About FAM’s Founder, Marlo Hunter

MARLO HUNTER is a film director, and theater director and choreographer. She makes her feature film directorial debut with American Reject in 2021, a comedy featuring an entirely original soundtrack. American Reject stars Kathleen Monteleone (also screenplay), Keala Settle, Annaleigh Ashford, Billy Ray Cyrus, Connie Ray, Bryan Batt, Rebecca Black, and introduces rising talent, Angelica Hale. The film debuted at festivals in fall 2020 where it garnered multiple honors including Best Narrative Feature -BendFilm Festival, Best of Fest – Adirondack Film Festival, Best International Feature – Cyrus International Festival of Toronto, and the Rising Star Award (Angelica Hale) – New Orleans Film Festival. In spring 2021 Marlo is directing a workshop of the new musical, Ever After, in residency at Discovering Broadway in Carmel, Indiana. The show is produced by Tony Award-winner, Kevin McCollum (In the Heights, Rent, Avenue Q), with Music by Zina Goldrich (Dear Edwina, Breathe), Lyrics by Marcy Heisler (Dear Edwina, Williamsburg), and Book by Marcy Heisler & Kate Wetherhead (The Devil Wears Prada, “Submissions Only”).

Through Marlo’s 20-year theatrical career she has become a prolific developer of new plays and musicals.  She is often noted for her kinetic staging and facility with comedy. Marlo attributes her success and joy as an artist to her rich collaborations with writers including Michael R. Jackson & Anna K. Jacobs, Marcy Heisler & Zina Goldrich, Sam Carner & Derek Gregor, Kevin Hammonds & Kristin Bair, Timothy Huang, and Adam Overett.

She recently directed a workshop of the Saved By the Bell musical, produced by Larry Poindexter (Executive Producer, The Cher Show), Cody Lassen (The Band’s Visit, Tootsie) & Albert Spevak (“Chasing the Saturdays”). The show features book by the legendary TV series’ creator, writer and Executive Producer, Peter Engel. Brad Ellis (“Glee”) served as Music Director. Marlo directed the first 9 episode podcast musical, Little Did I Know, released on Apple Podcasts in March 2020. The series is scored by Tony Award winning composer, Doug Besterman, with lyrics by Marcy Heisler & Dean Pitchford. The series was #2 on Apple Podcast’s performing arts charts within 4 days of release.

Marlo has directed, choreographed and developed new work at Second Stage, Long Wharf, Williamstown, Roundabout, Playwrights Horizons, EST, Pittsburgh CLO, Bay Street, TUTS Underground, NJ Rep, Bloomington Playwrights Project, NYMF, The Lark at NY Stage & Film, The Orchard Project, and SPACE on Ryder Farm, among others.  She is an alumna of the Sundance Theatre Lab, a Drama League residency recipient, an alumna of the Williamstown Theatre Festival Directing Corp, a 2016 National Directors Fellowship Finalist. Marlo was the winner of the 2013 Callaway Award for Excellence in Choreography for Unlock’d, which she directed & choreographed Off-Broadway. She is the Co-Creator & Director of The Theatrical Culinary Project – an immersive theater and dining experience in development putting Top Chef finalist & The Chew Co-Host, Carla Hall, into collaboration with playwrights Martyna Majok (Pulitzer Prize Winner), Jeff Augustin, Daniel Pearle (A Kid Like Jake), Harrison David Rivers and Julian Sheppard. Marlo was the Associate Director of the Off-Broadway Clueless musical starring Dove Cameron, and adapted by Amy Heckerling herself for the stage.

In 2008 Marlo founded Eating Their Words, putting playwrights and chefs into collaboration for immersive experiences in New York’s finest restaurants, resulting in World Premiere plays coupled with the menu they inspired. Through ETW Marlo commissioned & directed new plays by Neil LaBute, Beau Willimon, Douglas Carter Beane, Sarah Treem, Theresa Rebeck, David Grimm, Annie Baker, Brooke Berman, Amy Herzog, Keith Reddin, Jonathan Marc Sherman, Sam Forman, Rob Ackerman, Steven Levenson, Zakiyyah Alexander, Liz Flahive, Aurin Squire, Aziza Barnes and Eisa Davis.

Marlo teaches a workshop, “The Freelance Artist’s Manifesto Boot Camp” in NYC, at universities, and through private coaching, empowering creative freelancers with mental and practical tools to survive and thrive as an artist. She holds a B.A. in English/Dramatic Literature from Princeton University, and a Classical Diploma (study of Latin & Greek) from Phillips Exeter Academy. Marlo is a proud member of the SDC, and is represented by Jamie Kaye-Phillips at UTA. She lives in New York with her husband and two children.

Photo by Nathan Johnson