Biography
Marlo Hunter is a film director, and theater director and choreographer. She makes her feature film directorial debut with American Reject, 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.
Through Marlo's 20+ year theatrical career she has become a prolific developer of new plays and musicals. She is known for her kinetic staging and particular facility with comedy. She is developing the Broadway-bound Ever After musical, based on the 1998 Drew Barrymore film, produced by three-time Tony Award winner Kevin McCollum (In the Heights, Rent, Avenue Q, Something Rotten), with music by Zina Goldrich, lyrics by Marcy Heisler, and book by Marcy Heisler & Kate Wetherhead. Marlo directed a workshop of the highly-anticipated Saved By the Bell musical. The show features book by the legendary TV series' creator, writer and Executive Producer, Peter Engel. Brad Ellis ("Glee") served as Music Director. During the pandemic, Marlo directed the first 9 episode podcast musical, Little Did I Know, released on Apple Podcasts. The series is scored by Tony Award winning composer, Doug Besterman, with lyrics by Marcy Heisler & Dean Pitchford, and features YouTube sensations Kurt Hugo Schneider, Sam Tsui, Casey Breves, and Alex G, Disney star Laura Marano ("Austin & Ally", "Without a Trace").
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. She lives in New York with her husband, son and daughter.
