Matthew Sklar (born October 7, 1973) is an American composer for musical theatre, television, and film. His works have appeared 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 Stree ...

, the West End, and theatres worldwide. Sklar has written primarily with lyricist Chad Beguelin, having written music for their Broadway shows '' The Prom'', '' Elf the Musical'', and ''

The Wedding Singer ''The Wedding Singer'' is a 1998 American romantic comedy film directed by Frank Coraci, written by Tim Herlihy, and produced by Robert Simonds and Jack Giarraputo. The film stars Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, and Christine Taylor, and tells t ...

''. ''The Prom'' and ''The Wedding Singer'' earned him nominations for the

Tony Award for Best Original Score The Tony Award for Best Original Score is the Tony Award given to the composers and lyricists of the best original score written for a musical or play in that year. The score consists of music and/or lyrics. To be eligible, a score must be written ...

Biography

Early life

A native of Westfield,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, Sklar is the middle child of Dr. Talbot Sklar, a pediatric dentist, and Susan Sklar, a teacher. He attended Edison Intermediate School and graduated from

Westfield High School Westfield High School may refer to: * The Westfield School, Perry, Georgia * Westfield High School (Westfield, Indiana) * Westfield High School (Massachusetts), Westfield, Massachusetts * Westfield Technical Academy, Westfield, Massachusetts * West ...

in 1991. He was active in the high school's music and drama programs, and also participated in the Westfield Summer Workshop. Sklar credits his start in composing to his music teacher, Kristine Smith-Morasso at Edison, who asked him to write a song for his 9th grade graduation. On a whim, he sent the song to the hit Disney Channel show, the All-New ''

Mickey Mouse Club ''The Mickey Mouse Club'' is an American variety television show that aired intermittently from 1955 to 1996 and returned to social media in 2017. Created by Walt Disney and produced by Walt Disney Productions, the program was first televised fo ...

''. The producers chose the song to be performed by cast member Jennifer McGill and Sklar was subsequently interviewed on the program. He graduated with honors in 1991 from the

Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most elit ...

Pre-College Division as a composition major. His piece ''Symphonics'', for full orchestra, was premiered at

Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 milli ...

by the Juilliard Pre-College Orchestra, conducted by Sklar. He then studied at

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...

from 1991 to 1995.

Work

As an 18-year-old freshman at New York University, Sklar began playing keyboards for the Broadway production of ''

Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...

'', eventually conducting the show at age 21. He has also been a keyboardist, conductor, and/or arranger for many Broadway productions including ''

Shrek ''Shrek'' is a 2001 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 book of the same name by William Steig. It is the first installment in the ''Shrek'' franchise. The film was directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jen ...

'', '' 42nd Street'', ''

Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madame Butterfly'', and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed roma ...

'', ''

Nine 9 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 9 or nine may also refer to: Dates * AD 9, the ninth year of the AD era * 9 BC, the ninth year before the AD era * 9, numerical symbol for the month of September Places * Nine, Portugal, a parish in the ...

'' and ''

Caroline, or Change ''Caroline, or Change'' is a musical with music by Jeanine Tesori and lyrics and book by Tony Kushner. The score combines spirituals, blues, Motown, classical music, and Jewish klezmer and folk music. The show ran both Off-Broadway and on Broadway ...

''. Sklar also appeared onstage as "Oscar" in the Broadway revival of '' 42nd Street''. He made his Broadway debut as a composer for the new musical ''

'', with Chad Beguelin writing the lyrics. He was nominated for the 2006

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

for Best Original Score for ''The Wedding Singer''. His second Broadway musical, ''

Elf An elf () is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic mythology and folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology. They are subsequently mentioned in Snorri Sturluson's Icelandic Prose Edda. He distinguishes "ligh ...

'', broke box office records at the

Al Hirschfeld Theatre The Al Hirschfeld Theatre, originally the Martin Beck Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 302 West 45th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1924, it was designed by G. Albert Lansburgh in a Moorish and ...

. The show has played all over the world and has become a staple in the musical theatre repertoire. Sklar received a 2015 Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Music Direction for the NBC stop-motion animated TV special ''Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas'', starring Jim Parsons. He adapted and arranged the music of Marvin Hamlisch for the Emmy Award-winning documentary film ''Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did For Love'', seen on PBS/American Masters. Sklar has contributed original songs/music to ''

Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) ...

'', ''

Wonder Pets! ''Wonder Pets!'' is an American educational animated children's television series created by Josh Selig for Nickelodeon. The series follows a trio of classroom pets—Linny the Guinea Pig, Turtle Tuck and Ming-Ming Duckling—who use teamwork to ...

'', and the NBC Broadcast of The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. His music has been performed by the Atlanta, Baltimore, and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestras. His most recent Broadway work is the original musical '' The Prom'', winner of the 2019

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre among Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions. Winners and nominees 1970s 1980s 1990s 200 ...

. ''The Prom'' is based on a concept by Jack Viertel; the book is by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin, music by Sklar, lyrics by Beguelin, and directed/choreographed by

Casey Nicholaw Casey Nicholaw (born October 6, 1962) is an American theatre director, choreographer, and performer. He has been nominated for several Tony Awards for his work directing and choreographing ''The Drowsy Chaperone'' (2006), ''The Book of Mormon'' (2 ...

. The musical, set in small town Indiana, involves a high school student who is banned from her prom because she wants to bring her girlfriend. A group of Broadway actors hears about the situation and travels to the town to help the student. The musical premiered at the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia, on August 18, 2016 in previews. This out-of-town production received positive reviews. Frank Rizzo, in his ''Variety'' review, wrote that it is "a loopy, loving and joyous musical." ''The Prom'' opened on Broadway at the

Longacre Theatre The Longacre Theatre is a Broadway theater at 220 West 48th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. Opened in 1913, it was designed by Henry B. Herts and was named for Longacre Square, now known a ...

on November 15, 2018, with previews starting on October 23, 2018,McPhee, Ryan
"Full Cast Set for Broadway's 'The Prom'"
Playbill, May 3, 2018 to positive reviews, including a ''New York Times'' Critic's Pick. Jesse Green, chief theatre critic for the New York Times wrote in his review that ''The Prom'' “makes you believe in musical comedy again.” For his work on ''The Prom'', Sklar received his second

nomination for Best Original Score and the Dramatists Guild of America Frederick Loewe Award for Dramatic Composition.

Broadway credits

As composer: *'' The Prom'' - Original music *''

'' – Original music *''

'' – Original music Other credits: *''

'' – Dance arrangements *''

'' – associate conductor *''

'' – rehearsal pianist, associate conductor *''

Oklahoma! ''Oklahoma!'' is the first musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, ''Green Grow the Lilacs''. Set in farm country outside the town of Claremore, Indian Territory, in 1906, it tell ...

'' (2002 revival) – rehearsal pianist *'' 42nd Street'' (2001 revival) – associate conductor *'' Putting It Together'' – assistant conductor *'' Annie Get Your Gun'' (1999 revival) – rehearsal pianist *'' On the Town'' (1998 revival) – rehearsal pianist *''

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, Unit ...

'' – associate conductor *''

'' – assistant conductor, replacement *''

'' – associate conductor, replacement

Awards, nominations and honors

*2021 -

Hollywood Critics Association The Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) is a film critic organization in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 2016 as the Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society and renamed in 2019. History In 2016, Scott Menzel, Scott Mantz, and Ashley ...

, Best Song for ''The Prom'' *2021 - CinEuphoria Awards, Best Original Song for ''The Prom'' *2021 - Hawaii Film Critics Society, Best Song for ''The Prom'' *2021 - Denver Film Critics Society Awards, Best Original Song for ''The Prom'' *2021 - Houston Film Critics Society Awards, Best Original Song for ''The Prom'' *2019 - Dramatists Guild of America Frederick Loewe Award for Dramatic Composition *2019 -

, Best Original Score, '' The Prom'' (nomination) *2019 - Outer Critics Circle Award, Outstanding New Score, '' The Prom'' (nomination) *2015 - Emmy Award, Outstanding Music Direction for the NBC stop-motion animated NBC special ''Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas'' (nomination) *2015 - Annie Award, Outstanding Achievement for Music In An Animated Television/Broadcast Production for the NBC stop-motion animated NBC special ''Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas'' (nomination) *2010 - ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award *2006 -

, Best Original Score, ''

'' (nomination) *2006 - Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Music (nomination) *2003 - Gilman Gonzalez-Falla Musical Theater Award *2000 -

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'' and '' Tick, Tick... Boom!'', which explored the social issues of multiculturalism, ...

Performing Arts Foundation Award "Larson Recipients, 2000"
americantheatrewing.org, accessed December 16, 2015

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sklar, Matthew 1973 births Living people American musical theatre composers Broadway composers and lyricists Jewish American composers Jewish American songwriters Juilliard School Pre-College Division alumni Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development alumni People from Westfield, New Jersey Songwriters from New Jersey Westfield High School (New Jersey) alumni 21st-century American Jews