Matt Zarley 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 magazineâÂÂs âÂÂTop 50 Bachelorâ issue, and continues to use his platform to support queer youth and promote positive representation in media.
Zarley was born in Peoria, Illinois, and raised in the Midwest of New Jersey, before settling in Southern California at 11 years old. 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.
Zarley made his television debut at 17 years old on the TV series, Fame, and his theatrical debut later that same year in the national tour of Cats. At the time, he was the youngest performer ever cast in the musical. He later appeared in the Broadway productions of A Chorus Line, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat', The WhoâÂÂs Tommy', and Chicago. His stage work includes roles on Broadway, off-Broadway, national tours, and regional theatre.
Zarley made his Broadway debut at 19 years old in A Chorus Line, cast in the role of Mark Anthony. Later, Zarley went on to play the role of Mike Costa for both the European tour and Paris premiere of the same show.
He also directed and starred in the 2012 music video âÂÂChange Begins With MeâÂÂ, which featured fellow Broadway performers Hector Van Silva and Chuck Saculla. The video was spotlighted by Playbill in their "Screening Room" feature. In addition to stage roles, Zarley has appeared in TV commercials and special appearances on shows including The Rosie OâÂÂDonnell Show and The Drew Carey Show, as well as roles in TV movies including Disney's Cinderella (with Whitney Houston), Geppetto (with Drew Carey), and Annie (with Kathy Bates).
Sources: Playbill Vault; Broadway World, IBDb Broadway Database
Sources: IMDBb Database
In 2015, Zarley wrote, produced, and starred in hopefulROMANTIC, an award-winning musical short film that chronicles the life of a romantic relationship. The nearly dialogue-free narrative is told almost entirely through music, and co-starred Chuck Saculla, Jolie Jenkins, and George Takei. The short film appeared in several film festivals around the globe, including the Cannes Short Film Festival, and won several festival awards.
In 2023, he launched 11 oâÂÂClock Number, a 12-episode web series and visual album. The series, created during the COVID-19 pandemic, features Zarley's reinterpretations of iconic musical theatre songs, which were all originally sung by women. The narrative-driven series was inspired by his mother's death years priorâÂÂfeaturing appearances from Billy Porter, Jason Graae, Kathy Deitch, Marty Thomas, Jolie Jenkins, and Barbara Deutsch. Zarley described the project as a âÂÂcathartic quarantine projectâ that turned into a full-scale production highlighting "personal and collective resilience".
Zarley has received multiple awards and recognitions for his music and films:
Zarley has been a committed advocate for LGBTQ+ youth support, anti-bullying and broader social causes through community-centered fundraising, performance and collaboration:
Zarley Family Foundation â As vice president of the family-founded private foundation, Zarley has helped direct charitable grants to numerous organizations, including The Trevor Project, Starkey Hearing Foundation, Casa Pacifica, Boys Town, Boys & Girls Club, and Broadway Cares.
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.
He has also expressed a desire to write a Broadway musical and develop a television series centered on LGBTQ narratives.