” with Billy Porter, donating all proceeds to the Los Angeles LGBT Youth Center.[16][17][18]

Personal life

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Zarley is openly gay and lives in Los Angeles. His creative projects often reflect his personal experiences, particularly themes of heartbreak, authenticity, and personal growth. He has stated that living openly and truthfully is essential to his artistry.[19]

He has also expressed a desire to write a Broadway musical and develop a television series centered on LGBTQ narratives.[20]

External links

References

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  1. ^ "Matt Zarley Profile". Internet Broadway Database.
  2. ^ "Matt Zarley - Musical Theatre Bio". BroadwayWorld.
  3. ^ "Matt Zarley Talks A Chorus Line & HopefulRomantic". The Theatre Podcast. December 2019.
  4. ^ "With Love, Now And Forever! CATS4COVIDRELIEF | Stars in the House". Stars In The House. October 2020.
  5. ^ Woulfe, Neil (May 17, 2011). "Meet Singer Matt Zarley: 'Change Begins With Me'; See His New Music Video!". Radar.
  6. ^ "Playbill Screening Room: Matt Zarley's Change Begins With Me". Playbill. August 2012.
  7. ^ "George Takei Assists Matt Zarley On New Album". www.out.com. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  8. ^ Diamond, Robert (November 2015). "LGBT Singer/Songwriter Matt Zarley Romances Film Festivals with Acclaimed Musical Short Film & Recording Project – "hopefulROMANTIC" - Special Guest Star George". BroadwayWorld.
  9. ^ Randy, Slovacek (2023-03-27). "Matt Zarley Debuts New Musical Web Series "11 O'Clock Number" - Instinct Magazine".
  10. ^ Gans, Andrew (March 27, 2023). "11 O'Clock Number, New Musical Web Series From Matt Zarley, Debuts March 27". Playbill.
  11. ^ Major, Michael (March 2023). "Matt Zarley to Premiere New Musical Web Series 11 O'CLOCK NUMBER". Broadway World.
  12. ^ Papadatos, Markos (May 2023). "Matt Zarley talks about his '11 O'Clock Number' digital series". Digital Journal.
  13. ^ Rubenstein, Janine (April 11, 2023). "Broadway's Matt Zarley on the 'Magnitude' of Being the First Out Gay Man in PEOPLE's Bachelors Issue". People.
  14. ^ Ebner, Juliette (May 31, 2012). "Zarley's Angels". Washington Blade.
  15. ^ "OutMusic Awards | Winners". OUTMUSIC AWARDS. December 12, 2012.
  16. ^ "Billy Porter and Matt Zarley Release Song for Homeless LGBT Youth". Look To The Stars. May 2019.
  17. ^ BWM Staff (June 2019). "Matt Zarley and Billy Porter release new single benefitting homeless LGBT youth". Bear World Magazine.
  18. ^ Slovacek, Randy (May 2019). "Billy Porter & Matt Zarley Cover 90s Anthem "You Gotta Be"". theOUTfront.
  19. ^ Inawat, Matt (May 15, 2012). ""Hottest Bachelor," pop vocalist and billboard dance artist Matt Zarley joins Market Days line-up". GoPride Chicago.
  20. ^ Peel, Brian (October 2011). "On Air with Brian Peel | Exclusive Interview: Matt Zarley". TheAussieWord.

Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:American male singers Category:American pop musicians Category:American LGBTQ musicians Category:Gay musicians Category:American musical theatre actors Category:People from Peoria, Illinois Category:LGBT rights activists from the United States Category:21st-century American male singers Category:American male stage actors Category:LGBTQ people from Illinois

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