David Zellnik
Ensemble Member
DAVID ZELLNIK is the author of the book and lyrics for the musical Yank! (off-Broadway 2010 @The York Theatre, music: Joseph Zellnik) for which he received 2 Drama Desk nominations, as well as nominations from the Outer Critics’ Circle, and Lucille Lortel Foundation. Yank! also had an award winning run at the Gallery Players in Brooklyn 2007 (IT Award for Best Musical, GLAAD nomination for best Off-Off Broadway Musical) and a sold out run in San Diego’s Diversionary Theatre 2008. His previous musical, City of Dreams has been performed in Cardiff, Wales at the first Int’l Music Theatre Festival, as well as in New York at the Midtown International Theatre Festival. In addition, it won the Nat’l Music Theatre Network competition culminating in a reading at the Lamb’s Theatre; 2 songs from it appear on Alison Fraser’s album Men In My Life. David adapted the Arthur Giron play Flight for TheaterworksUSA, creating the musical First in Flight which toured the US in 2003/2004. He is also currently adapting Peter Pan for Disney (with Eric Svejcar, music) to culminate in Peter Pan Jr – 4 productions are already planned around the country for the 2010/2011 season.
His plays include: Serendib (The Hippodrome 2011; Off-Broadway Ensemble Studio Theatre 2008, created with a grant from the Sloan Foundation); Ariel Sharon Hovers Between Life and Death and Dreams of Theodor Herzl (Developed at Chautauqua, Epic Theatre Ensemble and Culture Project in NYC, and Theatre J in DC); Let a Hundred Flowers Bloom (OOBR Award winner for Best Play, seen in London and NYC); as well as the one-acts Ideogram and Killing Hand both part of Ensemble Studio Theatre’s Marathons.
He has been given grants from the Sloan Foundation, NYSCA, Jerome Foundation. He is a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre and The Playwrights Unit, as well as The Dramatists Guild.
Video
David Zellnik discusses his Marathon play For Elise.