Dix Hills Senior is Force Behind New Musical "6" at CAP

Singer-songwriter-piano player and playwright, Zach Zadek is the creative force behind a new original musical now in its final weekend at the Cultural Arts Playhouse in Plainview.

Zadek, a senior at Dix Hills , spent about three and a half years writing “6,” a story of how six New Yorkers’ lives intersect on a New York City Subway train.

The play is about "how they intersect, how they brush paths has a profound impact on each other’s lives,” Zadek said.

Hills East originally performed the play last May and now it being performed by six adult actors at CAP.

Zadek has performed in musicals since he was a child. He plays a little clarinet and guitar, but the piano is his instrument and he loves to write songs that he can also sing and play. But he wrote all the music for “6,” including for instruments that he doesn’t even play.

“I write out what I want them to play,” Zadek said. “It’s interesting. I’m a terrible electric bass player, for example. But the keys I play with my left hand on the piano equals the bass chords. The songs sound very different when the whole band is rocking.”

Zadek had been mulling different ideas. The plot evolved over time, and then he added songs. “When I’m writing a song, I start with the melody, usually,” Zach explained. “Then the lyrics start to take form. Sometimes the music changes after the lyrics are written.”

What if he had to decide between being a playwright/songwriter and acting/singing in shows?

“I would like to keep a healthy balance between them,” he said. “I love to write shows and music but I love to sing and play the piano. Writing songs and shows—it’s all storytelling and that’s what I love to do.”

Zadek has been accepted to NYU and is very excited to move to New York City next fall. “That’s where the action is,” he said.

Bruce Grossman, the owner of the Cultural Arts Playhouse and the show's producer, said he heard Zadek's music and loved it. "I believe in Zach. I believe that he is a talented writer/pianist/singer and will go far,” said Grossman, who also directed and choreographed the production.

Tickets are on sale for this weekend's three performances at $20. Call 516-694-3330 or visit CAP’s website at www.culturalartsplayhouse.com for tickets or more information.

Cast:

Matthew Burns – Shawn

Jeanine Follette – Tess

Kathryn Francisco – April

Don Letta – Harvey

Alyson Rogers – Emma

Mark Weeks – Tom

Remaining performances:

March 11 – 8:00 p.m.

March 12 – 8:00 p.m.

March 13 – 3:00 p.m.