Peter Seidman Explained

Peter Seidman
Birth Date:3 April 1949
Birth Place:New York City
Education:Ed.M.
Alma Mater:Harvard University
Occupation:Specialist, Talent Discovery & Development

Peter Seidman is a New York-based lecturer, educator and talent scout.[1] Seidman is the founder of the Seidman Academy, and has presented lectures for the past forty years on child development, education, and the arts.[2] [3]

Early life and education

Seidman was born on April 3, 1949, in New York City.[4] His father, Harold, was a public elementary school principal and his mother, Sybil, taught special needs students at New York’s Bellevue Hospital.[5] [6]

Seidman began to study piano at 6, and at 12, he auditioned and was awarded a merit-based scholarship to the Juilliard School of Music, where he studied classical piano and music theory.

In 1965, while trying to interview Martin Luther King Jr. for the New Rochelle, New York, chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality, 16-year-old Seidman was arrested at King's hotel in Philadelphia.[7] [8] In 1970, while a student at the University of Hartford, he was part of a group called Concerned Connecticut Citizens for Sincere Dialogue and participated in a demonstration against a visit by Spiro Agnew.[9] Also while a student, he wrote several articles published in the university newspaper UH News addressing racism, the environment, and other controversial issues of the time.[10] [11] [12] [13] [14]

He studied education, psychology, and theater arts at the University of Hartford and University of Massachusetts Boston and was admitted to the Harvard University Graduate School of Education based on a theater arts program for disadvantaged children and teens he developed at a youth center in Boston.[15] He earned a Master's degree in Education (Ed.M.) from Harvard in 1978.[16] [17] Seidman's contributions to the youth center in Boston were chronicled by the center's founder, Fred Rosene, in a self-published memoir, Making a Difference.[18]

Career

After he graduated from Harvard, Seidman moved back to the New York area. In 1981 he founded and directed a vocal showcase in New York "Professional Children's Revue," where he worked with young actors appearing in films, TV, commercials and voiceovers, including a teenage Sarah Jessica Parker, Justin Henry, Ricky Schroder, Lori Loughlin and most of the child actors appearing in the original casts of Broadway's Annie and Evita, and the revival of Peter Pan.[19] [20] [21]

In 1983, Seidman began to speak on the connection between child development and the arts. His talks evolved into a series of lectures, presented several months each year to high schools and performing arts venues throughout the United States and Canada.[22] Topics include the role of self-esteem and health in achieving success in the professional performing arts field.

His work with professional children evolved into a yearly resident performing arts workshop "Beginnings", which he founded in 1984. The program evolved into the Seidman Academy which provides training in acting, voice, dance, and writing by working New York casting directors, talent agents, Broadway and TV/film actors, playwrights, vocal coaches, and choreographers, and culminates in an Off Broadway showcase at the Orpheum Theatre, Union Square Theater, and other New York City theater locations.[23] [24] Mischa Barton, Reese Witherspoon, Zachery Ty Bryan, Hunter Parrish, Kirsten Storms, and thousands of other actors have attended the Academy.[25] [26] [27]

In 1995 Samuel French, Inc. published a collection of monologues containing dramatic and comedy pieces written by Seidman, entitled Winning Monologues from the Beginnings Workshop, with additional pieces written by actor and writer, Mark Weston, a former instructor at Beginnings.[28]

In 2004, the Academy began offering training with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon, as well as classes with industry professionals from British television, film, and theater, including performers and directors from London's West End and the Royal National Theater.[29] [30]

In 2008, Seidman began a series of yearly workshops in Hollywood, California. Students currently work with on-set coaches including Marnie Cooper (students have included Miley Cyrus, Mila Kunis, Miranda Cosgrove, Olivia Holt, and others) as well as talent agents, film and television casting directors, and actors.[31] [32] [33]

In the late 1990s, Seidman began writing an original musical which he intended to produce on Broadway entitled The Kid Who Played the Palace. The project is still in development.[34]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Lord. Mark. Broadway Producer Peter Seidman Speaks To Middle Village Stars. 6 June 2015. 2001-06-07. Queens Chronicle . Rego Park, NY.
  2. . Children in Entertainment. . . New York, NY. 15 June 1988.
  3. News: Duckett. Richard. Can he make you a Star?. 8 June 2015. 2006-03-16. The Telegram. Worcester, MA.
  4. News: Local Resident Broadway Bound. Steele. Stevie. 11 November 1991. The Standard Star. New Rochelle, NY.
  5. News: HAROLD G. SKLAR. 1984-08-13. The New York Times. 2017-04-24. 0362-4331.
  6. News: Staff writer. Sybil Sklar. 8 June 2015. The New York Times. 2014-12-14. New York, NY.
  7. News: New Rochelle Youth Freed. 11 August 1965. New York Times. 20. en.
  8. News: CORE Youth Group's New President. Markoff. Bethany. 14 May 1965. The Standard Star. New Rochelle, NY.
  9. News: 5,000 Expected Against Agnew. 22 October 1970. The Hartford Courant (1923-1991) [Hartford, Conn]. 5.
  10. News: Seidman . Peter . 4 February 1970 . On Gaining Perspective- The Black Panther Party . 2 . UH News . 15 . Hartford, CT.
  11. News: Seidman . Peter . 18 February 1970 . Vietnam- Facts Concerning the War in Vietnam . 2 . UH News . 17 . Hartford, CT.
  12. News: Seidman . Peter . 11 March 1970 . Black Nationalism- Socialism . 2 . UH News . 20 . Hartford, CT.
  13. News: Seidman . Peter . 18 March 1970 . Eldridge Cleaver- Soul on Ice . 2 . UH News . 21 . Hartford, CT.
  14. News: Seidman . Peter . 8 April 1970 . Revolution and Environmental Pollution . 2 . UH News . 24 . Hartford, CT.
  15. News: Fischberg. Carole. 'Beginnings' on stage. 26 February 1975. Newton, MA.
  16. News: Staff writer. Performing Arts Show To Aid Mississippi Center . 8 June 2015. 1965-02-24. The Herald Statesman. Yonkers, NY.
  17. News: Blau. Eleanor. Where to Scout the Youngest Talent. 8 June 2015. The New York Times. 1981-02-20. New York, NY.
  18. Book: Rosene. Fred. Making a Difference. 10 September 2010. Xlibris, Corp.. Bloomington, IN. 978-1453552377. 180, 182–184.
  19. News: Woller. Barbara. Starry-eyed youths. Gannet Westchester Newspaper. 9 January 1985. Westchester, NY. 1.
  20. News: Kaufman. Joanne. Where life is a kiddie cabaret. Daily News. 3 March 1981. New York, NY. 5 (Leisure Section).
  21. News: Sumner. Jane. Show Biz Kids. The Dallas Morning News. 28 December 1987. Dallas, TX.
  22. Michele Reese and Steffany Brewer. World-Renowned Talent Scout Peter Seidman. . KYTX-TV 19 . Tyler, TX. 19 February 2008.
  23. News: Fuquay. Ashley. Three attend rigorous dance workshop in NYC. 16 June 2015. Brownwood Bulletin. 7 September 2010. Brownwood, TX.
  24. News: Cole. Sally. Dancing toward their dream. 16 June 2015. The Guardian. July 23, 2012. Charlottetown, Canada.
  25. News: Nestor. Frank. Theater Actors to Watch 2011. 17 June 2015. Backstage Magazine. 19 October 2011. New York, NY.
  26. Seidman . Peter . Katie Ferrell . Talent Scout Brings Advice . NBC Nebraska Midday . KHAS TV NBC . Hastings, NE . April 10, 2008.
  27. Barton . Mischa . Mischa Barton. Ray Van Ness . Mischa & Kristin: Babes of OC . . . Los Angeles, CA . 10 September 2006.
  28. Book: Seidman . Peter . Winning Monologues from the Beginnings Workshop . 1994 . Baker's Plays . 978-0874400205 . New York, NY.
  29. News: Whitehouse. J. T.. 10 December 2009. New beginnings await talented local youth. Town Crier. Warren, OH. 16 June 2015.
  30. News: Staff writer. 5 May 2011. Groth attends acting workshop in London. West Point News. West Point, NE. 17 June 2015.
  31. Web site: Local: It takes more than talent. 2020-07-29. www.petersklaronline.com.
  32. Web site: Peter-Sklar. 2020-07-29. www.centerstagemusicschool.com.
  33. Web site: Peter-Sklar.
  34. Web site: Peter Sklar seeks kids to play the palace. 2020-07-29. Sudbury.com. en.