We were lucky to catch up with Marcus Terrell Smith recently and have shared our conversation below.
Marcus Terrell, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
One of the most meaningful projects of my life has been creating MUTT – A New Musical Comedy.
After three unforgettable years performing in The Book of Mormon—an experience that shaped me both as an artist and a person—I made the bold decision to step away and create something of my own. That show taught me what was possible on the Broadway stage: how the bizarre, the irreverent, and the wildly absurd can still tell stories that reach deep into the human heart. I’ve always been drawn to that kind of storytelling—where laughter doesn’t distract from the emotion, but elevates it. I wanted to create something in that tradition, but from my own voice.
At the center of MUTT is a theme that’s lived close to my heart for as long as I can remember: friendship. Writing a show about friendship in all its messy, hilarious, and profound forms has been a dream. The seed of MUTT was planted during a quiet, wine-fueled night in Cologne, Germany, with my best friend and creative partner, Robin Schäfer. “Dog and chew toy are best friends,” I said. That one simple line sparked something. Robin picked up his guitar, I grabbed a pen, and we wrote our first song right there on the floor. It was silly, sweet, and honest.
Then the world shut down. While the pandemic kept most people apart, it gave us the time and space to go deeper. We entered a few of our songs into the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s 15-Minute Musical Festival. To our amazement, we landed in the top 20. That encouragement lit a fire. We finished the full show and submitted it to the 34th Annual NAMT Festival—and MUTT was selected. Out of 450 new musicals, ours was chosen as one of the top eight in the nation and we performed at New World Stages in New York City.
Since then, the journey has only grown more meaningful. We partnered with animal rescues to host LA’s first-ever Musical Pet Adoption event at the Montalbán Theatre—complete with doggy tarot, sound baths, and a staged reading of MUTT. The show was later licensed to Arizona State University to open their 2024-2025 season, and earlier this April 2025, we held a sold-out three-day workshop in Hollywood, followed by our premiere at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in June 2025.
One of the greatest gifts of this project has been my collaboration with producer Linda Joe. What started as a creative partnership quickly became a deep friendship rooted in trust, shared values, and a commitment to telling this story with heart. Her rescue dog, Sesame, was even part of our early development days—a constant reminder of the joy and connection we’re trying to celebrate on stage.
MUTT has pushed me to grow in every direction—not just as a writer and performer, but as a producer and creative leader. I’ve worn nearly every hat: managing sound and lighting, building sets, running schedules, crafting costumes. Every challenge has helped shape me into a more complete storyteller.
At its core, MUTT is about friendship. It’s about belonging. It’s about finding joy in unlikely places. And it’s the best thing I’ve ever made.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’m Marcus Terrell Smith. I’m an actor, writer, producer, and all-around storyteller who’s spent the last several years working across stage, screen, and even fantasy universes. My journey into the creative world really started with a love of both language and performance—I studied Linguistics and Musical Theatre at the University of Arizona, which says a lot about how I approach storytelling: with both structure and heart.
After college, I moved to New York City and earned my MFA in Acting from the Actors Studio Drama School. That training led me into Off-Broadway productions and eventually to the national tour of The Book of Mormon, which was a total dream job. I toured with the show for three years, and while it was one of the most exciting and formative times of my life, I eventually felt a call to create something of my own.
So I made the leap to Los Angeles to write, act, and build original work. Since then, I’ve had the chance to appear in shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Brooklyn 99, NCIS: LA, and Marlon, and in Netflix’s Little Evil. Alongside my acting career, I’ve also become a writer for League of Legends (Riot Games) and Magic: The Gathering (Hasbro), developing fantasy lore and storytelling that reaches fans around the world.
But what really fuels me is developing original musicals and scripted series. Two of my biggest projects right now are MUTT – A New Musical Comedy, and Big Dawn—both original shows with incredible audience responses and bold, heart-forward storytelling. I’ve also written TV pilots like Sight, Awk’d Subject, and Brandon’s Hobo Genie, all of which explore identity, absurdity, and the need for connection in different ways.
A big part of my journey has been finding the right creative partners, and I’ve been lucky to grow a strong producing partnership with Linda Joe. Together, we’ve built something special—balancing vision and execution, and dreaming big while staying grounded in the work.
If there’s one thing I hope people take away from my work, it’s that I care deeply about authenticity and imagination. Whether I’m writing fantasy, directing a musical, or performing in a comedy, I’m always chasing stories that connect on an emotional level. I love creating characters who are messy, searching, funny, honest—and building worlds where people can see themselves.
I’m proudest of trusting my gut—of leaving behind something secure to pursue something original. That leap has opened doors I never imagined, and I’m just getting started. If you’re someone who’s into bold, heartfelt storytelling—or looking to collaborate on something new—I’d love to connect.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Living in New York was one of the most challenging times in my journey. After graduate school, I threw myself into the pursuit of a theater career—attending open calls almost daily, rising early to warm up my voice, putting myself together, and pounding the pavement, hoping for a breakthrough. Most days, I sat in audition rooms for hours, often without even being seen, as union performers filled the slots. The process was grueling—physically, mentally, and emotionally.
At the same time, I was working two jobs—one at a gelato shop, the other at a gym—just to stay afloat. The grind wore me down, and eventually, I made the difficult decision to return home to Arizona to care for my mental health. But I never let go of my dream.
Back in Arizona, I found new ways to stay connected to my craft. I joined two bands, taught musical theater to kids, and performed in local productions. I kept my voice and spirit strong—not for the industry, but for myself. I knew that even if New York wasn’t my path, that didn’t mean the dream was over.
Then, in an unexpected twist, The Book of Mormon held a nationwide open call in Phoenix. I auditioned with no expectations—I was deeply involved in my own music by then. But when the call came inviting me to join the Broadway company, it felt like a sign from the universe. I hadn’t given up. I had simply found another way to get there.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
In my view, society must stop prioritizing profit by eliminating community spaces—especially those that nurture artistic expression. And by “eliminating,” I don’t just mean tearing them down to build condos, clubs, or parking lots; I also mean pricing them out of reach, making them inaccessible to the very communities they were meant to serve.
To truly support a thriving creative ecosystem, we need to protect and invest in spaces where artists and communities can come together. These spaces should be affordable, welcoming, and safe—places where new work can grow and voices can be heard. Artists don’t exist apart from the world; they reflect it, challenge it, and imagine what it could be. But they need room to do that.
As the world becomes increasingly corporate and sanitized, people are losing the ability to see their dreams and identities reflected in everyday life. Dedicated creative spaces—like theaters, studios, and galleries—are not luxuries. They’re vital to a vibrant, connected, and imaginative society. When we uplift artists, we enrich every part of our culture.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.TheMuttMusical.com
- Instagram: @TheMuttMusical
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/hCxYaHsiQzs?feature=shared
