Joe Serafini

Joseph Serafini
Born
Joseph Ronald Serafini

(1998-01-22) January 22, 1998 (age 26)
Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Michigan
OccupationActor
Years active2005–present
Websitewww.joe-serafini.com

Joseph Ronald Serafini (born January 22, 1998[1]) is an American actor. He plays Seb Matthew-Smith in the Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.

Early life and education

Serafini is from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh.[2] He was a longtime performer at the Pittsburgh CLO Academy (Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera), where he performed with their "Mini Stars" touring vocal group and earned a Gene Kelly Award scholarship.[3] He graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2016.[4] He graduated from the University of Michigan in 2020.[5]

Career

During his time with the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera (CLO), he performed in several productions including A Musical Christmas Carol, Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up, Oliver!, Les Misérables, The Sound of Music, Into the Woods, and Anything Goes.[6] He currently teaches master classes there.[7] Outside of the CLO, his stage roles include The Music Man concert at Kennedy Center Concert Hall in Washington D.C. and The Burnt Part Boys with the Bald Theatre Company. He won a Level II Theatre Award at National YoungArts Week in Miami.[8]

Serafini has starred in children's series Scientastic! He began starring in the recurring role Seb Matthew-Smith in Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series in 2019. That December, it was announced he would be promoted to series regular for season 2.[9][10] Serafini appeared in a guest role in the third season. On September 23, 2022, he and Andrew Barth Feldman released "In My Head", a duet written by songwriters Daniel Mertzlufft and Jacob Ryan Smith about the budding romance between two young men.[11]

Personal life

In 2020, Serafini stated that he is "bisexual, if I have to give a label."[12] Since late 2019 he has been in a relationship with fellow High School Musical: The Musical: The Series actor Frankie Rodriguez, who plays his character's love interest on the show.[13]

Stage

Year Title Role Venue
2005–2009 A Musical Christmas Carol Tiny Tim / Turkey Boy Byham Theater[14]
2008 Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up Michael Darling Benedum Center[15]
2009 Les Misérables Gavroche Benedum Center[16]
2009 The Music Man concert Winthrop Kennedy Center Concert Hall[17]
2010 Oliver! Oliver Twist Benedum Center[18]
2011 The Sound of Music Kurt von Trapp Benedum Center[14]
2012 The Burnt Part Boys Grey Box Theatre[19]
2013 Into the Woods Jack New Hazlett Theater[2]
2014 Anything Goes Billy Crocker New Hazlett Theater[20]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2010 Scientastic! Axel
2019–2023 High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Seb Matthew-Smith Recurring role (season 1 & 4)
Main role (season 2)
Guest star (season 3)

Discography

All song credits adapted from Spotify and Apple Music.[21][22]

Singles

As lead artist

Year Title Album Writer(s) Producer(s)
2024 “Evergreen Love” Evergreen Love Joe Serafini, Lauren Gaynor, Nick Anton No producer credited
"Take it Slow" Non-album singles Drew Louis, Jayelle, Joe Serafini Drew Louis
"That Special" Cozi Zuehlsdorff, Joe Serafini Matthew Tishler
2021 "The Climb" High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: The Soundtrack: Season 2 Jessi Alexander, Jon Mabe Tishler
Year Title Album
2023 "On My Mind"
(Ben Ward, Joe Serafini) 		You and I
"Over Again"
(Frankie Rodriguez, Joe Serafini) 		High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: The Soundtrack: The Final Season
2022 "Wouldn't Change a Thing"
(Adrian Lyles, Frankie Rodriguez, Joe Serafini, Saylor Bell) 		High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: The Soundtrack: Season 3
2020 "Feliz Navidad"
(Frankie Rodriguez, Joe Serafini) 		High School Musical: The Musical: The Holiday Special: The Soundtrack
"That's Christmas to Me"
(Frankie Rodriguez, Kate Reinders, Julia Lester, Joe Serafini)

Extended plays

Title Details
Evergreen Love
Track listing
  1. "Evergreen Love”
  2. "Snowman”
  3. "This Christmas”
  4. "The Christmas Song"

References

  1. ^ @joe_serafini_ (January 22, 2020). "a truly GOLDEN birthday. thank you to everyone for all the love you've been sending my way today!!! I feel it and I appreciate it more than you know 💖". Retrieved June 3, 2021 – via Instagram.
  2. ^ a b "Pittsburgh CLO Academy Students to Perform INTO THE WOODS, 11/16". Broadway World. November 8, 2013. Archived from the original on July 1, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  3. ^ "Announcing the Winners of Pittsburgh CLO's 2016 Gene Kelly Awards!". Broadway World. May 29, 2016. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  4. ^ "Joe Serafini Visits With BPHS Music Students". www.bpsd.org. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  5. ^ Owen, Rob (October 31, 2019). "Tuned In: Pittsburgh ties in 'High School Musical' and 'Encore!' on Disney+; ABC's 'Little Mermaid Live!' tunes up". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Archived from the original on December 6, 2019. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  6. ^ "Joseph Serafini". Pittsburgh CLO. Archived from the original on February 17, 2020. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  7. ^ "Master Class with Joe Serafini". All Events. Archived from the original on February 17, 2020. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  8. ^ "BPHS Senior Receives National Theatre Award". BPSD. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  9. ^ Tricarico, Angela (January 8, 2020). "Joe Serafini: On High School Musical & Serving The Larger Story". Theatre Art Life. Archived from the original on February 17, 2020. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  10. ^ Carras, Christi (December 5, 2019). "'High School Musical: The Musical: The Series' ups Joe Serafini to series regular". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 27, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  11. ^ "Andrew Barth Feldman & Joe Serafini Share New Single 'In My Head'". Archived from the original on September 23, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  12. ^ Longo, Joseph (January 9, 2020). "Joe Serafini is much more than 'Gay Sharpay'". MEL Magazine. Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  13. ^ Gibson, Kelsie (May 14, 2021). "HSMTMTS Stars Frankie Rodriguez and Joe Serafini Have a Sweet Romance On and Off Screen". POPSUGAR Celebrity. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  14. ^ a b T. Carter, Alice (July 17, 2011). "'Sound of Music' just the start of some acting journeys". Trib. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  15. ^ Jones, Kenneth (June 21, 2008). "Cathy Rigby Soars Again in Peter Pan, Starting June 21 at Pittsburgh CLO". Playbill. Archived from the original on February 17, 2020. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  16. ^ "Les Miserables Comes To Pittsburgh 7/7-7/19 At The Benedum Center". Broadway World. June 23, 2009. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  17. ^ "Horman & Serafini Join Luker and Cassidy in NSO Pops MUSIC MAN Concert, 11/27 & 11/28". Broadway World. November 20, 2009. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  18. ^ Bacalzo, Dan (January 21, 2010). "Joseph Serafini To Star In Pittsburgh CLO's Oliver!". Theater Mania. Archived from the original on February 17, 2020. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  19. ^ "BALD Theatre Premieres THE BURNT PART BOYS, Now thru 9/8". Broadway World. August 31, 2012. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  20. ^ "Pittsburgh CLO Academy Students to Perform ANYTHING GOES, 11/15". Broadway World. October 14, 2014. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  21. ^ "Joe Serafini - Spotify". Spotify. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  22. ^ "Joe Serafini on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved November 3, 2024.