Goat Song

by Matt Harmon

WINNER of the 2020 Maxim Mazumdar New Play Competition at Alleyway Theatre in Buffalo, NY

ONE-ACT: What if your favorite musician didn't love their music the way you do? Once the face of the wallowing introspective indie music scene, singer-songwriter Marcus Weeks is back with a new album of charming, upbeat tunes. As the reviews roll in, it is clear his audience wants the old Marcus back. Over Instagram/Facebook Live, Marcus reconciles the past and present in this heartbreaking and inspiring digital solo performance of music, family, bisexuality, and addiction.

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Goat Song

Recommended by

Doug DeVita: Goat Song by Matt Harmon

“

Matt Harmon's GOAT SONG is a terrific, painful, funny, heartbreaking, wonderful nervous breakdown set to music, and raises the bar considerably for both digital drama AND musicals. Read it. Watch it. (Link below.) Love it. Hate it. Feel it. All the feels. Especially excitement for the experience of something so original, fresh, and provocatively entertaining.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XWtVgGWrLw&ab_channel=AlleywayTheatre

Matt Harmon's GOAT SONG is a terrific, painful, funny, heartbreaking, wonderful nervous breakdown set to music, and raises the bar considerably for both digital drama AND musicals. Read it. Watch it. (Link below.) Love it. Hate it. Feel it. All the feels. Especially excitement for the experience of something so original, fresh, and provocatively entertaining.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XWtVgGWrLw&ab_channel=AlleywayTheatre

”
Emily Russell: Goat Song by Matt Harmon

“

Watching this play debut with Alleyway was such a highlight of quarantine! This one-man show is so captivating, I never wanted to miss a line or detail. A seriously important, timely piece.

Watching this play debut with Alleyway was such a highlight of quarantine! This one-man show is so captivating, I never wanted to miss a line or detail. A seriously important, timely piece.

”

Character Information

MARCUS

Five years sober, sensitive, not the greatest musician but makes up for it in emotion

Character Age

mid-late 30s

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Man,
  
  Non-binary

Production History

Type Professional, Organization Second Thought Theatre, Year 2021
Type Professional, Organization Alleyway Theatre Inc., Year 2020

Awards

Maxim Mazumdar New Play Competition — Digital Category

Alleyway Theatre Inc.

Winner

2020

Genre

dark comedy,

drama,

immersive,

musical,

zoom

Subject Matter Keywords

solo performance,

play with music,

singer-songwriter

Length

30-60 minutes

Cast Size

Age of Intended Audience

all ages

Narrative Attributes

Centers LGBTQ Characters

Supporting Materials

Script Sample

GOAT SONG SAMPLE.pdf

Score

Goat Song Chord Charts.pdf

Music Samples

https://soundcloud.com/matthew-harmon-320042619/sets/goat-song-demos

Supporting Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XWtVgGWrLw&ab_channel=AlleywayTheatre

Reviews

Dallas Voice

“
Harmon wanted to explore the demands artists endure. Where do art and mental health intersect? Is the price to suffer over and over again worth it?
...
The layers shown here are astonishing, especially considering how short the play is.
”
Sharp Critic : Christopher Soden

“
Written by Matt Harmon, this one-act pulls you right in, the pathos so palpable, the hero’s frailty so affecting, it’s hard to believe we’re watching from a remove.
”
Dallas Art Beat

“
Harmon’s writing goes beyond merely capturing the context none of us will ever forget, it uses the streaming and “Zoom world” modality to advance the possibilities of the theatrical one-hander by brilliantly merging the online theatrical event with the story’s situation.
”