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Matthew Shaffer

{{short description|American actor}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Matthew Shaffer

| image = Matthew Shaffer at WHOSE DANCE IS IT ANYWAY? the Televison Academy.jpg

| caption=Matthew Shaffer in attendance at the Television Academy's event, "Whose Dance Is It Anyway?" celebrating the work of choreographers.

| birth_name = Matthew Joseph Shaffer

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1978|5|4}}

| birth_place = Colorado

| occupation = Actor, dancer, choreographer, author

| years_active = 1992–present

| notable_works = So You Want To Be A Dancer? Dancing Out of the Closet

| spouse = {{marriage|Jeffrey Paynton|2013|2021|end=divorced}}

}}

Matthew Joseph Shaffer (born May 4, 1978)[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1808008/ IMDb] is an American musical theatre, television, and film actor, director, executive producer, author,[http://www.backstage.com/advice-for-actors/inside-job/so-you-want-be-dancer/ Backstage Magazine So You Want To Be A Dancer]

and choreographer. He was born in Florence, Colorado, USA.

Career

Shaffer began his career in Southern California. He attended Orange County High School of the Arts. He was accepted as a performing apprentice to the concert dance company Giordano Dance Chicago in 1996. He became a principal in the company the following year.

After three years touring the United States and Europe he left the company.

He worked in the ensemble of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall in New York City for five seasons. Shaffer was involved in the final stunt of the feature film Jackass Number Two, with Johnny Knoxville. Shaffer had comedic roles in two off-beat and independent short films: Feet Afire in 2005, and in 2006 the movie Queerspiracy, which was an official selection at the 2007 Breckenridge Film Festival. In November 2006, he originated the role of Bergdwarf Goodman, the narrative gnome in the Los Angeles Opera production of Hansel and Gretel at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. In October 2007, he completed his first 35 mm film project as choreographer on the set of Harrison Bergeron, based on the Kurt Vonnegut short story. In November 2007, Shaffer originated the lead role "Sim" in the revival of Ray Bradbury's Frost and Fire directed by Zina Bethune, at the Alex Theatre, in Los Angeles, CA.[http://www.matthewshaffer.com/MatthewShaffer.com/RESUME/RESUME.html Official Website] From 2010 through 2015 Shaffer and his producing partner, Jeff Payton created 40 pop culture digital shorts, which garnered a large fan base and led them to create and option two television pilots.April 2012, Vol. 15, Iss. 4, pg. 62, by: Jeff Katz, "InterAction" In 2015 Shaffer's first book, "So You Want To Be A Dancer", was published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group.{{Cite book|url=https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781630760267|title = So You Want to be a Dancer: Practical Advice and True Stories from a Working Professional}} In 2016 he was commissioned by Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania to choreograph his first concert dance piece entitled, "Give Me A Mingus" set to the music of Charles Mingus.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sru.edu/news/020317b|title = SRU dancers will be 'In Their Element' at Feb. 4 concert}} In 2023, Matthew earned his Master of Fine Arts degree in directing and choreography, from Wilson College (Pennsylvania). https://issuu.com/thecircle/docs/the_circle_of_omicron_delta_kappa_summer_2022_vo

Roles

=Theatre=

=Film/Television=

Writings

Shaffer authored his first book, So You Want To Be A Dancer, March 9, 2015.[http://www.publishersweekly.com/9781630760267 Rowman & Littlefield So You Want To Be A Dancer] On March 29, 2015 he launched So You Want To Be A Dancer at Broadway Dance Center and continued on a nationwide tour, teaching and promoting his book which was a Number 1 New Release in the Performing Arts category on Amazon.com.{{Cite web |url=http://www.broadwaydancecenter.com/studioinfo/special_events/industry_insider/day_of_dance.shtml |title=Broadway Dance Center Day of Dance |access-date=2015-09-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906115359/http://www.broadwaydancecenter.com/studioinfo/special_events/industry_insider/day_of_dance.shtml |archive-date=2015-09-06 |url-status=dead }}[http://www.presspassla.com/matthew-shaffer-discusses-professional-dance-career-social-media/ PressPass LA][http://www.pitchengine.com/pitches/bab865d6-ed18-4ffd-8c28-7a7a30671889 PitchEngine Choreographer and Author No. 1 on Amazon] Matthew is also one of fifty contributing authors of the book, The I'Mpossible Project: Reengaging With Life, Creating a New You, an inspirational book which highlights topics including, empowerment, suicide prevention, and LGBT themes; released by Skookum Hill Publishing on January 13, 2016.[https://www.amazon.com/iMpossible-Project-Reengaging-Life-Creating/dp/0986096474/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452799860&sr=1-1&keywords=9780986096471 Amazon] On September 10, 2019 Shaffer releases his sophomore book Dancing Out of the Closet, a collection of comedically true stories about his life as a performer living "in" and eventually "out" of the closet.[http://www.bearmanormedia.com/dancing-out-closet-totally-true-stories-hardcover-edition-by-matthew-shaffer BearManor Media]

Published works

  • {{cite book |last=Shaffer |first=Matthew |year=2015 |title=So You Want To Be A Dancer |location=Maryland |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=9781630760267 }}
  • {{cite book |last=Shaffer |first=Matthew |year=2016 |title=The i'Mpossible Project: Reengaging With Life, Creating a New You |location=New York |publisher=Skookum Hill |isbn=9780986096471 }}
  • {{cite book |last=Shaffer |first=Matthew |year=2019 |title=Dancing Out of the Closet |location=Georgia |publisher=BearManor Media |isbn=9781629334554}}[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1629334553/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1 Amazon]
  • {{cite book |last=Shaffer |first=Matthew |year=2023 |title=Nostalgia Radio Hour Presents: Growing Pangs |location=USA |publisher=Amazon |isbn=979-8392615902 }}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{IMDb name|1808008}}
  • {{official website|http://www.matthewshaffer.com}}

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Category:American male musical theatre actors

Category:American male film actors

Category:1978 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Fremont County, Colorado

Category:Actors from Orange County, California

Category:Male actors from California

Category:Orange County School of the Arts alumni