Matt Doyle

NEW WEBSITE AND BLOG

2011-10-31T16:15:00.003-04:00

PLEASE VISIT MY BEAUTIFUL NEW WEBSITE AND BLOG AT

www.mattdoylemusic.com

SEE YOU THERE!

2011-05-25T01:55:00.002-04:00

The time has finally come.

Daylight has been released on iTunes, CD Baby, and Amazon MP3.

Daylight broke the top 40 of the iTunes pop album charts on the day of it's release.

It's been an extremely exciting 24 hours. A lot to look forward to.

You can purchase Daylight here:

Behind The Lines

2011-03-15T11:21:00.003-04:00

Take a look into the world of War Horse! Our First preview is tonight!

Also, My EP is now called "Daylight" and will be released April 26th!

War Horse and More

2011-01-31T18:10:00.009-05:00

So much to talk about.

It's absolutely true that I have been neglecting this blog. So...time for a serious update.

Most importantly, I am working on my 3rd Broadway show! This past summer, I was cast in the Broadway transfer of War Horse. War Horse is a new play transferring here from London. It began at The National Theatre in 2007, and later transferred to the West End where it is still running. There are 35 cast members involved in our Lincoln Center production. It is an honor and a dream come true to be working for Lincoln Center. War Horse will be going into my favorite New York City theatre, The Vivian Beaumont, this spring! Previews start March 15th and we open April 14th. More on all of this in a minute...here's a trailer of the West End production!

Tonight you may have caught me in a surprise appearance on Gossip Girl. I returned as Jonathan for an episode to stir up the Upper East Side drama. Gossip Girl is on Mondays at 9pm on the CW. Here's a promo clip!

Now...I have also been working away at my EP! Rest assured, we are trying to release this EP this spring! It should be a very busy April and May for me between War Horse opening and the EP release! I did 13 hours in the studio a couple weeks ago, and I'm heading back in this week to do more work. We'll begin mixing next week. Once mixing is complete, we'll master it all and work on getting it out into your hands and onto your ipods! Once I have clips to share, I will. I'm very excited to get started on the packaging and will be putting together a lot of different promotional pages as soon as I can. It's quite the process, but things will come together! Self producing is extremely satisfying...if not completely overwhelming :). Everything sounds amazing. I am blown away by the musicians I continue to work with. My co-writer, Will Van Dyke, is my rock and inspiration through all of this. He is immensely talented. If you haven't seen it, this is a live performance of my original song, "If Morning Can't Wait."

Private Romeo (previously known as "McKinley") will be hitting the festival circuit in the spring as well. I am told a website and trailer are very, very close by...so look out for those. In the meantime, support the film by liking it on facebook!

Private Romeo's Facebook Page

Speaking of Private Romeo, my co-star from the film, Seth Numrich, will be playing the leading role of Albert in War Horse. We were both cast in War Horse back in July. At the time we were still working on Private Romeo together. It's really incredible to be working with him again. He is a phenomenal actor and a wonderful guy.

So a bit more on War Horse...Here's how Lincoln Center bills the show. "At the outbreak of World War One, Joey, young Albert's beloved horse, is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France. Joey is soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary odyssey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man's land. But Albert cannot forget Joey and, still not old enough to enlist, he embarks on a mission to find his horse and bring him home."

I play Albert's cousin, Billy. Billy is a rather nasty and misguided young boy. He is shipped off to the Western Front against his will where he is broken by the horrors of World War One. Along with playing Billy every night, I am also understudying the role of Albert.

When we started rehearsals a couple weeks ago, I truly had no idea what I was in for. I had seen footage from the show and read the reviews, but I didn't understand how magical this production really is. It is perhaps the warmest and most supportive group of people I have worked with. Our cast is massive, but everyone understands that the show will only work if we are completely in tune with one another. This isn't the kind of experience an actor can take lightly. The physical work that is required from all of us every night is unlike anything anyone has ever seen on a Broadway stage. The show is part spectacle...but the spectacle comes from actors working together to create living, breathing creatures. The relationships between the actors and the puppets must be as honest as possible in order for the show to come to life. The result of this honesty, along with the sheer beauty of these puppets (created by the Handspring Puppet Company), is a magical piece of theatre. That's really the only way I can describe it. I have gasped more than a few times in rehearsals.

The process has been anything but a "transfer." We are creating something from the ground up with our company. Our Directors, Tom Morris and Marianne Elliot, are adamant about focusing on the process. It's been an incredible journey so far. We are working with all of original creative team members from the UK production. I will keep you all posted on what happens next. In the mean time...check out the website...and get your tickets!!!

War Horse Web Site

Nashville

2010-12-11T22:08:00.008-05:00

Last week I had the pleasure of recording in Nashville. It was one of the best days of my life. Will Van Dyke (my BRILLIANT writing partner) and I packed our backpacks and jumped on a plane last Friday morning. We headed down to the music capital of the country! We were off the plane at 9:45 and in the studio working by 10:15!

I had no idea what to expect going into the studio. It's very scary to present your music, concept, and sound to people that you've never even met. Will kept reassuring me that it was going to be fantastic. 'Fantastic' was a complete understatement.

The musicians that I worked with are some of the best in the business. The list included Pete Abbott on drums, Chris Donahue on bass, Gary Burnette and Pat Buchanan on guitars, and Tony Harrell on keys. Our incredible engineer, Dan Rudin, put this astounding group together for the day. We hope to keep Dan closely involved in the project as we continue. The man is brilliant and was so good to us that day.

The main focus for the day was to lay down (and essentially, create) the four original tracks we wrote for the EP. We wanted the sound to be authentic and we wanted to work with musicians who would be excited about creating these tracks with us.

We briefly talked about our first song and the guys all threw out a couple ideas on how they would approach it. I agreed that it all sounded like we were on the right track and everyone headed to their "battle stations." Although we weren't planning on using any of the vocals from the session, I still had mic set up to sing with the band and to lay down "scratch" vocals.

I put my headphones on in my booth and listened to the band play around a bit. Within minutes, Dan gave the go-ahead for the first take. I can't even begin to describe how exciting those next four minutes were for me. It was as if everything that had been brewing inside my head, instantaneously came to life. I'll admit I shed a few tears privately. I'm not sure if everyone in that studio knew how much that first take meant to me. I was stunned by the talent that I was surrounded by. I have never felt so blessed. This project has been a long time coming for me. From the fan support on Kickstarter, to hearing the music truly come together, the entire process has been very emotional.

The rest of the day went swimmingly. I am so excited to share this music with all of you. What was so fascinating about my day in that studio was how many directions we went in that I didn't even expect to go in. It's soul...it's pop...it's Otis...it's Hendrix...it's even a little country. It's not always what I expected, but it's everything that I wanted. After a full day, Will and I headed out for a quick bite with Dan, and then to our hotel for the night. The fact that we accomplished all of that in one day is mind-boggling.

We'll be tracking strings, horns, vocals, and two more songs here in New York very shortly. I need to get all of the tracking done by January because I'll be completely swamped with rehearsals then, so we are moving swiftly! I can't promise any date at this point, but I want to get this EP out to everyone by the spring. Mixing and Mastering can take time.

I have attached a short teaser clip for all of you. It isn't much, because none of it is ready to be heard yet...It's unmixed, and there is still so much more to be done! However, since most of you are helping to PRODUCE this EP, I wanted to give you all a glimpse into the process so far. The first clip is from the a cappella demo that I did on my iphone...these clips usually gets sent to Will at 2 am attached to an excited email. The second clip is from our first time playing through the song after Will (brilliant!) and I have put it down on piano. The third clip is from inside the recording studio...the band's first take.

The song is called "If Morning Can't Wait."

Thankful

2010-11-26T00:25:00.000-05:00

This year has been such a roller coaster for me. I went through quite a journey in both my personal and professional life. Looking back on it all, I feel so blessed. I couldn't be more thankful for all of it.

One of the things that I am most thankful for, is the overwhelming amount of support I received on Kickstarter. It's a very odd and difficult thing to put yourself out there, ask for funding, and campaign non-stop for a month. In the end we managed to raise $21,000. This is an incredible number. I never could have imagined anything like it. Rest assured, every cent of it (and more) will go towards production.

What was so special about the entire experience was how kind and generous everyone was. This will be an album created by the fans, for the fans. That's kind of the coolest thing in the world to me. We're having a blast with the music so far and head down to Nashville in a week to record 4 original tracks. We will do the rest in good 'ole New York City.

I have a lot on my plate right now. What's frustrating (and what has prevented a blog post) is that I can't really talk about any of it yet. I want to announce it all!

I have been doing some TV, a lot of VoiceOver work, and readings. I have been completely swamped. It feels great!

January should be a big month for me. I'll at least be able to start talking about everything.

'McKinley' is near completion and it looks incredible. Alan Brown has done a wonderful job with the film. I saw a rough cut of the film recently and I was stunned by the performances from my cast mates. I was truly moved by the film. I can't wait for people to see this movie. I'm sure it will start the festival circuit early next year.

I have had a lot of really wonderful people come into my life this year. It's been a big year of growth for me as I start to head in a very different direction than I've gone in so far. I know this blog post is short, but there is much more to come. I will keep you all updated on my experiences in Nashville, and on all of the news I have when I can announce it.

Until then...thank you. :)

Kickstarter

2010-10-13T15:41:00.003-04:00

You all are amazing.

I've been running around like a mad man today and now that I finally have the chance to sit down and write my blog entry about this, I almost don't need to!

This morning at about 11:00 am, I launched my very own Kickstarter campaign to raise money for an EP that I want to create this Fall. I have been considering using the site since this spring. The recent successes that my friends Everette Bradley, Brian Lowdermilk, and Kait Kerrigan found with Kickstarter really inspired me to make it happen for myself.

It's going INCREDIBLY well. It's been a matter of hours and I'm currently at $4,750. My goal is to raise $8,500 dollars in 30 days.

Check out the campaign here!

Please know that I am so grateful for all of the support. Big or small, every contribution means SO much to me. I cannot express that enough. This was our best option for funding the EP and I'm actually really happy we're going about it this way. To know that all of you will be involved with the creation of this EP makes it all so much more special. I'm beyond thrilled.

Here is what the Kickstarter page says about the project:

"I have always wanted to record an EP and the time is finally right!

We are calling this EP exactly what it stands for, "Extended Play." I have written a slew of original songs and have numerous covers that I am dying to record and release. Since making an album costs A LOT of money, I'm in need of a little help to put this all together.

Inspired by my musical heroes, the EP will be an irresistible mix of Soul and Pop. I'm working with some of the best writers, mixers, arrangers, and musicians in New York City to make this all come together perfectly. The goal is $8,500, which may sound crazy, but every cent of the money that is pledged here will go towards making these tracks receive the production and care that they deserve.

People always ask me if I'm ever going to make an album. The answer is finally YES! I cannot wait to get these songs out of my head, off the page, and into your iPods. If we reach our goal, we will start production immediately and make that happen!"

Thank you again everyone. So excited.

Home

2010-10-10T11:24:00.002-04:00

I have to admit, it really feels good to be home.

I had a great time in Los Angeles. I got a lot done and also had the vacation I've wanted for 4 years. It was an extremely productive trip and I met some really fantastic people.

I will admit that something about LA just doesn't fit for me, but that's not really a bad thing at all. I think everyone finds a place that they thrive off of and can truly call home. For me that's New York City. If I had citizenship, it would probably be London, but that can just remain my favorite city to visit.

I did appreciate everything LA had to offer. So, packing up my things, dumping out my savings, and flying out there has hardly been regrettable.

It was nice to drive again. It was nice to have that almost meditative time in a car on my way to auditions. It's also probably when I'm craziest. While driving, I talk to myself like I should be locked away and scream one power ballad after another at the top of my lungs. Realizing the windows are down at a red light and noticing that everyone is staring at me is never a fun experience.

It was incredible to figure out the community there. I have had extremely strange experiences in LA prior to this trip and one thing that everyone will admit there is that you do tend to come across a lot of bullshit. People claim to be people they aren't and name drop left and right. You'll notice that the people who don't talk about what they're doing and never mention any of the names that they work with are typically saner, more honest, and happier. There are some really wonderful people working in the industry out there and it was fantastic to spend some time with them. There are gorgeous parts of that city as well. If I ever were to go back out there for another month, I now have a clearer understanding of where I'd love to live and the people I'd surround myself with.

Auditioning there is a trip. Plain and simple. I'm going to be blunt here. Guys in LA need to stop staring at each other endlessly and sizing one another up in the audition room. It was the freakiest thing. I mean, we all do it. I've certainly experienced it enough in New York and done it myself. It's the nature of auditioning. However, when you walk into a room there, it's like you've just walked in completely naked. It's as if twenty thought bubbles suddenly appear above everyone's perfectly pomaded mops..."Who is he?", "Doesn't he look too young?", "Am I too old?", "Should I have worn something like that?", "She HE have worn something like that?", "How many credits does he have?", "Is that really his headshot?", "Is that better than my headshot?"...and then you sit...and wait.

I ended up enjoying the long trips to auditions much more than I thought I would though. Yes..If you're driving from Santa Monica to Burbank in traffic it can take an hour and a half instead of the 25 minutes it's supposed to take. Somehow this actually worked a little better for me. I'm used to knowing an audition is 10 minutes away...which isn't always a good thing. I tend to keep a poor track of time this way and end up running out the door at the last moment. When you have to give yourself that much time for an audition, you arrive calmer, and typically have a bit of time to kill in the car while you wait. It's also crazy to audition on the studio lots out there. In New York, we go to 43rd and 8th...In LA, you go to Mickey and Donald on the Disney Lot. I can see why a lot of people refer to the world out there as being "addicting." When you walk onto one of those studios and a golf cart rolls by you...and it's a perfect 80 degrees out...and three celebrities walk by on their way to a set, it makes you feel like you're already a part of the world...despite the fact there are 100 other guys in the waiting room.

The rest of my time there was spent on the beach and catching up with old friends. I wrote a lot while I was out there and have a slew of new original songs that I'm loving. The beach makes me a very happy person. Body surfing and sand were the two ingredients I had to create the perfect "me time." "Me time" is something you rarely get in New York City.

After four weeks and a termite infestation in my LA apartment that forced me to leave a few days earlier, I am back. I am reunited with my dogs (and you all know how obsessed I am with my dogs) and have plenty to look forward to this winter and spring. I still have a London trip in the works and will be launching another project in the next few days. I will be singing at Emma Hunton's Le Poisson Rouge Concert tomorrow night (link) and may also be singing in an overwhelmingly exciting benefit at the end of this month. More details on that soon.

I'll be back in rehearsals in the spring for a new show which I will rant and rave about when the time is right. Until then I'll be keeping myself extremely busy with the music end of things this winter.

At the moment, I'm looking out my window at a perfect New York Fall day. I'm so happy to be back with my friends and family.

Away We Go

2010-09-05T10:46:00.003-04:00

Did anyone see Away We Go? I loved that movie...anyway...

Tomorrow I hop on a plane to head out west. I have a sublet on the beach and plan on spending most of my time basking in the LA sun. I will also be 5 minutes away from my best friend from high school, Beth Behrs. Beth is starting to take off in LA and I couldn't be more proud. She's doing quite a bit. I can barely keep up with everything that's going on in her life. It will be nice to spend a month with her, attached at the hip again. We did everything together in high school. We went to the same vocal studio where we trained about 4-6 hours a week. On the weekends we would host or sing at a cabaret in the San Francisco. Yep...we were pretty cool ;)

A lot has changed for the both of us since high school. It's been really fascinating to watch how her career has grown in the LA industry and how mine has grown out here in New York. We also both love our current cities, and would never change coasts. So, my hope is that Beth books a broadway show and moves out here and Beth's hope is that I...just move to LA. Which won't happen. I also don't see myself realizing that I need to stay in LA over the next month, never returning. Besides, I have an amazing job to come back to in New York this spring...more on that soon.

Aside from lying on the beach I will indeed try to be a little productive. I already have a few auditions set up for my first week and plan on having several general meetings (a meet and greet to say 'hey I look like this and I'm here') with casting directors out there. LA is a completely different world than New York in terms of casting. It's important that I figure that world out sooner rather than later. I have become so comfortable in New York, which isn't exactly a good thing. I miss being oblivious. I like figuring things out! Believe me, driving an hour to an audition will be a huge change. I'm used to jumping in the shower and walking a few blocks from my apartment.

The whole reason this trip came about though was so that I could be a part of a fantastic benefit that's going up at The Music Box theatre in LA. The night will benefit an organization called Break The Cycle, a group that prevents domestic abuse in young people. The talent involved in the event is fantastic. My best friend Beth and I will be singing together along with Katie Thompson, Tituss Burgess, and more. It's going to be an awesome night. Check out the Playbill article...

Here

I have a lot to look forward to this month and beyond. I'll finally be heading back out to London this winter which I couldn't be more excited about. I wanted to check out a show or two, do some business related things, and use those endless frequent flyer miles that I built up from living there for a year. I miss that city so much. It will be so nice to spend a week or two there.

I'm such an impatient person, it's very difficult for me to have so much time off. I'm sure several things will also get accomplished until then. I've been writing a lot of original music lately with some friends and I'm excited to eventually share it somehow. Since the album has began to morph into something else, I would like to record several of these tracks and release them. We'll see what the winter months may have in store for all of that.

Speaking of music...lately I cannot stop listening to Florence and the Machine. I somehow avoided buying the album for reasons I'm not even sure of. However, I think "Lungs" is a really incredible piece with phenomenal production values. Anyone that borrows from Annie Lennox's whacky sound is alright with me. The lead singer's voice is magnificent at times. The girl knows how to scream. So if you haven't heard the songs enough on So You Think You Can Dance, Eat Pray Love, and Parenthood...and you don't actually have the album yet...download it.

Changes

2010-08-03T14:41:00.007-04:00

Yes, it's been quite a while since a wrote on this blog. I have been so swamped I didn't know how to stop and talk about any of it.

July was jam packed for me. It was possibly the best month of my life since moving to New York City.

I wrapped the independent film, "McKinley", last week. It was quite an experience. It was so wonderful to become so invested in something so interesting. This film is about a group of boys that are left behind during a break at a Military Academy. During this time, two of the boys fall in love with each other. The students, who are studying Romeo and Juliet, begin to speak the original shakespeare text within the context of their own story. The characters are wonderful and playing with the text was so exciting. At times it was amazing how well the text would fit. Other times it was incredible how perfectly it could be flipped and approached in a completely new way. The main ideas behind the film are love and brotherhood, not fear or hate. What is so wonderful about the text is how much it constantly reminds us how universal the emotions are. The director of the film, Alan Brown, made this all work. From the beginning, he made the experience so personal and hands on. Our audition process felt more like a rehearsal process than the cold, distant auditions that actors typically go through for film. His attention to the detail of our characters and our relationships, on top of his general love for the project, truly brought us all to another level.

I had the time of my life shooting this film. The chemistry within the cast was insane. We all felt like we had known each other for years and we instantly clicked. There was a mutual excitement about speaking this text and wanting to make it work. I was blown away by how smart all of the actors were and how beautifully honest everyone was in their roles. Working with an actor as talented as Seth Numrich, whom I played opposite, just made everything easier. Recreating deeply important moments like the party and the balcony scene was absurdly exciting and emotional. I was on cloud nine and I'm so excited to see how it will all come together. Honestly, I have no clue what the final product will be like...but everyone involved with the film cares so deeply about it. I know that will make it really special.

On a more personal level, this film brought on such a positive change for me. I was deeply inspired by this project and reminded every day how much I love what I do. It's projects like this one that make everything worth it. I didn't want to go home at night, even after 12 hour days. The film motivated me in really positive ways. I enjoyed completely changing my look and getting in shape for the role. It got me out of my head and focused on something quirky and interesting. There is no time to over-think anything on set. You just have to jump in and get it done. It's such a focused, safe, and intimate environment. I'm mortified to see myself, but loved every second of the process.

I feel renewed. A lot of this energy carried over into my Feinstein's show last week. For everyone that came out...THANK YOU! It was a very special night for me. I won't forget it. It was my most personal and joyful show so far. I really cared about that setlist and was so grateful to be performing in that venue. It was such an honor. I have loved my year full of solo shows and I'm thrilled that they were all successes. This Feinstein's show will be my last concert for a long time (I think I did enough this spring), but I have been invited back to the venue and may return there again in a year or so if they'll still have me. I am so grateful for the overwhelming amount of support from everyone. Truly. I am so lucky to have such amazing fans and friends and I do not take any of that for granted.

As the title of this blog mentions, there has been a great deal of change within me recently and there is more to come. Change is good. It's damn good.

In about a month or so, I'm going to be moving out to the west coast for a bit. I'll only be there a couple months, but considering the fact that I haven't left this city for anything other than business trips in the past 4 years, it's going to be a nice change. It's no secret that I love New York and will always live here, but I do feel like I need to know a little bit more about the west coast and what it has to offer...beyond Nickelodeon boybands. It's going to be nuts putting all of this together (between taking the dogs and renting a car for 8 weeks, I'm already pulling my hair out) but it's going to be a good kind of nuts. I have learned the ins and outs of the theatre world since I moved to New York. It will be nice to be scared shitless again and learn some more about LA. The weather won't be too bad either.

I'm really excited about what's to come this year. I have accepted that I cannot possibly predict where I'll end up next. Makes everything even more interesting.

Here is a video from Feinstein's. Yes, I decided to allow recording in the end.

Summertime

2010-06-12T13:59:00.008-04:00

Thinking about where I am after my last 4 years in this city, I feel like I just got out of school. I had the very fortunate gift of hitting the ground running when I got to New York. Spring Awakening was the biggest eye opening experience of my life and I pretty much got everything I possibly could have out of that show. I learned the ins and outs of the business, was a swing, a replacement, went to the Tonys...it doesn't seem like it all actually happened. I not only learned the ropes at Spring Awakening, but also at Gossip Girl and Bye Bye Birdie in very different ways. It's been such an absurd ride. In fact, the only times I have ever even left the city in the past 4 years have been work related.

Recently I've been meeting up with some Spring Awakening Alum. It's really amazing to see how far everyone has come. I don't just mean professionally either. When I look back at what that little group was in 2007, I remember completely different people. For me, it's like looking back at my freshman year of college. I don't think I could be happier for any other group of people. They are all so immensely gifted and unique. It is such an honor to be able to witness all them grow.

Both Bye Bye Birdie and Gossip Girl were projects I had begun while in Spring Awakening. When Spring Awakening closed in January of 2009, I knew I was starting rehearsals for Bye Bye Birdie in the summer. Even though I had "time off", I still didn't exactly have time to breath or reflect. When Bye Bye Birdie came to a close, I didn't feel as if a chapter closed for me, I felt as if the little novella I had worked so hard on had been shut tight. Scribbled across the front of the book would be the words "MY EARLY YEARS."

This spring was a relatively scary adjustment period for me. It was less about continuing the journey, and more about starting a new one altogether. Every path was potentially open, and there were many I had to choose not to go down. The spring became less about trying to jump into the first contract that came my way, and more about finding the patience to allow the next little novella in my life to start. I've been blessed with a fantastic set of tools from my "training" over the past few years, and now I have to put those tools to use.

The truth is, I've just been through a few of the most exciting and enjoyable months I've had since I moved to the city. I've forced myself to relax, let my guard down, and get a bit of myself back. I've been able to do some wonderfully goofy things for friends, endless concerts (working with amazing composers and producers), and have had pleasure of being involved with some really exciting new pieces.

This summer, I'll be continuing that exploration. I get to go back to my family's true hometown and teach in Boston for a week. As soon as I get back, I'll start shooting my first leading role in an indie film this summer. I can't wait to talk about it more. It's a really interesting project and I'll get to put to use some of that wonderful classical training I received in London. I'm seriously itching to start. I love the director and am going to be surrounded by a bunch of young actors that are just as eager and excited about it as I am...which is always a recipe for a great time. I've just been informed that I'll even be singing in the film as well. I'll also be cutting my hair...really short. I'll have details on it all soon enough!

Feinstein’s is coming up fast. Looking forward to the show and should be doing a press release this coming week. My guests will be my lovely and talented roommate, Katie Gassert, and also the incredible Lindsay Mendez…who can blow off the roof of any venue. See you on the 26th of July!

The ArchAndroid

2010-05-17T22:19:00.004-04:00

First off, I want to say something really important here. I am BLOWN AWAY by the response to my last blog post. I am so sincerely touched by all of it. The feelings and stories that you all shared with me were so remarkable. I have never been more thrilled to have this blog because it opened up such an important conversation and got so many people thinking. Thank you to everyone who responded and thank you to those who posted about the blog on various websites, twitter accounts, etc. That kind of response was truly the last thing I expected when I wrote the blog. I am so happy that it created a discussion.

I now feel like I have to write profound, passionate blog entries every time I post! :) The truth is you'll probably get a lot of "Funny" blog entries with SNL clips attached and quick updates about what's happening in my life. However, I have realized just how much a simple blog entry can say. I will most certainly make an effort to post my feelings on here about important issues if something strikes a chord in me like the boy being bullied that day did.

Thank you again for your stories and for your thoughts. I cannot say that enough.

Now...on a completely different note...

Tonight is sort of like Christmas Eve for me. As many of you know, I get a little obsessed with music and become a crazy fanboy over certain artists. Music is my greatest love and when I feel like there is something great on the rise, it's like santa clause is real. Tomorrow Janelle Monae releases her first full length album, "The ArchAndroid."

When I first discovered Janelle Monae I posted about her on here immediately. I have mentioned her non-stop on my twitter and I have fallen deeply in love with the music she creates.

Janelle is a bold and beautiful artist. She's doing incredible things with music and I could not be more in love with her. Her sound could not be more brilliantly eclectic and daring. She's having a blast with what she is doing and she isn't afraid to throw anything at the wall. She is a perfect mix of everything that I love. She writes brilliantly, she has a frighteningly soulful voice, and she plays around with every beautiful little idea that pops into her head.

Yes, I'm in love. So I'm a bit biased. I guess anyone who creates a concept album inspired by Metropolis (a 1927 expressionist film by Fritz Lang that changed film completely) wins me over. Even her recent collaboration with B.o.B on his fantastic cover of "The Kids," blew me away. Her voice comes in and melts me. The only way I know how to describe Janelle's voice is that it's Judy Garland mixed with Lauryn Hill...I mean...How could I not love this woman?

I get excited about musicians that create from their gut. I love music when it's bold and free and when I feel like the artist has had the time of their life creating it. Or at least has had the need to create it. It's inspiring! It makes me want to get up and do the same.

Buy her album. I understand that it may not be right up everyone's alley but I think it's remarkable work regardless. I can't wait to have a solid copy in my hands tomorrow! Make sure you pick up her first concept EP "Metropolis" as well. INCREDIBLE stuff.

LA Times Review

Video of "Tightrope"

Bullying

2010-05-06T21:59:00.007-04:00

Today, I witnessed something that broke my heart. Every day, I walk by the many kids that go school here in Midtown Manhattan. I see bullying and name calling all the time. For the most part, it seems relatively harmless, especially when the kid being picked on can fight back a bit. I usually roll my eyes and keep walking, avoiding the after school energy of these 13 and 14 year olds. Today, however, I witnessed bullying of a different kind. The kind that churns your stomach and makes your truly angry. I was walking out of my building when I saw a group of boys throwing around and singling out another boy. When the victim tried to walk away, one of the others spat at him and called him a "faggot." I yelled to the kids the only thing that could come to my mind, "Don't use that word. Back off!" I wish these words had helped the situation, but the poor boy who had been harassed seemed to be more embarrassed than before. The look on his face hasn't really left me since that moment.

The sad part is, the story I just told is so common, it almost feels cliche to write about. Somehow bullying has become something that everyone simply accepts. We're told not to write about bullying in our college essays or papers because it's too "typical" no matter what kind of an impact it's had on our lives. I don't believe this is an issue that can be belittled so easily.

Perhaps the main reason I was so deeply affected by what I saw today is because of what I went through in my own childhood. Believe me, I'm not writing any of this for pity or for reassurance. :) It was a long time ago and I'm doing fine now! But for anyone reading this blog that has either been a victim of bullying or has ever bullied someone else, I feel the need to write a bit of my own experiences.

When I moved to San Francisco, I was 12 years old. I left behind many friends and a huge public school to move into a much smaller community. Much smaller. There were 12 other boys in my grade. All of them had known each other since kindergarten. The situation was hardly ideal.

At the time I was your typical over-wheight, pimply, awkward pre-teen with braces. An image that I only became aware of when I entered a class of boys that didn't even want to relate to me. They skateboarded, I painted. They listened to all the "cool" bands, I thought Ella Fitzgerald's music was the coolest thing I'd ever heard.

To make a long story short, I have never been more miserable. They were cruel in ways I didn't think were possible beyond the text of a bad teen movie. I never once heard my name, only the words "faggot", and "bitch." I was beaten up regularly. Once, I left class to get a drink of water, only to be beaten out-cold with a text book by a class mate of mine. Over the years at this particular school, I withdrew from everyone around me including my family. No one could help. If I tried to be like them, I was a "poser." I remember I bought a pair of baggy Jenco jeans and skateboard. My classmates laughed at the jeans and stole the skateboard. If anyone tried to help me, I was made fun of for needing the help. The sad part was, most of the time, no one helped. The day I hit rock bottom was when a group of boys continuously spat on me in front of my PE teacher. The teacher chose to blatantly ignore it, the more disgusting the behavior became.

When you're 13 and you truly believe that there is nothing you can do to be happy, it's a very scary place. At that age, you don't have the maturity to know that there is so much more to look forward to. With the help of my family and the finding of a new community, I was fortunately able to move forward. In many ways, I believe that theatre saved me. I found something new, I found people I could relate to, and I found my passion. When I hit high school, I stopped caring about what others thought (and went through some pretty wild stages of styles to prove that...really...) and often got myself into trouble calling out other students and talking back to teachers when they would try to make an example at another student's expense. This trait has followed me today. I have a big, brutally honest mouth and a very low tolerance for what I like to refer to as "bullshit."

The point is, you need to trust yourself. I knew that I was going to be fine as long as I went after the things I wanted. To this day, the moments I am most unhappy are the moments I doubt myself and listen to any one's "bullshit."

It's so easy to get caught up in bullying. Everyone is guilty of it. It's human nature to put others down to raise your own status. Speaking from experience, this is so damaging to the person you are putting down along the way. It's a sad game.

As the boy walked away with tears in his eyes today, I wanted to call out to him. I wanted to tell him that it was going to be okay. That everything he was going through was bullshit. That none of it mattered. I've been so upset since that moment because I know that no matter how many times people said all of this to me when I was in his position, I refused to believe it.

It is true. I don't care who you are, there is a community and a passion out there for you. There are people like you who will relate to you and support you. I am painfully aware of how cheesy all of this sounds but for god's sake, celebrate your individuality! Own it! I promised myself I would move to New York and do what I am doing. When I realized that everything else along the way was bullshit, I refused to let myself down. I don't give a flying fuck what those kids thought back then, I was a cool dude. Yeah, I had man boobs and haircut that made me look like I was Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber, but I was having a great time until I let someone tell me not to. I'm sure the boy that walked down 9th ave today, so upset, has something very special to offer.

I know I'm being preachy, and I'm sure this entry will be met with rolled eyes by a few people who read it. But if you're reading this and you can think of a person who may be hurting from any kind of harassment, try to reach out to them. Trust that you don't need to put other people down to raise yourself up. That's bullshit. If you're someone who is dealing with this kind of harassment and is wondering if it will ever go away, know that it will. This is just one moment of your life. Own whatever "quirky" or "strange" traits you may have. I promise you will be so much happier for it.

More To Come

2010-05-03T17:49:00.005-04:00

Hello everyone!

I finally have a moment to really sit down and write a blog. I've been swamped with a lot of things lately. I'm happy to have a nice, relaxed month ahead of me.

First off, I want to thank everyone who came out to the Joe's Pub shows on the 21st of April. It was pretty crazy putting the whole thing together and a lot more hectic than my last gig...but ultimately it was all worth it. The 7:00 pm show was solid and the 11:30 show ended up being a lot of fun and much more relaxed. We cut a couple of songs which allowed some time for me to speak a bit more and play around a bit. It was a great success overall and I was really happy with the outcome. I am definitely looking forward to the next part of the process which is simply turning the concept that was introduced that night into an actual album. SIMPLE! Right!? Well...not so simple...but possible none-the-less. In the next month, we will begin to approach investors and hopefully make it all happen this year.

Life remains exciting right now. I'm looking forward to the summer and looking forward to whatever project I may end up in next. Things change daily in this business. No one could predict this theatre season and no one can really predict next season either. That being said, I do think we will see more original work next year. It's no secret it was a lackluster year for the "new musical." Aside from a couple new hits that came in, there was very little original work that hit broadway. It was a rather conservative year. This usually means that the season that follows will have a lot of interesting new pieces. I'm looking forward to this.

I start my (very exciting) reading very soon. I can't wait. I doubt there will be a press release on it at this point. If there is, I will post about it here. I'm getting butterflies thinking about it all. I have never wanted a project more than this one. It's going to be a real joy...even if it only lasts a week.

Now...it's time to REALLY talk about Feinstein's on the 26th of July.

The show is actually happening and I can really focus on it now. The most important thing I can say about it is that it's quite an honor.

I'm going to be working on a jazzier, more eclectic sound. Everything will come a bit more full circle for this show. I will have a couple contemporary soul songs and new musical theatre pieces, but I want the feel of the show to be more appropriate for this wonderful venue. I want to rearrange some rocks songs and really explore a more Cole Porter driven universe. I want to do several standards in a contemporary way. I also I have a lot of quirky ideas such as taking "Mr. Brightside" and completely rearranging it...or perhaps even exploring "Bleeding Love" with a unique perspective. I hope to be joined by some very talented friends of mine. I will most likely be debuting some original work as well.

I really think it's going to be a fantastic show and am already enjoying the process of putting it together. It may be a few months off, but buy your tickets! I will start promoting the crap out of it from here on out!

I'm sure I will be announcing guests and more material soon! In the meantime, you can purchase tickets on my rather lackluster page here

There will be much more to come on all of that!

Twisted Teeth

2010-04-27T20:44:00.007-04:00

New blog coming in the next few days

In the meantime please watch this kickass new song by Ryan Scott Oliver. It is about vampires and I love it. :)

SECOND SHOW

2010-04-15T21:29:00.003-04:00

Ladies and Gents we have added a second show!

Sure it's last minute, but hey, why not?

It's going to be a great show and it's at 11:30 on the same night. Expect it to be a bit more laid back then the first one.

AND this show is only 15 bucks!

AND we've added the wonderful Wesley Taylor to the mix of guests (woohoo)

SO buy your tickets. I'd like to sell a few this week hahah! It's going to be a great time for sure.

Joespub.com

Moving Forward

2010-04-10T02:42:00.007-04:00

I've always been the kind of person that becomes extremely uncomfortable when not stressed out. I think I've opened with that same sentence before...Oh well...it makes the "always" part of it true. As a result, I usually am far more stressed when I don't have a steady job. On top of the constant auditioning this spring, I have been trying to put several things together. It's great, because it makes me go home and work on something rather than sit and play video games for hours. Well...there was a solid week of video games...but I'll pretend that didn't happen.

The Joe's Pub gig has really started to come together and we are finally into rehearsals now. I'm thrilled to have Jenn Damiano and Emma Hunton on board with me. They have INCREDIBLE voices. I've loved working with both of them over the past couple of years and I know that they are going to be incredible on the 21st. I will also be joined by some WONDERFUL backup singers. They are Anna Bergman and Geoff Kidwell. My roommate, Katie Gassert, will be singing with me on Ryan Scott Oliver's song, "Odyssey." I would LOVE to go on and on about the set list and what to expect, but I'll keep most of it a surprise. I will say that the new Duncan Sheik/Steven Sater song is REALLY good.

The website is still happening. I promise. It's just going to be a long journey. I want to put up a lot of media from the upcoming show. It will be up by the summer. Thank you for all of your incredible offers to help me put it up! My god! If I ever need help or advice it's nice to know that I have such a wonderful resource already. Major props to Lala for designing the current "Under Construction" banner. Mine was abysmal by comparison ;)

Sometimes it feels like auditioning is really what being an actor is all about. The process of auditioning is an art that I'm still baffled by. It can be tough, but the pay off can be so sweet when you get the job. I finally got that payoff this morning for a reading that I have been wanting to do for quite sometime. I'm over the moon to be a part of it. Hopefully I will be able to talk about it soon. I'm really looking forward to it and I think it could be huge.

I'm also working on a couple other readings right now. I'm enjoying being able to say yes to things!

The free nights have given me more time to go to the theatre. The highlight was seeing Wesley in his opening for Addam's Family last night. He's a star and killed it. I was also thrilled to see Krysta Rodriguez, who is stunning in the show. Krysta was my first Wendla back in the day at Spring Awakening. We would rehearse together every week. She is one of the hardest working people I know. It was so great to see all of their hard work pay off so beautifully. Those two deserve everything that is coming their way! I'm so proud.

It's been a crazy spring so far with a lot of ups and downs. I find that the most important thing to do is just breathe and take everything one step at a time. It's totally cliche but it works! :)

Another "step" that I haven't even had the chance to think about yet is a gig at Feinstein's! I can't believe it's happening. It's quite a venue! The show will take place on July 26th at 8:30. Expect a very different flavor at this show than my upcoming Joe's Pub gig. I'm hoping to do more standards and some jazzier (oof...never the word "jazzier") tunes! You will hear about it all soon enough.

Playbill Article

It's 4:00 am and I still have so much to say! Okay expect more to come in the next few days. I didn't even get a chance to rave about Laura Marling's new album!

Return To Joe's

2010-03-11T19:38:00.005-05:00

So I can finally give all of the correct information on this!

My upcoming Joe's Pub concert will be taking place on April 21st at 7:00 PM.

What's really exciting about this show is that it is a bit of a test run for what I hope to do on the Album that I'd like to make this year. I have been so inspired by this new wave of musical theatre composers (which probably explains the concert OVERLOAD lately) that I want the music I sing on the 21st to be all about this next generation of writers. We're at another turning point in musical theatre. As a performer, it's incredibly exciting. As a fan, I want to make sure this music is heard. These are the composers of tomorrow!

I'm so thrilled to be collaborating with such brilliant writers, directors, producers, and musicians for this.

So here's the blurb from the website:

Matt Doyle, of Broadway’s Spring Awakening and Bye Bye Birdie, as well TV hit Gossip Girl, returns this April to Joe’s Pub with a unique follow-up to his two sold-out engagements last summer. Inspired by his passion for the up-and-coming writing talents of musical theatre, Matt’s all-new concert will highlight the most current, thrilling and innovative sounds of musical theater. The show will feature songs by writers like Kerrigan & Lowdermilk, Joe Iconis and Ryan Scott Oliver, and several other young composers.

The concert will be directed by Travis Greisler with musical supervision by Brian Lowdermilk, and is being produced by Katie Riegel (jokr productions) and Noah Cornman (Sh-K-Boom & Ghostlight Records).

You may have noticed that no guests have been announced yet...We're still working on all of that. We've got over a month! This will be a much "bigger" show than my last one. My gigs in August were totally laid back and all about the music that had inspired me growing up. On April 21st, it will be about so much more than me. Expect backup singers, great guests...the whole deal. You will hear "hit" songs from these writers that you may already know, and songs that you've probably never heard before. If all that doesn't sound exciting, then expect a quirky pop-cover or two. Let's just say I may have a couple very unexpected numbers.

It's going to be a huge night and I couldn't be more excited. Get your tickets! Come scream your faces off! Get drunk (or don't)! Have a good time! I know I'm having a blast putting all of this together. I cannot wait to see how it all unfolds.

GET YOUR TICKETS! HERE

Poster, guests and everything else still to come!

In the meantime...

2010-03-03T20:41:00.003-05:00

SO...I have a lot of news to announce regarding my upcoming solo concert...But there are still about 20 million pieces to work out before I can talk about dates and what not.

The show will be a promo concert for the album. It will be a big night for me. I'm so thrilled about all of the people who will be collaborating with me. It's going to be a SHOW. Very excited.

In the meantime...If you missed the shows...

"I know" from Katie Thompson's concert at Birdland.

"Two Strangers" from Kerrigan/Lowdermilk at Birdland

"Last Week's Alcohol" from Kerrigan/Lowdermilk at Birdland

The Journey Continues

2010-02-17T17:21:00.003-05:00

Hello everyone,

I'd like to apologize for the lack of updates.

On a personal note, this winter proved to be a major transitional period for me. I was not only busy, but I was also working hard on getting my feet back on the ground and my head in a good place. I wasn't sure if I'd return to my blog. I was thrilled to have my Twitter account for quick updates, but I found it very hard to bring myself to write more in depth on here. I have, however, decided to continue this blog and not shut it down.

So. Back at it.

So far the next few months are filled with Birdland concerts! I will be performing in 3 different concerts at the famous venue. I'm very excited to start that off with Katie Thompson's show this coming Monday, February 22nd. For those of you who don't know Katie Thompson...She's incredible. Her voice is astonishing. I will be singing a song written by her called "I know."

Playbill Article

On March 1st, I am honored to be a part of a pretty incredible lineup for Lowdermilk and Kerrigan's concert. I adore these two and would drop anything to sing their music. This is not a show you want to miss. They are going to be doing some pretty cool things with their music.

Playbill Article

The final Birdland show I'll be involved with will take place on April 12th. I'm thrilled to be a part of Scott Alan's show. He's a wonderful composer and someone I've always wanted to work with.

Scott Alan's Website

On top of the Birdland concerts, there should be another concert of my own on the way. I plan on doing a lot with music this year. I have been so fortunate to work with such talented new composers and I plan on making good use of that. There is a lot of exciting writing going on in this city. My ultimate goal this year is to release an album. I am working very hard to accomplish that. I will update you all more on that as it comes together.

I will have many more updates to come. I continue to have fun and work hard. I love this crazy world that I have chosen to be a part of and I can't wait to see what this next year will bring. It's a really exciting time for theatre...I do believe that. Theatre isn't slowly dying like every publication wants us to believe...it's just...trying to get it's feet on the ground again.

The last little announcement I have is that a new website really is finally in the works. I have new software! I am working on it. I promise...it will happen.

Until next time...which will not be 4 months from now ;)

Ode to Sunshine

2009-11-13T00:29:00.007-05:00

I noticed that this blog has been seriously lacking in music recommendations lately so I thought I'd take a stab at that again.

I'm currently obsessed with a couple of albums. The first comes from Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova of 'Once' fame. The name of their collaboration has always been known as 'The Swell Season.’ They have released a new album called 'Strict Joy.'

I love this collaboration so much. I fell in love with Glen's guttural and emotional voice when I first discovered him through his band, 'The Frames.' The new album is a success in my eyes. It moves in a very different way than their previous work on the 'Once' soundtrack. It’s a much lighter track list this time around and perhaps lacks a bit of the power of their past songs. I am, however, hooked. I love their voices together and admire the lyrics and messages of their new material. Despite the overall theme of ‘joy’ on the album, there are haunting and profound moments within the music. It is folk/rock at it's finest. These two artists are brilliant songwriters and I'm excited to see them continue to do more together.

The second album came as a bit of a surprise for me. I actually discovered it through watching Gossip Girl. Jenny began to toss her clothes furiously around the room. Suddenly, this great voice and unique beat began to underscore the commotion. Blake Daniel was watching the show with me and I started going on about how much I loved the song. We waited for the credits and I immediately looked up the band on iTunes. I had the album within minutes. (I seriously cannot believe how convenient things have gotten.)

The band is Delta Spirit and the album is called 'Ode to Sunshine.' I adore this album and adore this band. The song that caught my ear is perhaps their most popular. It’s called 'People C'mon.' It's a fantastic, foot stomping anthem that is so ridiculously catchy; I haven't been able to stop listening to it. The rest of the album is filled with great indie rock tunes, including a really beautiful ballad called 'People, Turn Around.' Okay…their titles could use a little work…but I'm in love with their sound. It's a unique blend of rock, country, and folk that has some really gorgeous arrangements. The lead singer sort of sounds like Rufus Wainwright gone rocker...if that's even possible. Occasionally I feel like the album leans a bit into 'The Shins' vibe. This isn’t necessarily a problem, but I do feel like too many bands are trying to emulate that sound. That being said, it's a catchy and inspired album. If you enjoy indie rock music (which would be about every Spring Awakening fan that reads this blog), this band is right up your alley.

This week I started rehearsals for the reading of Carrie. The people involved with the reading are spectacular. Sutton Foster is everyone’s hero and I’m no exception. It’s been a pleasure watching her work. On top of that, I’m so happy to be working with Jenn Damiano again. I still cannot believe how far she has come since we met working on Spring Awakening together. She’s also gorgeous! I mean, come on!

The whole experience has been very enjoyable. The writers are extremely passionate about their material and are striving to make it work. Stafford Arima is a fantastic director. I loved working with him this past summer on the reading of ‘Bare’ and I’m so thrilled to be working with him now. He’s such a smart director and communicates his vision so clearly.

Bye Bye Birdie continues to be a blast. Now that we are deep into the run, the backstage antics are growing and the onstage chemistry is developing even more. It feels tighter and more alive now than it did a month ago. It’s a great gig to go to every night.

I’m staying busy this winter and will have another workshop ahead of me as we get into December. I should also have another family member (dog) shortly!

Incase you missed it. You can see a video of the Kerrigan and Lowdermilk I performed this past Monday here. It’s called Last Week’s Alcohol and it’s an incredible song. I love these two writers SO much and had an amazing time that night.

Opening and more

2009-10-21T14:33:00.005-04:00

With my schedule and constant Twitter updates I feel like this blog is starting to get neglected. So, I apologize about that. I love this thing and can't believe that it's been around since July 2006.

Things have been pretty non-stop lately. This past Thursday was the opening of Bye Bye Birdie. After 5 weeks of previews it was a relief to finally open the show.

Openings are exciting and it was a bit of a surreal experience for me. Despite having spent 2 years in the company of Spring Awakening, I wasn't with them yet on their opening night. This was my first Broadway opening! So many people that I look up to and respect were there Thursday evening. It's really thrilling to see a crowd of brilliantly creative minds come together to support each other. I'm humbled and grateful to be a part of this wonderful community. Standing next to Charles Strouse in the press line, seeing Michael Mayer (Director of Spring Awakening) in the audience, having my family and loved ones there, watching some of my cast mates make their Broadway Debuts, and so many other wonderful reasons like these made last Thursday a night to remember.

I won't pretend that the reviews didn't happen :) and obviously we all hoped for better press, but it really wasn't something that concerned anyone too much. I'm being completely honest when I say that I love my job and am excited to come to work every day. There is a wonderful energy in our theatre. In this crazy time we are all thrilled to have work and the opportunity to play every night. The audience has a blast and the show is one of Roundabout's best sellers of all time, which doesn't seem to be changing in any way. We have already extended to April.

This past Monday I was involved with the NAMT festival. The festival showcases new songs and musicals by up and coming composers and writers. Some really wonderful projects have come out of the festival. A childhood friend of mine, Drew Gasparini, was selected to showcase his song. Drew asked me to sing the song. I couldn't have been happier to help him out. Drew and I were double cast in community theatre shows and took all sorts of dance classes together growing up. It was really cool to cross paths again now that we're at completely different points in our lives. I think there are really big things in store for him. His musical, Crazy Just Like Me is great. The response to his song was extremely positive. We'll be hearing a lot from Drew.

On Monday, my first Gossip Girl episode of the season airs. I have a couple scenes this time and there may be some Halloween egging involved. Interestingly enough, a lot of my clips have ended up in the promotional spots for the episode, which is really exciting for me. I have had such a wonderful time on that set. It's a fantastic group of people. I hope to return soon. You can catch one of my scenes from Monday's episode here.

Recently, the wonderful Jenny Anderson did a photo shoot of me for Broadway.com. She shoots really beautiful photos and is also one of the nicest people on the planet. You can check out "Day in The Life of Matt Doyle" here.

Also! Last monday I sang at Will Van Dykes concert. The music is wonderful and the show was quite a success! You can see videos of the concert on youtube. Thank to Liz for those!

I'm looking forward to a pretty busy winter. I'm doing a few readings that I'm excited about (including one for a rather infamous musical…really looking forward to that one) and have some other possibilities in the works. Regardless, I'm happy about what is happening every night for me right now. I just hope to continue to explore and grow with all of the people around me that I admire so much.

More to come :) Stay warm...it feels like we're skipping Fall this year!

Staying Busy

2009-09-26T18:36:00.005-04:00

I enjoy staying busy because it’s nice to feel like I’m accomplishing as much as I possibly can…If I were plowed over by a truck tomorrow, I want to feel like I lived my life to the fullest…as morbid as that sounds. (looking for wood to knock on…surrounded by plastic counters)

So I'm usually happy if I say I'm busy, and lately I've been super busy! I will be appearing in episode 7 and 9 on this season of Gossip Girl and will hopefully continue to return for more. I love the show and I am thrilled to be a part of it in any way. It's been nice to see Jonathan's character expand a bit, too. I've been able to work on both Bye Bye Birdie and Gossip Girl rather seamlessly for the past two weeks, shooting on the day that Birdie is dark.

Bye Bye Birdie continues to take up most of my time and I’m having a blast. It’s nice to play a role that puts a smile on my face every night. I love working on such a bold character. It's been really wonderful to explore the mind of this outrageously neurotic and rather insecure teenager…Especially since I was one not too long ago.

A really great part about the experience has been getting to know the teen ensemble members. They are all very young. Some of them are completely new to the scene and some have several Broadway shows under their belts already. What's truly wonderful is that all of these kids are incredibly kind, down-to-earth, and supportive individuals. They are completely in love with what they are doing and excited to get out there every night. It's really refreshing and has given the rest of the cast a lot of energy. As a performer, I think it's important to remember how exciting everything was when you first began theatre. It's amazing that many of these kids are starting their theatrical careers on a Broadway stage. It's reminded all of us that we are just here to play and create a story.

It's been great to watch the show grow over the past few weeks. I know we'll be freezing it soon and preparing it for a good run.

I'm also working on a couple outside projects right now, including a few concerts. Will Van Dyke is an up and coming composer/music director. I will be singing some his beautiful work at his show on the 12th of October at the Duplex downtown. There are very talented people involved with the show. I'm sure it will be a great night. I'm thrilled to be a part of it.

Playbill Article (You must be at least 21 years of age to attend a show at the Duplex)

In terms of concerts, I'd like to be a part of more shows like Will's in the future. There is always another generation of Broadway writers and performers in line to debut their work. I love that about this city.

In the midst of everything, I've been in the middle of a rather insane move. I'm very excited about my new place, though. I'm not really sure why I decided now was the perfect time to pack up and deal with all of that insanity…but it will all be settled and over with by next week. I moved around a lot as a kid. Maybe that's why I can never stay in one place for more than a year. I'm going to try to make this next apartment a home that I will not want to leave.

…And since it's a bigger space, I hope to adopt another dog within the next few months. I think it's time Jacob had a friend to romp around with when I'm at the show. Since I'm a big dog lover, I may be leaning towards the larger breeds!

Anyway, things are good. I will have more to come.

Tech Week

2009-09-05T14:56:00.000-04:00

So, I know the blog updates have been slowing down a bit lately, but things have been a little hectic. Right now we're running the show for the first time. So far, things are going great. Tech is always a difficult and mind numbing process...but it has got to get done. When a show goes into "technical rehearsals" it means that we've got to set every technical aspect of the show. Sounds simple enough...but what this really means is that every bulb, every set piece, every cue, every quick change, every movement...etc, must be completely figured out and in place. Songs like, "Lot of Living," which is a huge production number, can take up to 5 hours to complete. So, it takes a lot of patience. It's very much like a film set, actually. There is a lot of waiting around. The difference is, on a set, most of the waiting around takes place in a trailer or dressing room. During Tech, if they need you to stand on stage for 5 hours, you will stand on stage for 5 hours.

Not that I'm complaining. Everyone knows what Tech is like and they prepare for the worst. Oddly enough, this is when a lot of chemistry in the cast grows. After all is said and done, and when we finally start to run the show, it's thrilling to see how things have started to come together.

And speaking of film sets, I will be spending a lot of time on the Gossip Girl set in a couple weeks. Turns out I will be returning this season after all!

I cannot believe our first preview is next Thursday. I think we are in great shape, but we've only been in the theatre for about a week. A lot of things are still very new to us. That being said, the production is great and I think people are going to be ecstatic to see our take on such a classic show. Allie Trimm is so sweet, young, and genuine as Kim, that the character becomes much more relatable. Bill Irwin has completely re-invented his role and will have audiences rolling. Nolan Funk is going to have girls screaming, the kids are stunning, and the design (set and costumes) is simply breathtaking at times.

If you want to know more about the production you should definitely read the Playbill article on the show that came out today. Bobby Longbottom talks about some of the things we've done with this revival.
Playbill Article

In case people were a little confused, the original stage production and the 1963 film were very, very different. Every scene seemed to be re-written in the film. Our revival is based off of the Original Broadway production's script with some minor changes here and there.

Rehearsals and such

2009-08-23T17:25:00.001-04:00

Things have been crazy lately!

Let me just say how much I appreciate the support from everyone.

This morning I woke up to yet another message from a friend of mine asking to see a photo of me in the clown costume that I mentioned in the Playbill Cue and A article. I opened up my old hard drive and searched for photos of me doing a performance piece as this whacky character. I found them. They are absurd. I found a video but that will not leave my hard drive. I adored that class. These shots are from a one-man show of my clown reenacting Peter Jackson's King Kong. It included the fight between Kong and the Dinosaur. This was 4 years ago.

I've always had a great admiration for physical comedians and clown performers (and I'm not talking about creepy birthday clowns). It's one of the reasons I admire Bill Irwin so much. A few days ago, the cast of Bye Bye Birdie was treated to something wonderful. Bill threw a surprise clown act for John Stamos' birthday. It was incredible. We all felt so honored to be watching such an unexpected, special moment. He is a genius at what he does and I am having the time of my life watching him work every day.

I'm really enjoying rehearsals for this show. I think audiences are going to be floored when they see the teen ensemble. They are phenomenal and are working their asses off. I am starting to feel right in my character's younger shoes. Hugo is a far cry from Melchior Gabor! It's been a lot of fun going full out with such broad musical theatre comedy. Today I tried on my costumes and talked about what will be done to make me super young, dorky, and insecure. I can't wait to get into costume. Since I am currently wearing my own clothes in rehearsals, putting on the geeky early-60s-wear will be very helpful.

Thursday is going to be a blast. I am most likely going to be doing Role of a Lifetime in place of Are You There since Wesley Taylor cannot be there. Lilli Cooper will also be there on Thursday! I'm very excited to see everyone!

More to come!

EDIT: I will actually be singing "How Glory Goes" from Floyd Collins in place of Are You There. I figured I'd add a new song.

After the Storm

2009-08-20T21:06:00.000-04:00

Just wondering if anyone saw this...
Playbill Article

I'm really excited about this benefit and can't believe that I get to perform at Joe's pub a couple days after my second show.

I'll be singing a song by Kyle Ewalt and Michael Walker. I'm so thrilled they have asked me to sing for them again, especially at such a special event.

Last Night

2009-08-18T15:00:00.000-04:00

was incredible.

I am floored by the amount of support and love that was in the room. Last night meant the world to me.

If you haven't read it yet, check out the Playbill.com "Cue and A" article here.

I cannot wait for next week. I promise I will write more when I'm not in rehearsals for 9 hours.

The first night!

2009-08-16T23:19:00.000-04:00

It's tomorrow night!

Have fun! Be rowdy!

Can't wait to see you all there!

Matt

Questions answered!

2009-08-14T13:25:00.000-04:00

I have a couple really great features coming out. Today, New York Magazine posted a their 21 Questions feature on me on their Daily Intel blog.

I was so excited to do this piece. I really admire the people they have interviewed in the past. If you get a chance, you should read some of their previous "21 Question" features. They are a lot of fun.

Feel free to comment on the article :)

NYMag's 21 Questions

Also look for a Cue & A feature on Playbill this tuesday!

Lookin Ahead

2009-08-07T13:08:00.000-04:00

I think Joe's Pub is going to be a really great show. I can't help being a little stressed over making sure everything will come together, but things are looking really good. My Musical Director, Jodie Moore, kicks ass. She's really laid back and excited about the music we're doing. The 27th is not sold out yet, so there is still time to buy your tickets!

After losing sleep over the set list, I think I've finally come to a really nice place with it. I wanted to pick songs that had inspired me growing up, but also songs that told strong stories and translated well into the Joe's Pub atmosphere. There will be Stevie Wonder, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, and...Hair? Yup. I won't be singing Disney and Sondheim, but there will be a couple musical theatre songs as well. I have a feeling people will be very excited about the song I will be singing with Wesley Taylor. I'm planning on touching on a few of the past projects that I've worked on, but the evening will mostly be "A NIGHT OF SOUL"...(That's for you, Liz).

I can definitely promise that I will sing "Left Behind." I wanted to have a song from Spring Awakening in the set. Since "Left Behind" was the first song I learned for the show when I auditioned THREE years ago (I really can't believe that), I thought it was the right choice. I can also say that Alice Lee and I will be singing "Falling Slowly" from the film, "Once."

I've done a little bit of press for the show and one of the articles recently came out. Kevin Scott Hall from Edge Magazine runs a fantastic feature on Cabarets in New York City. He contacted me to find out a bit more about the evening I'm planning. That photo seems to haunt me forever (18 years old with a euro-mullet) but I was so thrilled he included me in the article. Kevin on Kabaret

Bye Bye Birdie continues to go well. I'm really inspired by the creative team and how excited everyone around me is. Bill Irwin is one of the kindest guys on the planet and watching him completely reinvent Mr. MacAfee is amazing.

Off to rehearsal!

Birdie Tweets

2009-08-04T21:48:00.000-04:00

Rehearsals are going swimmingly...I don't have much else to say. I just really wanted to use the word "swimmingly."

Everyone has really hit the ground running and I think it's going to be a really exciting revival. The few changes and surprises being made are all in an effort to make the show more genuine and relevant. I'm really happy with the way things are coming to life. It's nice to see these characters in a way I never have before.

Wait until you see this teen ensemble. They will blow you away. These kids (yes...KIDS) are so talented.

Allie Trimm is remarkable as Kim and I cannot wait to see everything she brings to the role. It's been wonderful working with the cast and crew so far. The whole experience has been sweet and entirely unique. I wish I could tell you all of the wonderful things our creative team is doing with numbers like "Telephone Hour" and "Lot of Livin," but you'll just have to wait until September 10th when previews start!

Has anyone walked by the new Henry Miller Theatre yet? It's really absurd how beautiful it is.

Lately, I have been making an effort to be more available on the Internet. I've really loved opening the comments back up on this blog.

Today...I started a Twitter account. Yes. It's true. I'm horrified.

I think I'll take it slow at first. In the spirit of Bye Bye Birdie (har har) and the fact that find Blake Daniel's very entertaining, I'm giving it a shot.

So, get your twitter twatty tweeting tweets on and I'll twit away and tweet along with the twats...cool?

It's Twitter.com/mattfdoyle. Yes, there's an f. There are many Matt Doyles out there.

Added date :)

2009-07-21T21:38:00.000-04:00

With special guests Wesley Taylor, Lili Cooper, Alice Lee, and Blake Daniel

Wesley will not be returning for the 27th, so I'm working out another guest as well :)

Get your tickets!!

EDIT: The picture is fixed. Let's just say updating a photoshopped image after a long rehearsal and a few glasses of wine is never a good idea.

Sold Out

2009-07-16T20:41:00.000-04:00

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

I'm thrilled to announce that my August 17th concert has sold out!

I cannot believe how quickly the show sold out. Thank you to everyone that purchased tickets!

If you didn't purchase tickets yet...

I have good news!!!

There will indeed be a second show. Joe's Pub is having me back shortly after that date.

Update: The show will most likely be the 27th of August. I will post details here as soon as everything is set.

Dreams

2009-07-14T13:17:00.000-04:00

Recently, Stever Robbins, host of "The Get-It-Done Guy" Podcast, wrote me about a blog entry I made back in June 2006. It was my first entry.

I wrote, "I have never let attractive and safe packages presented to me influence my decisions. To be honest, a "safe" decision usually scares me the most. Safe is boring, unproductive, and predictable. I just got back from a year of training at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) in a post-graduate program. This is something I chose for myself over a wide range of options most actors my age would have killed for."

It's been a while since I've thought about that summer. It was a ballsy move for me. Thankfully, it has worked out.

Stever contacted me because someone had written to him asking about pursuing dreams and when to give up on them. Stever interviewed me to talk about my experiences in New York City and how not giving up on my dreams has worked for me.

You can hear his thought-provoking podcast on the topic here

And my rather candid interview with him here

It was a pleasure talking to Stever. The interview came at good time for me. I needed to take some of my own advice! Having grand expectations and setting goals for one's self can be dangerous. You can set yourself up for failure. Instead, I believe in following your gut and constantly having faith in your dreams. I know with enough passion and drive, you can make things happen.

Joe's Pub

2009-07-08T23:08:00.000-04:00

Okay...So now that things are clear.

I am indeed doing a show at Joe's Pub.

I am thrilled. This is something that I've been trying to put together for months. I am so excited to see all the pieces falling into place.

I'm planning on a night of Rock, R&B, and Soul classics. Expect songs from Sam Cooke, and Otis Redding...but also contemporary hits from artists like James Morrison and Paolo Nutini.

Info on guests to come!!!

Please, please, PLEASE buy tickets. I am so excited and I want it to be a packed house!

Playbill Article

Back To the City

2009-07-07T13:15:00.000-04:00

I had a wonderful two weeks at The O’Neill. Working on Picnic at Hanging Rock was a terrific experience. The show grew so much in the two weeks we worked on it. I am so happy that I was able to be apart of such a beautiful piece.

I must admit I’m having a hard time readjusting to city life. My little dog, Jacob, who spent his two weeks at my parent’s home in the country, also misses the great outdoors.

I really needed the two weeks away. I love New York City but every now and then I feel like the walls are closing in on me. Spending two weeks by the beach, working on new material, gave me a much-needed breath of fresh air. I will miss the creative process and running out to the Hammock to learn new music!

The cast was wonderful. They are all people I would hate to lose touch with. Watching Laila Robbins act was better than a master class at LAMDA. We all had an incredible time together. Several of us took a ferry out to Block Island and spent the day riding bikes to the beaches there. I hadn’t been there since I was a kid. It was so nice to go back with such good company.

Daniel Zaitchik has a huge future ahead of him. His music is stunning. I really hope Picnic at Hanging Rock finds a home in New York City. The score needs to be heard. The book has really taken on new life as well. Daniel made some extreme changes before the final reading that really helped make everything clearer to those not familiar with the source material. If they would have me back, I would drop everything to do the show.

Speaking of Daniel, he has a show coming up on Monday at Joe’s Pub. You should check it out. Info

Speaking of Joe’s pub…

Nah, I shouldn’t tease…especially when the details haven’t been worked out yet.

Oh, and incase you’re wondering. I did meet Jason (Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters).

…I nearly crapped my pants.

Picnic at Hanging Rock

2009-06-21T13:07:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow I'm embarking on a really exciting two week journey in New London, CT. I'll be a part of The O'Neill musical theatre conference there.

I'll be working on a new musical based on the popular novel, Picnic at Hanging Rock.

The book was published in 1967. It takes place in Australia, at an all girl’s boarding school. On St. Valentines Day, the girls travel for a picnic to a place called Hanging Rock. Although they have been warned not to climb up the dangerous rock, four of the schoolgirls do so. While one of the girls, Edith, returns in hysterics, unable to remember what happened, the other three seem to have vanished. Their teacher, who attended the picnic with them, disappears as well.

I will be playing the character of Michael, a young British man who is visiting Australia. Michael sees the girls at the picnic grounds and is later disturbed by their disappearances. He is particularly drawn to Miranda, the prettiest and most mysterious girl in the bunch.

The novel was turned into a film under the same title in 1975. It was Australia's first international hit. The movie is shot beautifully, unwinding into a slow moving yet haunting story. With both the novel and the film, people were drawn to the mystery of the disappearances (one that remains unanswered). The story is also written in a way that (although entirely fictional) suggests it may be true, sparking a fascination with the tale in the same way Blair Witch Project and similar stories did.

The music for this project is gorgeous. It captures the essence of the story perfectly. It's utterly beautiful, yet somewhat disturbing underneath. The composer, Daniel Zaitchik, may be very new to the scene, but don't judge him too quickly. I haven't heard music that has excited me this much in a while. It is a far cry from the bland pop-rock scores that get commercial backing in New York City (Key word being bland here. Clearly, I love a good pop/rock score.) The music is mostly sung in soprano voices. It reminds me of a cross between Ahrens & Flaherty and Adam Guettel.

But don't take my word for it. You can listen to it here: PicnicatHangingRock.com

My character sings in both "The Attic" and "Whisked Away."

I originally thought that my character was Australian. So, I ran out and bought Australian dialect tapes and had been working on it all week. I was horrible at it. It's a difficult accent, especially if you've been exposed to the British accent at length. It all gets very confusing.

It wasn't until I got the script this week and was sounding out the sentence, "Well, I've only been in Australia for a few weeks now." that I thought.... Oh...Shit...

It's probably better I'm sticking with a British accent...for everyone's sake.

Anyway, I'm pretty excited. I also get to be there while Jake Shears, of Scissor Sisters, mounts his new musical. I am a HUGE fan of his. I'm going to go nuts if I get the chance to meet him.

You can buy tickets to the event here

Bye Bye Birdie

2009-05-28T19:40:00.001-04:00

Although this hardly seems to be "news" to anyone, I can finally announce that I will indeed be a part of the upcoming revival of Bye Bye Birdie. I will be playing Hugo Peabody.

Playbill Article

I've known about my involvement in the production since late January. I was also a part of the workshop done in September 2007.

I am really excited about this show. Hugo is a blast to play. I had so much fun when we did the workshop. He is completely neurotic and insecure, but also full of heart and sincerity. It will be interesting to re-explore the role in this revival. The show has never been revived since the 1960 production and there are a lot of possibilities for making this a fresh and bold return. We have an incredible creative team on board including the show's original lyricist, Lee Adams, and original composer, Charles Strouse. It is an honor to work with the both of them.

The show will be going up in the brand-new Henry Miller Theatre! Which I'm also very excited about! Not only is the theatre completely renovated and beautiful, but it is also Broadway's first "Green" theatre. We can entertain and be environmentally friendly all at once. :)

I think the not-for-profit aspect of Roundabout shows make their productions even more collaborative and interesting. It's less about commercialism and politics and more about a group of people, who have a love for a show, coming together and having fun. We have a great cast. The immensely talented, Allie Trimm will be playing Kim. For once, I'm grateful I look like Bambi. (A nickname of mine from LAMDA)

Another serious draw to the project for me was the fact that Bill Irwin will be playing the role of Mr. MacAfee. Bill is a personal hero of mine. From the first time I saw him clowning around on the Cosby show when I was a kid, to his breathtaking performance in Waiting for Godot (which I saw last week), I've always looked up to him. It was wonderful working with him during the workshop. His Mr. MacAfee is brilliant. I cannot believe I get to share the stage with him.

See you all in September when the show's previews begin.

Hair

2009-05-27T15:05:00.000-04:00

Last week, on my birthday, I was treated to tickets to the revival of Hair. I was extremely excited because, in terms of scores, Hair may be my all-time favorite. Every song is joyful and completely riveting. Seeing this music live should make you want to jump out of you seat and scream!

Thankfully, the exceptional Broadway revival playing at the Hirschfeld does just that. There's so much that I could say...but it has all already been said by the production's well-deserved rave reviews.

Hair may not be for everyone. The story line and structure isn't as solid as a typical musical. The strength of the musical lies in music and the characters that intimately share their world with the audience every night. It's a look into the lives of these exuberant freethinkers.

Everyone in this current revival cast has fully-fleshed out the lives of their colorful roles, standing out at one point or another. Whether it is Allison Case's contagious joy, Kacie Sheik's soulful and fresh voice, Sasha Allen's power, or the commanding performances from Will Swenson and Gavin Creel, something up on that stage will move you. This show is the definition of an ensemble piece.

Claude is by far one of my biggest dream roles. I was so moved and thrilled with Gavin Creel's performance. Since the first time I saw him in "Thoroughly Modern Millie," I have shared the sentiment that Gavin has one of the greatest musical theatre voices ever. It's effortless.

It was probably one of the most inspiring nights of theatre I've had in a long time. Seeing my peers...the people that I admire the most, completely in sync and bursting with emotion.

Again, I'm a complete nerd over this show to begin with. I'm a bit biased. That being said, this is a masterful production of the musical. It doesn't just deliver the show's timeless messages and undying originality, but is also an explosive celebration of the show's influential and beloved material. This show TRULY changed musical theatre.

So, I say check it out.

Okay

2009-05-19T20:43:00.001-04:00

Right now I am enjoying the sweet tunes of Paolo Nutini's new single "Candy."

I love this artist so much. I really look up to him and sound he creates. The fact that he's my age is just crazy to me.

Check out the music video on his website or on youtube.

Or here.

Sorry it's so small. These new widescreen youtube videos aren't kind to blogs.

Funny

2009-05-15T19:40:00.001-04:00

Whether you were once involved with high school theatre back in the day...or you are involved with it now. You will find this funny.

Thanks to my incredible high school drama teacher, Britt Block, for the tip.

True Blood

2009-05-08T21:58:00.000-04:00

When I was a kid, I was hooked on fiction and adventure movies. I was a huge Star Wars geek and I loved movies like Labyrinth, The Never Ending Story, and others. Not because I wanted to be them, or live in their world. Simply because I was always floored by the amount of creativity behind the work. My father is a creative art director. He makes a living off of that kind of stuff. I remember sitting on the couch with him when I was about 10 years old, watching Star Wars, when he turned to me and said, "Isn't that amazing Matty? That all this can come out of someone's mind. Isn't it incredible what people can create and think of"

Since then, I'm the guy in the theatre who says "That's incredible!" and makes noises like, "Ugh...wow," way too much. Thanks, Dad.

I have inherited my father's fascination to an even greater degree. Nothing excites me more than when people are truly inventive and creative. Sometimes, it can be as simple as taking an old idea and expanding on it.

Lately I have been catching up on a lot of television that I wasn't able to watch so frequently when I was in the show. I know we now live with the wonders of the DVR, but I can barely even remember to set the damn thing. Even when I do, Time Warner is so terrible it screws it up half the time. Yes, Time Warner, I hate you. You do not deserve my money every month.

Any way, I have gotten hooked on HBO's True Blood...Which is now playing on HB02 until the new season starts. I wanted to be completely caught up. Although I watched several episodes this past year, I missed a great deal of them as well.

I gotta say, I love this show. Now, some people may hate it. It's a lot to take on and a pretty ballsy show. It has gotten me hooked in the same way Jim Henson and George Lucas did back in the day. The creators really don't hold back. If you aren't a fantasy/fiction type, it may be the dopiest thing you've ever seen. I, however, love it. It's extremely entertaining and I'm fascinated by how well the actors take on even the cheesiest of material. The show is set in Louisiana, in a world where vampires have come "out of the coffin" (har har) and are trying to co-exist with humans. It's a simple, perhaps silly plot, that stretches out into an extremely complex world. The show is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries, a book series written by Charlaine Harris. It was a very smart choice to turn the show into a series, rather than a film. There is simply too much story to tell.

While often goofy, gory, and downright ridiculous at times, the show is well crafted and thoughtful. It's just fun. I'd say it's just dumb-fun, but it's not always dumb. I'm actually pleasantly surprised by how smart and creative can be. It has political, social, and moral insight that I would never have expected from a vampire show. Plus, it's created by Alan Ball, who created another favorite of mine, "Six Feet Under." Even, when the show is (completely) over-the-top, it's as if the show's creators are just saying "Isn't this fun?!"

So watch it if it sounds like it may be your cup of tea.

I am looking forward to a fun couple of months ahead of me until I am swept up into work in the fall. I plan to do some traveling back west and maybe even abroad. I haven't been to London since I graduated LAMDA and I've been meaning to use my frequent flyer miles!

I will also be working on a new work at this years National Music Theater Conference at The O'Neill in CT. I am told by everyone that it's like doing a reading and going away to summer camp all at the same time. Sounds good! There are some great actors involved and I am thrilled to have learned that Deborah Abramson (Original Assistant MD of Spring Awakening) will be the musical director of the project. Deborah is an incredible gal and has done so much for me.

Until then, I have to jump into a cab to go to lunch downtown. Which means I have to sit through another painful viewing of Regis and Kelly explaining, "Cabs are so much more fun than they used to be, Right Rege!?" on the taxi TV.

"Faaan-tastic!"

By the way, comments are back up. Inappropriate ones will be deleted...Duh.

Summer?

2009-04-26T18:29:00.000-04:00

Alright.

Where did Spring go?

I'm not ready to jump into this kind of weather yet. Not at all.

91 degrees in April? 91?!?

Clearly I'm not a fan of warm weather. It's really the warm weather in New York that I dislike so much. The city sweats like a greasy armpit. I don't like humidity. And New York City is humid.

Unlike women, I can't sport a summer dress. I watch some of my female friends relax into their lace thin clothing and walk down the street in 91 degree weather saying, 'Oh my god! How could you NOT like this?!' Well, I don't have tissue paper and a thong on.

And I'm pretty sure that the minute god gave me hairy and pale Irish/Italian legs, he wasn't intending on me wearing these new short-shorts I keep seeing everywhere. Seriously, when did hot pants for men make a comeback?

Anyway, that's my rant. I love the freezing cold. Give me that with a light jacket and no gloves over hot weather any day. :)

I've had a great day of rehearsal for a reading I am doing at the Rattlestick theatre. We are performing tonight and I am so happy to be a part of the project. The play is called the Sandreckoner by Dan Dietz and focuses on a boy who may or may not have been invloved in a Columbine-like event. Truly haunting stuff. I am sure we will be seeing a lot from Dan Dietz. His writing is phenomenal.

I also have had the pleasure of working with Tom Caruso again. Tom directed me in my first show in NYC (The Butcherhouse Chronicles). He's a great guy and a wonderful director. It has been fun to reunite after all this time.

I have spent the past 30 minutes trying to deny the fact that it actually is pretty wonderful out right now. I'm writing this on my iPhone at an outdoor cafe. But hey, it 7:00 right now and has dropped 20 degrees.

Spring

2009-04-20T18:14:00.000-04:00

It has finally arrived.

This weekend I had my first NYC roof-cookout. I'm so thrilled Spring is here and can't wait to get the ball rolling on other projects I am involved with this summer.

Right now I'm taking it easy after a very successful run in Toronto. Melchior is a marathon of a role and I surprised myself at how well my voice and body handled jumping back into it after not touching it for two months. It was a blast. I am so happy I was able to play the role full time and blessed to have done it with such an incredible company. I especially loved working opposite Christy as Wendla. The two actors who play Melchior and Wendla have to build a special bond pretty quickly and I was alway excited to share the stage with her. If anyone has time to go see Christy as Wendla on the tour...do so. You will not be disappointed.

I have decided not to continue on with the tour. My last performance with Spring Awakening TRULY was April 12th. A couple fans asked me if I was sad on that day. To be completely honest...it was a great day. I went through the grieving process two months ago. It was a shock to the system when the broadway show closed. I am thrilled I had the opportunity to go back and play Melchior and now I'm ready to move on.

I am trying to get the ball rolling on a concert right now. I wish I could give more information than that, but it's not the easiest task to throw one together. I hope to do a night of mostly soul music (contemporary and classic) and put it in a more low key venue like Ars Nova. No matter what, the night will include some songs from past projects and what not. When I have a better idea on how things are coming together, I will indeed talk about it more.

If you're looking for some new music a couple of my favorite artists have recently produced new albums. Andrew Bird's "Noble Beast" is stunning. The orchestrations are captivating. Martha Wainwright also has a new album out. I haven't immediately fallen for it like her last, but there is no denying her songwriting skills. I'm excited to get into it more.

While I spoke about him a long time ago, I'm not sure if I ever went into detail on Foy Vance. This is an artist that I have completely fallen in love with. He is a contemporary soul/blues singer who has an incredible voice. Please take a listen to his album "Hope." I've been listening to it for a couple years now and recently got back into it. The songs "Gabriel & the Vagabond" and "First of July" are brilliant.

ROA Productions

2009-04-20T18:00:00.000-04:00

Surely it's no surprise that some of us Spring Awakening cast members managed to make our way into the series. What may be surprising is in what way...

Rock of Ages Productions Presents: The Haunting of The Brooks Atkinson Theatre

Enough Said.

2009-04-08T00:21:00.000-04:00

Congrats to the cast of Rock of Ages. What an incredible night of reviews of them.

New York Times Review

Out Friday Night

2009-03-20T01:07:00.000-04:00

As planned (although not yet announced) I will be out Friday night (3/20/09) while I am back in New York City shooting another scene on Gossip Girl. Unless I become deathly ill...I plan on making sure that this is the last performance I miss in the Toronto run.

More to come soon when I'm not running around like a crazy person.

Unfortunate Delay!

2009-03-16T22:08:00.000-04:00

I will not be making the first scheduled show in Toronto, tomorrow night.

I am totally bummed I can't be there with the cast as the get their bearings in the new space! I have to work on Gossip Girl later than expected. While I'm not doing much in the scene, it's a big group scene and will be shooting into the night.

This was expected when I signed on to do Melchior, but I was hoping I could pull a Superman and fly out there tomorrow after shooting, making it to the performance.

I will still be there for the Wednesday matinee and will of course be on for the press opening Wednesday night.

I would also like to say that I think the cast is incredible. It is such a warm and open group to go into. Christy is a stunning Wendla and working with her and Mr. Bashoff this past Saturday was so exciting.

I cannot wait to start. I wish I could have been there tomorrow night!

See all you Torontonians soon!

New Melchior Dates

2009-03-11T12:09:00.000-04:00

In the spirit of this blog, I thought I would announce the interesting news this way.

Due to an unexpected situation on the tour of Spring Awakening, I have agreed to take over as Melchior in the city of Toronto while Kyle Riabko shoots a pilot he booked.

At the moment, I plan on only doing Toronto. I will be filling in for Kyle in this rather emergency situation from March 17th to April 12th. I am happy to be playing the role and working with the fantastic cast that is on tour. They are not only talented, but an incredibly sweet group of kids.

A month is a perfect amount of time. I would be unable to do any more due to personal and work engagements back in New York City. As it is, in my first week, I will be flying to New York during the day to shoot another Gossip Girl episode, and back to Toronto to play Melchior at night. I have complete faith this will all work out!

I am taking off for Cleveland tomorrow and running through the show with them on the weekend.

The past couple of days have been a bit of a whirlwind. I wanted to make sure that I had all the information before I announced anything. I have been running around like a fool trying to get my passport renewed since it only recently expired. Getting everything else in line before I leave (3 very important auditions...my dog...my apartment) has been a trick, but luckily my agent kicks ass.

I think this will be a great month. Hope to see you all there!

Rock of Ages Productions- Episode 2

2009-03-02T23:01:00.000-05:00

Hysterical...

March

2009-03-02T17:51:00.000-05:00

One healthy thing about having a job in a show like Spring Awakening…despite the fact that "time flies" and two years can go by so quickly...I really cannot believe how much I did in those two years. My journey was long at that show and I had many different positions there. From only covering Melchior, to being a full time swing, to taking over Hanschen...I don't look at my time there as ever being wasted. I feel more like time is flying now that I'm out of the show, simply because there are seasons to auditioning and a constant need to get a job...and when you go from audition to audition and hope for the best...that's when the time goes by fast. I've been fortunate enough to have tentative plans for the fall and yet another planned appearance on Gossip Girl...but, there is always a craving for more.

The past couple months have been interesting and I've been relieved that I have managed to fill my time. I have had interesting audition opportunities, including singing in front of Stephen Sondheim himself...something I only dreamt about as a kid. I have also enjoyed a couple reading experiences such as the Bare reading last week.

Bare went especially well. I only wish it had been open to the public so that someone could have snuck a bootleg out of Shoshana Bean singing the fu*k out of "All Grown Up." Hahah.

But it was a thrill to work with (the extremely lovable) James Snyder again. James is a blast to work with and made the process of mounting the few songs we did in a couple days that much more enjoyable.

I was so happy to meet and work with Stafford Arima. I truly believe that no other director out there is going to be as passionate and as caring for this fantastic show as he will be. It will be a great production when they mount it later on this year.

My life and career came sort-of full circle for me during that reading. Randy Taradash of ACT in San Francisco and the Producer of Bare in SF reminded me that he saw me in a community theatre (and all-white teen) version of "Once on This Island" when I was 14. I played Daniel. It was surreal to work with someone in New York City who remembered me from my community theatre days.

I cannot believe it's already March. I was walking through the unbelievably shitty weather today, a little depressed, and far too cold.

I was reminded of a similar moment, exactly 2 years ago, when I was on site for a Dawn commercial. It was a blizzard outside. I had been bored out of my mind on set and was walking around like an idiot. That day I was waiting for a call for another job, wondering if I'd actually get a break that year. I was a terrible Production Assistant and I knew it. I chatted with the director of the commercial who casually rolled his eyes when I told him I was an actor...He looked at me and said, "Actor, huh? Have you seen Spring Awakening? Now, those kids are talented." (Seriously…that’s not for dramatic affect…that’s what he said…word for word.) It burned. I had been in for the show 7 times over the previous 5 months. I looked like a fool when I tried to ramble on about how I had almost been cast in the show.

I was sent out to get hamburgers for the production crew. I remember walking back to the old studio building in Chelsea, holding two greasy bags while cold snow pelted my face. I was so angry. I was convinced that it was only going to get more difficult over the course of the next few months. I was sick of auditions and call-backs that went nowhere.

About a half hour later I got the call from Spring Awakening. It was completely unexpected. The director of the commercial was shocked. He told me to go home and celebrate.

So when things feel cold and shitty, I remind myself of that day. Like everyone else, I can easily get caught up in the negatives and only worry about what's going to happen next...rather than just trusting that things will work out if you stick with your gut.

Rock Of Ages Productions

2009-02-27T23:26:00.000-05:00

For a good laugh...check out the new web series for the up and coming Broadway show "Rock of Ages."

I have several friends in the show and think the series is going to be a great way for them to promote it.

The first episode takes place while they are still off-Broadway mourning the loss of a couple of their cast mates who left the show early.

Enjoy.

Bare and Defying Inequality

2009-02-20T17:38:00.000-05:00

Look, I'm not one to enjoy the heat of a New York summer...but it's time for this cold weather to come to an end. Mainly because we're now getting to the stage where it's 50 degrees one day and then back down to 20 degrees the next. It's annoying.

So, I got sick. Really sick.

Because I'm stubborn and like to believe that it's all the fault of one man I passed on the street...I'm going to believe that it really was his fault. I hate you random-coughing-man.

Luckily, I can feel it breaking, but it's a warzone in my head and chest right now. I hope enough of it clears for the Bare reading on Tuesday.

Speaking of the Bare reading. I have just been informed that James Snyder will now be playing Jason!

While I hear wonderful things about Scott Porter and was very excited to meet him...I'm so thrilled to be working with James again. He's extremely talented and a great guy.

It will be a fun concert to be a part of and I hope that it influences the producers who are invited. This is a special piece and it shouldn't be ignored.

I'm looking forward to a busy upcoming week. I have some potentially interesting news on the horizon. But don't quote me on that because things change day to day.

Err...I did just put that in writing. So, what the hell? Quote away.

One positive thing about the show ending January 18th is that it happened right at the start of pilot season. I have been staying busy despite the fact that I'm not doing the show 8 times a week. I will most likely be involved with something in the late summer/fall so it's just been about keeping myself occupied for the time being.

And in shape.

It's no secret I'm a skinny guy. I was asked to gain weight for Spring Awakening during my time there, especially while I was understudying Groff. No one would believe it, but prior to being cast, I weighed about 20 pounds lighter. Since the show has ended, I've remained in the gym, but I haven't been running around for two hours 8 times a week any more.

Our cast experienced a funny moment this past wednesday when we were rehearsing for "Defying Inequality." We are performing a new take on "Totally Fucked." (Don't worry...it's not "Totally Stuck.") We all found our old tracks and started jumping around again all excited...and then nearly collapsed from exhaustion. When you don't do it 8 times a week it really is a bitch. To think that we did that twice on closing night makes me realized just how in tune our bodies were with the show. Remember...Blake and I had a quiet seduction scene immediately following that...thank god everybody clapped for so long or we wouldn't have been able to speak.

Anyway...you should come see the benefit at the Gershwin on Monday night. There are a ton of shows/stars involved and it's really going to be an incredible night. We saw some of the other groups rehearse and there are going to be some stunning performances. Plus, a great deal of original and replacement cast members from Spring Awakening are involved in our little number.

That's all for now.

Florrie Fisher

2009-02-14T11:41:00.000-05:00

Amy Sedaris is a genius, Obviously.

I have always been hooked on Strangers With Candy and obsessed with her character on the show...But I had no idea this was the inspiration for that character.

This woman's name is Florrie Fisher. This is real. No wonder someone like Amy Sedaris took this and ran with it.

I'm fascinated. There are so many hysterical moments.

V-Day Update.

2009-02-14T09:55:00.000-05:00

So I woke up this morning to a slight tickle in my throat that is just really pissing me off.

I was walking on the street yesterday and a man in front of me had the most awful cough. You know...the kind that sounds like a fog horn while simultaneously releasing the most ungodly amount of phlegm.

I thought:

1.) gross.

2.) If I catch that I'll kill him.

3.) Hope he feels better, that must suck. (I didn't really think this, but it makes me sound nicer.)

I would prefer not to get sick right now. And I definitely don't want what that guy had. He looked like he was gonna pass out on the street.

I would like to stay healthy this week mainly because of this.

Broadway Wold Article

Unfortunately, I am doing something in New York while this project mounts later this year. However, I'm thrilled to have the chance to sing that music again in such good company.

I have to admit, Bare seems like a little dream sometimes. It all happened so quickly. I was given a couple weeks to learn all the (over 20 songs) material, and then 4 days to record. We threw it together in the studio with a lot of love and an incredible production team. I was reading most of the scripted lines off the page for the first time, alone in the booth, as they weren't sure if they were going to make the recording anyway.......they did. Apart from the song "Bare", and what the editing on the DVD suggests, we did not record with each other. It was a very intimate experience focused solely on the singing. I'm so thrilled the album came together as well as it did. Sometimes, it's downright epic (Epiphany) and I am floored by the skills of our production team. Deborah and Casey...you are gods. I haven't listened to it since it was first released (rest assured, I don't skip around my apartment listening to 'Role of a Lifetime') and I'm just now getting back into the material and the album because of next tuesday. I had almost forgotten what a masterpiece the show is. I am sure the San Francisco production is going to be phenomenal. Bare deserves a solid commercial production.

I've just decided I'm gonna give Eric Hutchinson a little shout out. It's great pop music. It's something I would have been addicted to in high school...which just makes me smile.

Happy Valentines Day everyone.

New York, New York

2009-02-04T21:17:00.001-05:00

So many people have asked me lately why I haven't made a decision to move to LA during pilot season. For a young, professional actor, it's very typical to pack up for a few months and head out to cattle call land.

I plan to do no such thing.

While I would have no objection to moving there for a specific project or job and think that the industry in LA is magnificent...It's just not my town.

New York, however, is.

I have been auditioning here like a mad man as well. I love the access to both Film and Theatre in New York. There is a really exciting buzz in the city lately as more and more television begins to shoot here. It's no longer a city strictly for theatre, and that becomes more apparent every season. I have just recently shot another brief appearance on Gossip Girl, and I love just hopping on the subway to get to the studio. While I miss driving every now and then, a 15 minute ride to a major television studio just can't be beat.

There is a rich community in Manhattan that is hard to find in other cities. There is nothing better than walking a few blocks to your favorite bar, or traveling 10 minutes to meet your friends downtown. I love the culture here and I always tell people that New Yorkers aren't rude, they just like to get things done. If I'm not staying busy I lose my mind. While I may be currently out of a steady job, living in the city has kept me more than sane.

I have a couple options coming up for the summer and fall and I'm getting excited. Obviously it's the thick of Pilot season and anything could come up over the next couple of months, but I'm happy to know that there are a couple other things in the work.

It probably won't be for a while, but once I can announce anything on here, I will.

I couldn't possibly be more excited for spring...because IT'S FREEZING!!!

A week later...

2009-01-26T22:43:00.000-05:00

Spring Awakening was the most dramatic chapter of my life so far. When I made the decision to move to the city and take on this world, I really never expected I would come across something like that show. I have too many emotions and feelings to throw up all over this blog about my time with the show. So...I'm going to avoid that and try to keep things simple.

In my two years with the show, I grew so much as a performer and as a human being. I owe so much of who am today to the people and the material I worked with. I am overjoyed every time I think about just how fortunate I was to be a part of such a historical mark in Broadway history. I really cannot believe that I was blessed with such good fortune. I sacrificed a lot by not continuing my training at either Carnegie Mellon or LAMDA, but I know that I could not have possibly asked for better training for this business than the training I received at Spring Awakening.

I don't think anyone could truly understand how epic the final show was unless they were actually there. I have tried explaining it to some of my friends, but they just look at me with blank stares and politely say "Cool. Sounds really great." I was so happy to see all of the fans there that night and was so moved by all of their emotions. (I apologize for not stage dooring at the matinee. It was my mother's 50th birthday dinner.) But what really struck me about being on stage at the final show was feeling deeply connected to everyone in that theatre. The energy in the most quiet moments was overwhelming. My stomach tied in so many knots that night. I tried to really listen to the words and messages of our show for one last time and take them all in. It was utterly heartbreaking. It was such a gift to have Spring Awakening on Broadway for these past two years. I believe it did so much for this generation of Broadway fanatics and beyond. It is a remarkably important piece and my only hope is that it continues to inspire, despite the Eugene O'Neill's vacancy.

In short. It has been an honor. It completely flipped my life upside down and jump started my career. I could never have dreamt up any of it. Thank you to everyone.

It's been a week now and I do miss the show, but I am so excited to be moving on to other projects. I have been auditioning like a mad man already and I am hoping to announce SOMEthing on this blog soon ;)

But there are some positive things already! I will indeed be returning to Gossip Girl for another brief appearance.

I have spent all of January reflecting on the past two years. It's nice to finally begin to digest everything and accept that time indeed passes...and when one door closes another one is bound to open.

I'll be around.

Laugh

2009-01-12T23:34:00.000-05:00

You know, I think SNL is always at it's best when they can't get the big A-list name and end up settling for someone who actually has comedic gut and talent. The best episode of last season was by far the Brian Williams episode, and I gotta say...Neil Patrick Harris knocked it out of the park. He was hysterical. I admire him as a performer and I think he brought a lot of much needed energy and spirit to the cast this past Saturday.

Starting with his monologue, the show reached a much more satisfying height than it has been at all season. (aside from that terrible "two-first names" skit...oof)

Here are a couple skits. Catch the episode it you can.

SNL skit

2009-01-12T00:30:00.000-05:00

Regardless of half the shows being long over. It was cute.

Change of plans...

2009-01-10T17:30:00.001-05:00

One thing I won't miss about understudying is the constant change of plans.

I was officially told at 5:30 and announced in a post shortly after that, that Hunter had called out. However, Hunter called back in and will indeed be on tonight. I appologize for any confusion.

Matt

Last Night...

2008-12-18T17:44:00.000-05:00

was an incredible experience. I am so grateful so many of you guys came out last night to see my "final performance" as Melchior. Unless Hunter calls out unexpectedly in the last few weeks of our show, it will indeed have been my last show as that character. Regardless, It was a wonderful way to celebrate the work I've put into the role over the past couple of years.

I cannot believe the journey I have been on at Spring Awakening. When the show does come to a close in January, I will obviously reflect on all of this more. For now, let me just say thank you. Thank you so much for all of your support. I was overwhelmed last night. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Best,

Matt

New Melchior Dates.

2008-11-21T03:18:00.001-05:00

That's the same picture I posted for the first time I was going on back in July 2007. I thought it was appropriate to use it for my final Melchior post.

Okay so...Here are my final Melchior Dates.

December 12th, the 16th and 17th.

Please note that none of these dates are 100% (more like 90% haha). Hunter will most likely be out these dates.

This means that 17th will most likely be my final performance ever as Melchior. I have cherished understudying that role. It was my first responsibility when I was hired over a year and nine months ago. It will be quite an emotional one for me...I'd love to see you all there.

I will keep everyone updated if things change for whatever reason.

Thanks!

Matt

Two awesome concerts coming up!

2008-11-20T14:06:00.000-05:00

Hey Guys,

I wanted to make people aware of two awesome concerts involving the cast members of Spring Awakening that are about to come up.

The first will be on the 8th of December. It's called "Want the Change" and will be showcasing some of our favorite songs and even bits of our audition pieces for the show. My audition song was written in 7/8....note to all performers...never do that to yourself or the accompanist. (Luckily I had the incredible Deborah Abramson to get me through that one.)

You can find all of the information on that concert here:

Broadway World Article

The second concert is one I'm really excited about. It is a Holiday Concert, December 15th at Joe's Pub, with song arrangements by Ann Marie Milazzo!

Trust me...you do not want to miss these arrangements. They are stunning!

Here's the article:

Broadway World Article

Janelle Monae

2008-11-16T01:12:00.001-05:00

I really think this is the birth of a legend...

melchior

2008-11-15T14:39:00.000-05:00

I am on for Melchior at tonight's evening show and both shows tomorrow. I will also have three days in December TBD.

On the Horizon

2008-11-11T16:15:00.000-05:00

Last week the world watched in awe as Barack Obama was elected President of the United States. Whatever your politics may be, you cannot deny the sheer greatness of that historical moment.

Like many, I look forward to the spring with optimism.

I'm very excited to be in New York for this spring. With all of the new TV shows shooting here now, there are some really exciting opportunities to be had.

I am set to make a few more minor appearances on the show "Gossip Girl." I am thrilled to be returning in any way and hope to continue to explore my character on the show. I will also be doing a couple readings this winter that I'm very excited to be a part of.

In terms of Melchior, I will indeed play the role again. Hunter will be out on various dates in November and December and Jesse and I will try to split those dates as evenly as possible. I know I can speak for Jesse when I say we are both thrilled to be able to play the role a final time before the show's closing. It is a beautiful role and one I'm thrilled I ever had the chance to play to begin with.

I will most certainly keep people posted about dates and any other news!

Laugh

2008-11-11T14:08:00.001-05:00

The Past Month

2008-11-11T12:38:00.000-05:00

The past month hit me like a ton of bricks. While we all knew that the closing of our show was on the horizon, it was still a devastating blow to the current and past company of the show. On top of that I jumped into a very unexpected move to a new apartment. Moving sucks, but when there is a leak in your apartment that is so bad it's coming through the fuse box...sometimes you just have to.

I know people want me to talk about the closing and honestly, there is just not much to say at this point. Spring Awakening has had a beautiful run. I feel honored that I was able to be a part of it during it's Tony Award season and I feel just as honored to be apart of the show today. There are many elements that have caused the ticket sales to have slumped a bit. Let me remind everyone we are hardly a family friendly show. When people want to spend hundreds of dollars to go out with the kids and see a show...they tend to gear towards things that are a bit more "Disney."

I truly believe that the current company is not one to miss. I am very proud to share the stage with my current cast memers every night. Every one in the company has created their own takes on all of the roles, even in the face of aversion from the original company's die hard fans. The production has taken on a new life, rather than remaining a cookie cutter version of itself. Something our producers adamantly tried to avoid.

I'm sure that closing night will be an incredible experience for everyone. Spring Awakening has had a magnificent and historical run. No one could have possibly imagined it would have gone as far as it has. Everyone involved feels blessed to have been a part of such a special show.

new post

2008-11-09T22:17:00.001-05:00

hey there! I'm currently at the stage door with some fans telling me to update my blog...so here it is. I'm still alive..still in the show...and will have much more to say when my Internet is back up and running. Thank you! :)

More to follow.

Also, my website will be launching in a later date than expected. My computer crashed and I lost everything I had built! :(

Best,

Matt Doyle

New Website Soon

2008-10-07T00:43:00.000-04:00

Ahh yes...That has certainly been on my homepage way too long.

But this time it's true.

I will finally begin work on my new site. It may be a little bit because I do all of the web design myself and don't exactly have all the time in the world to do so...but look for it in the next few weeks.

Laugh more

2008-10-06T17:48:00.000-04:00

Laugh

2008-10-06T17:44:00.000-04:00

Pandora

2008-10-06T17:31:00.000-04:00

I know that I'm a little late to hop onto the train for this one...but I still thought I would talk about it incase there are people who haven't heard of it yet.

pandora.com is spectacular new way of finding new music. Just enter any artist (or several) and it creates a new radio station that plays that artist and other artists just like it. The results are extremely accurate you can find a lot of great new stuff. If you don't like a suggested song, just hit "thumbs down" and it helps narrow the results even more.

Best part...it's all completely free!

Check it out!

Also, if you have an iPhone, there is a spectacular application for it that will even play through you iPhone speakers.

Laugh

2008-09-30T01:19:00.000-04:00

Fully Rested

2008-09-30T01:11:00.000-04:00

I had a wonderful vacation and visited LA and my old hometown in northern California. It was really great to have some time to myself and rest my body up. Oddly enough, after a year and 8 months I had never taken a vacation...just left for a few days at a time to do work related things. So it was really great to clear my head a bit.

I'm thrilled to return to the show this week. I had a chance to talk to my old high school's drama program about my experience over the past couple of years and it was really nice to reflect on it all myself. It put a really great perspective on things and I'm so excited to get back to work.

About to jump on the plane with sand in my shoes and a couple of wine bottles from Napa. Almost too relaxed to swing back into the pace of New York City, but I'm sure I will manage ;)

Upcoming Work and Such!

2008-09-15T22:23:00.000-04:00

Just a brief update on my upcoming work.

I will be playing the all-singing role of young Nonno in the upcoming film "Once More With Feeling," Directed by Jeff Lipsky. The film stars Emmy Award Winning, Drea de Matteo, and Academy Award Nominee, Chazz Palminteri. The role is small but it was a blast to play. I appear in a couple scenes as the younger version of one of the main players in his Jazz singing days. I was thrilled to see that the fantastic Karen Ziemba also makes an appearance in the film as well.

And as Broadway.com reported, it's true that I will also be making a small appearance on the CW Hit, "Gossip Girl" next month. Don't blink :)! I am a huge fan of the show and it was a thrill to spend some time on the set.

One more thing! I will be out of the show on vacation September 22nd through the 28th. Zach Reiner-Harris and Jesse Swenson will be filling in for the role of Hanschen while I am gone.

I should have a new website up within the next month! Yes...finally.

Laugh

2008-09-15T02:30:00.000-04:00

More Reviews!

2008-09-15T02:25:00.000-04:00

New York Times

Associated Press

Re-reviews!

2008-09-12T13:06:00.000-04:00

And they're all good or great! I'm so thrilled for the new cast.

New York Post

Daily News

TheatreMania

Laugh

2008-09-07T04:01:00.000-04:00

It's a sad day...Laugh!

End of an era...

2008-09-07T03:15:00.001-04:00

Today Broadway says goodbye to an incredible show.

'Rent' inspires. There really isn't anything I can say about this show that hasn't been said on a thousand blogs and the very few broadway sites that are out there. No matter how you feel about this show, you cannot deny just how much it changed Broadway.

'Rent' was the first show I ever saw. In my younger years I did the "Renthead" thing like many (MANY) others. When I grew up and the early-teen obsession died away, I was able to take away all of the best things from the show. Hell, half of my vocal training was from screaming to the soundtrack in my bedroom. The first time I ever said to myself "Wow...I really want to do THAT!" was sitting in the Nederlander theatre watching 'Rent.' A couple months later I auditioned for my first community theatre show.

This past month, after 4 or 5 years of not seeing the show, I brought myself back to the Nederlander to see it for the very last time. This time I went in a very different way by going with some cast members from Spring Awakening, knowing some of the people in the closing company. I was so moved watching the show and was suddenly thrown back into my pre-teen days, completely obsessed again. I left the theatre beaming. In some way...that certain-special-rock-musical motivated me to find my way into another certain-special-rock-musical on Broadway today. I couldn't wait to get back into the Eugene O'Neill the next night and perform.

Watching 'Rent' for my last time, I was reminded of the importance of performing in a show like that. I was surrounded by other screaming fans that night. Some of them didn't look very much older than I was when I first saw the show and some of them much older than I am now. It's incredible to see what a show like 'Rent' can do for people. That show certainly added a lot of things to my life and I know that 'Spring Awakening' has also inspired a lot of people in the same way. I feel honored to be a part of this community. Whatever the show is, I know that Broadway will continue to inspire.

So...since this is the last time that I can be painfully cliche and a total geek...

Thank you, Rent. You rocked.

Laugh

2008-08-28T23:56:00.001-04:00

Smile

2008-08-17T18:02:00.000-04:00

SO thrilled to have come across an incredible new artist named Janelle Monae.

She was discovered by Outcast's Big Boi and this Atlanta artist is really one to watch.

Her new EP, Metropolis: The Chase Suite, is a special edition of a previous released EP. Sean "Diddy" Combs' label, Bad Boy Records recently signed Janelle, releasing the new edition. The special edition adds two very worthwhile tracks even if they stray from the main attraction: A fantastic story line within the rich music. I love concept albums...and I love the concept of this one in particular.

Here is what Andy Kellman on Allmusic.com said:

"Inspired by Fritz Lang's 1927 science fiction classic, Metropolis, Suite 1: The Chase is the first of four planned releases designed as easily processible EPs detailing the life of a rebellious soul-equipped android who risks disassembly by falling in love with a human. Strip away the concept, the packaging, and the equally entertaining and deep lyrics dealing in class/race, slavery, isolation, and love -- all of that material, as crucial as it is to the whole -- and there remains a handful of magnetic songs transferred through theatrical soul, 21st century new wave, ice-coated opera, and brassy hip-hop funk. The disc's center is made of "Violet Stars Happy Hunting!!!" and "Many Moons," conjoined songs that trump anything on the André 3000 half of OutKast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. "Sincerely, Jane" is dressed up in all the fantastical instrumentation of an otherworldly Broadway production but is as grounded in grim realism as Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues" or 2Pac's "Brenda's Got a Baby," and like those two songs, it is fueled by despair rather than self-righteousness."

Janelle studied musical theatre before moving to Atlanta to pursue a career in music. Her background in theatre is still very apparent and I often imagine some of her music taking life on stage. Producers take note: If this kind of music were put on a broadway stage it would be revolutionary. I am so excited to see what the following EPs or a full length album brings for the story and for the music.

Not only does Janelle's music have stunning originality, but her voice is gorgeous as well. At the end of the EP she does a beautiful cover of "Smile." The song just underlines Janelle's aproach: classic and nostalgic, yet completely fresh and original...and I don't think it gets any better than that.

Download the whole thing...but most importantly "Sincerely, Jane"...I'm most particularly hooked on that one.

Melchior

2008-08-02T17:20:00.000-04:00

Just a brief update.

I will be playing the role of Melchior Thursday August 7th through Saturday August 9th.

Come!

New faces, new shows

2008-07-07T13:42:00.000-04:00

There are quite a few changes about to happen within the Spring Awakening Company. We will have 2 new leads starting in august as well as 5 new cast members starting in a couple weeks. It's a very bittersweet change. I'm thrilled and excited for the new faces and heartbroken to see my friends and “surrogate family” members take off.

To quickly diffuse a rumor, there are no set dates for any of the three Melchior covers this summer. We play things by ear and there is no guarantee that I will be going on for Melchior during July or the time between Kyle Riabko's departure and Hunter Parrish's debut. I promise I will post a blog if I have any set dates.

If you haven't been watching the new season of So You Think You Can Dance, you should. My friends and I have been watching as we do every year and it's a pretty incredible season. I'm not a dancer myself, so I watch the show very differently than many of my friends...but the choreography this season has been phenomenal so far. New choreographers, Tabitha and Napoleon have created a couple of the best routines I've ever seen on the show. They do a lyrical hip-hop with strong narratives that bring the best out of all of the dancers they work with.

It's funny how an incredible dance can make you pay attention to a song you would have typically ignored. So far I've found myself suddenly hooked to pop songs I would have completely overlooked because of the beautiful dances that were set to them. "No Air" and "Bleeding Love" weren't exactly on the top of my iTunes wish list but lately I can't get them out of my head.

One song that was used last week during a stunning piece by Mia Michaels was Adele's "Hometown Glory." This girl has a phenomenal voice and has a lot more going for her than being just another Winehouse knockoff. Download it!

Digital bare!

2008-07-02T17:53:00.000-04:00

Hey guys,

The studio recording of 'bare' has finally entered the digital world. 'bare' is now officially available on iTunes and Amazon mp3!

Needless to say...I'm thrilled. I cannot stress how many people I know have held off purchasing it because it wasn't available to download. It was an incredible project.

It should also be available on Rhapsody soon!

Check it out!

A Piece of What You Need

2008-06-21T17:16:00.000-04:00

Summer has arived. And so has a new album from one of my favorite artists, Teddy Thompson.

I love this guys voice. It has the same soulful drawl that Rufus Wainwright is known for...in fact they work together quite often. But, unlike Rufus, his music is more folk influenced and less theatrical. You'd think some of his songs came straight out of the south...but don't be fooled...this guy's from the UK.

The new album is beautiful. A bit grander than his last (and brilliant) album, 'Separate Ways.'

Check it out.

Farewell to two stars!

2008-05-21T03:20:00.000-04:00

Photo credit: Broadway.com

On sunday night, myself and the rest of the Spring Awakening company experienced something incredible. The Eugene O'Neill shook with screaming and cheering. I stopped counting the standing ovations. It honestly sounded like that small 1100 seat theatre was a stadium. Each of us realized that no matter how successful any of us continue to be or become...we will never again experience an audience or a night like that on Broadway. It was truly magical. A rock concert to the highest degree. It's always an honor to stand on that stage...but being surrounded only by die-hard fans who have devoted so much to our show meant the world to all of us.

It also deeply moved me to see how much love and support was given to the spectacular Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff. They were the heart of our show and company. I have learned so much from the both of them. Being the cover for Jonathan Groff was such an honor. It was always a pleasure. He's one of my heros. No matter how wonderful change can be, they will be sorely missed. I cannot believe how fast time flies. It seems like just yesterday I was sitting in the audience at Radio City while our show won 8 Tony Awards. Seeing everyone moving on is exciting and heartbreaking.

I wish I could slow down all of the special moments.

Photo Credit: Broadway.com

It's really crazy to think about what my past year has been like with Spring Awakening. I was shocked to learn only the other night from a fellow cast member that I had been nominated for a Broadway.com award.......I gotta admit, I'm flattered. It's been an incredible year getting to where I am in the company and I was so honored that I was recognized in that category. I never thought I'd ever be up against Bob Saget, Clay Aiken, or Mario Lopez for anything...period. Hahah. But it's really awesome to know that the Spring Awakening fans would support both Blake Bashoff and myself in the big world of broadway replacements. So, kudos guys.

Okay so I already have some new music. If you like lyric driven bad ass folk sung by a sexy female voice...check out Laura Marling.

I love her music. She's a brit and thankfully doesn't hide that. Her accent and inflections really add to her already sultry voice. Her lyrics are spectacular and tell rich stories. Right now she has an EP out called "My Manic and I" that you can purchase on iTunes. Her album drops June 3rd. I'm very excited. She has already had a lot of success in the UK.

I would check out her myspace first.

http://www.myspace.com/lauramarling

Listen to "My Manic and I".

When I was 19...

2008-05-18T02:40:00.000-04:00

When I was 19...I was just joining the cast of Spring Awakening. I thought that was a pretty big accomplishment for 19...

What's with record deals at 19?!?

Paolo Nutini released is incredible album "These Streets" at 19. I love every bit of flaw and perfection on that album.

I've just discovered another artist who is also 19 and charms on the same level. He is Canadian, Justin Nozuka. I'm surprised I didn't come across his album sooner. As you all know, I love soul...and this kid has a LOT of soul.

His album "Holly" dropped April 15th. It's awesome. In the same juvenile-spirit as Paolo Nutini, his talent outshines whatever poor lyrics or music choices he makes on the album. I'm thrilled to have discovered his music. It's rare that I get really excited about a new voice...and I've only listened through the album once...but I don't need any more convincing...

This is perfect Sunday morning listening. Buy it. Go to his myspace http://www.myspace.com/justinnozuka

Listen to "After Tonight"...The second you get to the chorus, you'll be hooked as well.

Hanschen and Jim

2008-05-01T16:15:00.000-04:00

Keeping a blog can be very difficult at times. When things get a bit hectic it's almost harder to write than when things are slow and you have nothing deep to write about!

As many of you know, last Tuesday was my first official day as Hanschen. It was crazy. Actually, it was a very emotional day for me. Playing a role full time on Broadway is thrilling. To play a full time role in a show like Spring Awakening is an honor. So even though I had already been on for the role of Hanschen over 45 times, going out there tuesday night as the official, full-time Hanschen was quite nerve racking. It was a lot of dreams and aspirations materializing in front of me for 2 hours at the Eugene O'Neill.

But It's been fantastic so far. Some of you, to my surprise, suggested disappointment that I was no longer going to be in good 'ole AA12 (my onstage chair) swinging all of the other roles. Let me just lightly say...as an actor...and as a year long swing...when your producers and director approach you and ask you to move up to a full time featured role from a swing position, it is nothing to scoff at. There is no 'career choice'. It was an honor and a privilege to move up to such a fantastic role. I am very passionate about the character. Am I still very passionate about Melchior? Absolutely, and I promise I will still be understudying this role.

It's also an immense privilege to be onstage with Lea Michelle and Jonathan Groff in their final month. I have an endless respect and love for the both of them and am thrilled to be sharing the stage with them as Hanschen. Catch the show before May 18th.

Okay...onto music.

When Jamie Lidell released his album 'Multiply' a little while back...it surprised a lot of people. No one knew the guy had that kind of voice in him. Mixing his voice with his already known electronica skills created, in my opinion, magic. 'Multiply' was a fantastic album.

Jamie already dropped a new album this Tuesday. So before you all run out an spend you hard earned cash on Madonna's 'Hard Candy' this week...let me tell you this: Buy this album.

With his new album 'Jim,' Jamie did something interesting this time, that may even put off older fans. He dropped a lot of his experimental edge. I have to admit, I was thrown at first. Maybe even a bit disappointed. I loved Multiply. I knew that it was hardly easy listening at times but it was innovative and always threw you a curve ball. However, what really attracted me to that album at first was the song 'Multiply.' Which was upbeat, classic, and soulful.

Jamie gives us a whole lot more of that title track in his new album. Most of the album seems to tap less into his contemporary-experimental-Jamiroquai side...and taps more into his Jackie Wilson 'Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher' easy listening side. Here he almost seems braver and more comfortable to unabashedly sing full-out, 1970s soul/R&B inspired music. Having grown up listening to that genre of music, a very big smile grew across my face listening to 'Jim.'

The album is nostalgic, full of sweet pop tunes, and has the occasional old-Jamie kick to keep things good and interesting. His lyrics and music still have the odd sense that even when things sound sweet, there is a darker message underneath. There is a nice balance between calculation and free spirit in his songs. For an album so clearly inspired by a particular era and genre, very rarely do things feel affected or crudely recycled. I'm charmed and hooked.

Until next time!

To the Vinyard!

2008-04-05T00:33:00.000-04:00

So I just recently watched the film "Once" again and loved it. It's a spectacular film. If you haven't seen it yet, go out and rent it. Glen Hansard who plays the character of the "Guy", is from the band "The Frames" which is huge in Ireland. I know their music well and Damien Rice once stated that they are his biggest influence. Check them out.

Some great news. I will be taking over the role of Hanschen in Spring Awakening starting April 22nd. I'm very excited. It's a wonderfully rich character and it's an honor to fill the shoes of Jonathan B. Wright who originated the role. I will retain my understudy position as Melchior and will continue to explore that character. I'm thrilled to be attached to these two roles. I am very passionate about both of them. It's wonderful to be bumped up from the swing position. I have worked hard in that position for over a year now and I am very grateful to have the rare opportunity of bumping up into a full time character for the time being.

I'm working on a few things right now. It's been an exciting few months and I'm hoping for a very busy summer that will possibly take me all over the place.

Looking forward to an interesting couple of months. Will keep you all updated.

Matt

Paolo and such

2008-03-25T01:48:00.000-04:00

Over the past year one of my favorite UK artists released his singles and record in the US. His name is Paolo Nutini, and I gotta say, my respect for this kid is endless. He recorded his debut album at only 19 and it shows a depth and maturity FAR beyond his years. His is a talented musician and brilliant songwriter for his age. His songs are catchy, personal, and carried by a voice that is extremely soulful.

I'm sad to see that he hasn't been the same explosive hit in the US that he was in the UK. I think I've talked about him a couple times on here previously, but here's an extra reminder: If you haven't bought "These Streets" by Paolo Nutini and you like folk/pop music....go buy it. He Rocks. Listen to "Last Request", "These Streets", "Million Faces", "Autumn", and "Loving You."

On a quick side note...I have received a few messages recently regarding a possible job I have been up for. I'm not sure how the information was leaked...and I'm flattered that anyone actually cares about my auditioning life hahah...but let me set the record straight in saying that as of now it is purely rumor. I have always kept fans informed of official news and about what new projects I am actually doing and will continue to do so for the time being.

Very random but...Has anyone seen Horton Hears a Who yet? I loved it. So many generations have grown up on Dr. Suess. It's amazing to think what a phenomenon these books have been. I thought the movie completely captured the essence of the books. There is something so fascinating about the books because they are just SO odd and unlike any other childrens books...I adored them and was pleasantly surprised to see that the movie was so good.

On a VERY different level...has anyone seen Children of Men? I FINALLY saw it for the first time. As a huge fan of Blade Runner, I was thrilled. It was a remarkable film.

I have been insanely busy. I promise more updates are on the way.

Pop and Not

2008-03-05T01:09:00.000-05:00

For the past couple of months I haven't done a lot of writing because everything seems to be in a bit of a limbo period right now...not sure what's going to change or not. It’s the exciting and horrifying part about being in this business. I’m very grateful to already have a fantastic base like Spring Awakening.

Recently I have actually been receiving an odd amount of emails from fans regarding my taste in music. It’s true that I tend to recommend things that are less top 40 pop and maybe sometimes way off the beaten path, for example my next recommendation. That is a band named The Callers. They are based in providence Rhode Island. My sister, Colleen, was the one who got me hooked a little over a year ago on some of their demos from their self-released album. You won’t find them on iTunes, and it’s hard to even find much about them through google. But I think they are remarkable. I also think the lead singer has an immensely rich voice that is a bit of a mix between Madeline Peyroux and Carole King. They show a lot of promise for an underground band from Providence. Go to: http://www.myspace.com/callers

On a MUCH more mainstream level...I going to finally talk about James Morrison. I'm not sure why I never mentioned him on here, but I gotta say how impressed I am by this guy. When I was in the UK he was just breaking out. "You Give Me Something" played pretty much non-stop in Tesco foods every time I grocery shopped there. I would walk out and realize I was humming it an hour later. His voice is a more listenable Ray Lamontagne sound. And his songs are all sweet and uplifting. Think...great driving music. I'm impressed at how much the states have taken to his music. Really...I don't need to give a link...he's huge now. Just google. Or iTunes.

So what’s with talking about such unknown music? I have nothing against pop music. In fact I’m actually fascinated by pop music and have a great deal of respect for it. Whether we’re talking about High School Musical or Timberlake’s Futursex/Lovesounds…there is a great deal of genius behind most pop music. Anything that becomes wildly popular should be commended. While it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I think there is something very special to be said about a phenomenon like a pop album. It reminds us how universal music is. Hit Me Baby One More Time, Pop, Faith, Thriller…these are brilliant songs. I think back on the boy band crazes and Brittany when she first landed onto the scene and remember what remarkable creations these were in terms of entertainment. They did everything, were incredible performers, and had incredible creative teams working behind them. There is such a great deal of creative force that goes into a single well-crafted pop song. In the same way that I respect many indie artists for being so unique and individual, I respect many pop artists for being so collaborative. There are brilliant musicians, mixers, writers, singers…ect…behind these songs that have the remarkable understanding of how to create a piece of music that will thrill someone from Tokyo as much as someone from Wisconsin.

I guess I tend to recommend music that’s a bit more off the beaten path because most people don’t know about that music and I feel it deserves to be heard.

If you’re in New York this week, go outside! The weather is supposed to be great. Spring is just around the corner. I can’t wait.

Saturdays and Sundays.

2008-02-24T01:47:00.000-05:00

So it's been a month...

I kept thinking that I was going to write in my blog...It's been such a crazy month and things have changed so much day to day that I felt awkward putting any of it into writing.

Today I went back on for Melchior at the matinee and evening performance. It was a fantastic day and I had the pleasure of doing both shows with the stunningly brilliant Alexandra Socha, who also is currently a swing for the show. She was my Wendla for the day. This girl is a phenomenon!

I am reminded every time I go on, what a privilege it is to perform such material. It is such a thrill to be involved with this work and I know that I have certainly said that more than a few times on this blog.

Some interesting things in the works...If they progress, I will certainly post about them here.

Go see Sunday In The Park With George. It is an incredible production. I was so moved by this production. It was just remarkable. Jenna Russell and Daniel Evans are sight to behold. This is quite possibly one of the most triumphant revivals in quite some time. Go see it!

New music.

2008-01-27T00:06:00.000-05:00

Looking for a new artist? Right now I'm really getting into Yael Naim. How did I come across her? Well...I'll be honest...the Macbook Air spot. You know? The one where they pull the ridiculous computer out of the inner-office envelope?

Well, the song on the commercial is called "New Soul." It's great, but so is the album it's from. She's Paris born, Israeli-raised...Her music is rich with culture, heart, and well...soul. Check out her self-titled debut album.

Take your vitamins!!!

Hanschen

2008-01-10T20:02:00.000-05:00

I have recieved many messages asking me when I will be playing the role of Hanschen lately. I am on for Hanschen the 11th through the 20th.

Happy January.

Matt

Covers.

2008-01-02T04:01:00.000-05:00

I had this music recommendation thing on here for a while that shamefully faded away. So here goes: Listen to Prince's cover of "A Case of You." I'm listening to it right now...It makes me smile and admire his wonderful absurdity.

The cover is very Prince. It was one of the few tracks from the Tribute to Joni Mitchell album that I thought really soared. It's a hard thing to listen to covers sometimes. Occasionally you come across one that just works. The song has a new spark, a fresh take, but it's still respectful to the original piece. What unfortunately happens to many covers (including those on the Tribute Album) is that they are either so far from the original that you wonder what the point was...or they sound so close to the original that you also wonder what the point was.

I record covers and often come across this problem. I think covers are best when they revive a dead song. Songs from those like Joni Mitchell and say...The Beatles...are the hardest to cover. Their classics are never dead, and are played in the bedrooms of most teenagers today. All this being said, I still admire the Tribute album, and have obsessed my fair share over almost every artist on it. Emmylou has mean cover on it as well...still don't know what Sufjan was thinking. Haha.

Tribute albums are trouble...they frustrate me. Don't get me started on Queen's.

Check out Ingrid Michaelson as well when you have the time. She's a charming singer/songwriter who is suddenly taking off thanks to the help of a little music phenomenon called "Grey's Anatomy." Remember that really gorgeous and emotional song that played at the end of last year’s finale when Sandra Oh was stealing the entire show again? That was hers..."Keep Breathing." I discovered her when Ben, the irreplaceable and insanely talented cellist at Spring Awakening, told me he plays with her. Borders is also promoting one of her albums right now. Her song "The way I am" is getting a lot of radio play right now.

http://www.ingridmichaelson.com/

Happy New Year

2008-01-02T03:34:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I think it's time to get this blog going again. Because, the truth is, it clears my head and I have had the wildest time looking back on old posts. If anyone were considering keeping a journal of any sort I would really recommend it. Make it a goal this year. ;)

New years was great. Had dinner with my sister and I still managed to meet up with some friends and head to a great New Years Party...avoiding Times Square like a plague.

As I did at the Tony after party...I played it very safe, knowing that the possibility of me going for a role the next day was HIGHLY likely.

And of course I was right. Tonight I played the role of Ernst. Again, swinging always keeps you on your toes. I got a few phone calls back and forth before I knew what role I'd really be on for...all male swings were on tonight! It was understudy insanity to say the least. Not really anyone’s comfort level of male understudies, but of course we pulled it off. It was actually a great show.

I loved the sudden holiday tourist burst. It was fantastic! Honestly, all last week I had at least one person sitting next to my ensemble chair on stage that DIDN'T know I was in the show. Hahaha! We had many first timers last week, and hearing the gasp of horror/surprise when I stood up to sing during touch me reminded me of the days closer to the opening of the show. But I shouldn't be in my ensemble chair too much this week. I'll most likely be back in Bitch during the weekend shows. Tis the season. It's a nice change. I went almost 3 weeks not having gone on for a role. THAT is record shattering...considering that fact that I covered all 5 of my tracks in the month of September...and have been on pretty non-stop otherwise.

Looking forward to the New Year.

Quiet December

2007-12-25T15:10:00.001-05:00

There has been a lot of slowdown on this blog lately. I appologize, but I gotta say, the winter is as dead as ever. This is very typical. Last year before I even got spring awakening I don't think I made a single post in December. Not too much news to report.

I am working on a few new things. I have no idea where any of them will take me. Other than those projects, I recently had the pleasure of being involved in a reading for Henry Krieger's new musical 'The Flamingo Kid'. The music was spectacular and I'm sure the show will be a lot of fun if/when it moves. Working with a legend like Henry was such an honor. Definitely a great side project to be involved in this past month.

It's always exciting to know that January is right around the corner. Last year everything exploded for me in January. This year I've got a fantastic job, a fantastic new family, and an entirely new prespective. I'm very curious to see where things will take me. There are a couple of exciting prospects but it's too early to even think about them. All I can say now is that I am so grateful to be where I am today.

And where I am today...is the Eugene O'Neill theatre. We have a show in a few hours. Merry Christmas everyone.

Matt

Happy Birthday...

2007-12-10T02:09:00.000-05:00

Spring Awakening.

A year ago, December 10th, Spring Awakening opened on Broadway. This show has given me everything. Happy Anniversary to co-workers, family, friends, and fans. Tonight was perhaps our best performance ever. It was quite an emotional rush to be sitting on that stage tonight. I would go further into it all but there are simply no words to truly describe this journey.

Special thanks to the "dedicated ones"...you know who you are ;).