David Zellnik is the author of numerous plays and musicals seen in New York and beyond.
His musicals include: book and lyrics for the Off-Broadway musical YANK! (composer: Joseph Zellnik) which received 7 Drama Desk nominations (including for his book and lyrics) as well as nominations from the Outer Critics’ Circle, and Lucille Lortel Foundation. The CD was released by PS Classics and there have been several regional productions from 2014–2019. It made its UK debut in Manchester in March 2017, then playing London in 2018; its South American debut in Rio de Janeiro (in Portuguese) in June 2017 where it went on to win the national CENYM award for Best Musical; and will debut in Brisbane, Australia in July 2019.
Joseph and David’s previous musical, CITY OF DREAMS was performed in Cardiff, Wales at the first Int’l Music Theatre Festival, as well as in New York at the Midtown International Theatre Festival. David and Joe adapted the Arthur Giron play "Flight" for TheaterworksUSA, creating the musical FIRST IN FLIGHT which toured the country in 2004/5. Joe and David recently performed at The Kennedy Center as part of the ASCAP new voices series. In other musical collaborations, David has also worked with Disney Theatricals to create PETER PAN JR (music: Eric Svejcar) which has been licensed over 4000 times in the first 5 years starting in 2013/2014. Also with composer Eric, David has written the hit podcast musical series called LOVEVILLE HIGH.
David’s plays include: THE LETTERS (Bridge Theatre 2019), THE F#@%ING WRIGHT BROTHERS (FringeNYC, 2018, New Colony Ensemble, Chicago June 2014), THE UDMURTS (Winner Equity Library Theatre competition, semi-finalist for the O’Neill, World Premiere, Defunkt Theatre Co, Portland OR, May 2016); SERENDIB (The Hippodrome 2011; Off-Broadway Ensemble Studio Theatre 2008, created with a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation who sent him for 2 months to Sri Lanka to observe the scientists studying macaques in Polonnaruwa); ARIEL SHARON STANDS AT THE TEMPLE MOUNT AND DREAMS OF THEODOR HERZL (performed in workshops productions at Theatre J, Culture Project through Epic Theatre, and Chautauqua Theatre Company); LET A HUNDRED FLOWERS BLOOM (Defunkt Theatre Co. Portland OR ‘14, New Ensemble ‘01 NYC OOBR Award) as well as the one-acts FOR ELISE, IDEOGRAM and KILLING HAND, all performed in various Ensemble Studio Theatre's Marathons and in Turin, Italy (in Italian). Recently, his play “Blue-Handed” was published by Massachusetts Review under the pseudonym Ah@d Ha’@m.
David has been given grants from the Sloan Foundation, NYSCA, Jerome Foundation and is a proud member of Ensemble Studio Theatre as well as The Dramatists Guild and ASCAP.
His musicals include: book and lyrics for the Off-Broadway musical YANK! (composer: Joseph Zellnik) which received 7 Drama Desk nominations (including for his book and lyrics) as well as nominations from the Outer Critics’ Circle, and Lucille Lortel Foundation. The CD was released by PS Classics and there have been several regional productions from 2014–2019. It made its UK debut in Manchester in March 2017, then playing London in 2018; its South American debut in Rio de Janeiro (in Portuguese) in June 2017 where it went on to win the national CENYM award for Best Musical; and will debut in Brisbane, Australia in July 2019.
Joseph and David’s previous musical, CITY OF DREAMS was performed in Cardiff, Wales at the first Int’l Music Theatre Festival, as well as in New York at the Midtown International Theatre Festival. David and Joe adapted the Arthur Giron play "Flight" for TheaterworksUSA, creating the musical FIRST IN FLIGHT which toured the country in 2004/5. Joe and David recently performed at The Kennedy Center as part of the ASCAP new voices series. In other musical collaborations, David has also worked with Disney Theatricals to create PETER PAN JR (music: Eric Svejcar) which has been licensed over 4000 times in the first 5 years starting in 2013/2014. Also with composer Eric, David has written the hit podcast musical series called LOVEVILLE HIGH.
David’s plays include: THE LETTERS (Bridge Theatre 2019), THE F#@%ING WRIGHT BROTHERS (FringeNYC, 2018, New Colony Ensemble, Chicago June 2014), THE UDMURTS (Winner Equity Library Theatre competition, semi-finalist for the O’Neill, World Premiere, Defunkt Theatre Co, Portland OR, May 2016); SERENDIB (The Hippodrome 2011; Off-Broadway Ensemble Studio Theatre 2008, created with a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation who sent him for 2 months to Sri Lanka to observe the scientists studying macaques in Polonnaruwa); ARIEL SHARON STANDS AT THE TEMPLE MOUNT AND DREAMS OF THEODOR HERZL (performed in workshops productions at Theatre J, Culture Project through Epic Theatre, and Chautauqua Theatre Company); LET A HUNDRED FLOWERS BLOOM (Defunkt Theatre Co. Portland OR ‘14, New Ensemble ‘01 NYC OOBR Award) as well as the one-acts FOR ELISE, IDEOGRAM and KILLING HAND, all performed in various Ensemble Studio Theatre's Marathons and in Turin, Italy (in Italian). Recently, his play “Blue-Handed” was published by Massachusetts Review under the pseudonym Ah@d Ha’@m.
David has been given grants from the Sloan Foundation, NYSCA, Jerome Foundation and is a proud member of Ensemble Studio Theatre as well as The Dramatists Guild and ASCAP.
