Most Interesting People 2010 - Matthew James Murphy
Matthew James Murphy Songwriter | 34
Why he’s interesting … The South Euclid resident’s song “Hold Your Dream” was featured in the recent remake of the 1980 film Fame. Before becoming a songwriter, Murphy performed as part of the ensemble of the Broadway and touring productions of Rent and worked on Late Night with Conan O’Brien.
His brush with Fame … “Fame is unique because they were opening it up to no-names. I had some music on [MTV’s] Laguna Beach and other little hits here and there but nothing really big.”
His day job … Murphy teaches piano and guitar lessons to kids at their homes. “There was no way I was going to get a 9-to-5 job in an office.”
First acting job … At age 5, he was the Mayor of Munchkinland in Heights Youth Theater’s production of The Wizard of Oz.
Paying gig … He was on WKYC-TV3’s long-running kids’ show Hickory Hideout. “I was making pretty good money for a 9-year-old in 1984.”
But … “It made life a living hell in junior high. It was like ‘you’re the guy who talks to puppets, man.’ ”
The jump to Rent … He got the job during an open call at PlayhouseSquare. “I said, ‘Give me a couple weeks to get everything together.’ They told me, ‘No, we have a plane ticket for you for tomorrow.’ ”
Beth Stallings
Carly Toyzan
Jim Vickers
Colleen Smitek
Erick Trickey
Kim Schneider
Christina Ipavec
Brittany Moffat
Emily Garvey
Katie Dragga
Lauren Hennen
by Jennifer Bowen
There's always more to the story. For each and every member of this year's class of Most Interesting People, learn something new about the upbringings that made them, the inspiration that changed them and the moments that bring them fulfillment. Edited by Dillon Stewart
