Matt gets sappy about his first year in NYC and network television… box wine was not involved.

Wow! What a fantastic day. What a fantastic first year in New York for that matter. April 30th marked one year in this crazy city. It was a year of cold showers, cockroaches, hunger, profiteering sublessors, poverty, rejection, rodents, nights without heat, homesickness, superficial socialite hypocrites, and destroyed credit. Despite it all, the year was so amazing that none of the nonsense could keep me down.

Right now I’m reading Dracula, something I thought I’d never do as vampires are one of the few things that terrify me. In it, Bram Stoker writes, “we learn from failure, not from success!” I can’t count count the amount of times I failed in this past year. But I can tell you that each time, and I’m so thankful that this is the case, something inside me said, “get back up, brush yourself off, and do it again.”

There were lots of risks involved with coming to New York. First off, I didn’t have anywhere to live. My family all thought I did but they would’ve been worried sick if they knew I didn’t. I started in a hostel which wasn’t bad, the main problem was Read the rest of this entry »

BoCoCa stands for Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens — yes, that means it’s in Brooklyn. Well worth the trip for any Manhattanite though to see the reprise of “The Divine Will of Ryan Morgan.” Just don’t drink the water. I just got done playing the role in my first Off-Broadway experience and let me just say, it was one of the best times I’ve had on stage. It’s got rock music, priests, porn, and me as a total smartass. More details to come soon, for now, just know that it’s going to be amazing and it runs July 17-26th.

Info on the Festival
The BoCoCa Arts Festival will take place throughout the BoCoCa community and encompass all aspects of music, theater, visual and performing arts. HDP plans to utilize unconventional venues, including bars, restaurants, theaters, empty store fronts and galleries, to perform and display various works. With this festival, we hope to foster and challenge creative expression as well as unite and support both the artists, residents and businesses of the community.

I’m getting very excited about “Cutrell and Co-Horts”, Brandon Cutrell, the venerable cabaret performer and co-host of the popular “After Party” musical theatre party, will be showcasing the talent of some of New York’s most promising newcoming musical theatre artists on May 7th at the Laurie Beachman Theatre. Now you can book your tickets to the show right on my website! Tickets are $20. There is a $1.50 handling fee (it shows up as tax for some reason but it’s the handling fee) and your tickets will be available for you at the theatre box office. $15 Food and/or Beverage Minimum. Doors open 1/2 hour prior to show.

Brandon Cutrell
MAC AWARD and BISTRO AWARD winner Brandon Cutrell made his entrance on the New York cabaret stage in 2001’s It’s an Art: The Music of Stephen Schwartz (with Stephen Schwartz). Other New York credits: Broadway By The Year (Town Hall, directed by Emily Skinner), The 2nd Annual Broadway Unplugged (Town Hall), Pippin (with Ben Vereen and Rosie O’Donnell), Liz Swados’ Waiting For Lefty and David Friedman’s King Island Christmas. Nationally, Brandon has performed with Theatre of the Stars, Goodspeed Musicals, the Human Race Theatre, and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. Brandon’s solo cabaret debut, entitled, was honored by TheaterMania as the best debut show of 2002 and by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC), which honored Brandon in 2003 with the MAC Award for Best Male Debut. Brandon’s show, No Reservations, enjoyed a four month run in New York and received the praise of Stephen Holden in The New York Times. No Reservations also earned Brandon his second MAC Award, the 2005 MAC Award for Outstanding Male Vocalist, and the 2005 Back Stage Bistro Award for Outstanding Male Vocalist. For nearly two years, Brandon was the original Host of Mostly Sondheim. Brandon made his debut in the Algonquin’s Oak Room when he was named a finalist in the Algonquin’s Young Artist Competition. In June of 2006, Brandon made his solo debut at Feinstein’s, New York’s legendary nightclub on Park Avenue. Every Monday night during the summer, Brandon and his musical director, Ray Fellman, can be found at the Ice Palace on Fire Island as the Hosts of Brandon and Ray’s Broadway At The Beach.

The son of a United Methodist preacher, Brandon was born and raised in Indiana. It was in the church where Brandon at the age of three made his solo debut. In addition to sacred choral music and hymns, Brandon was very influenced musically by his mother’s record collection, which included gospel singer Sandi Patty, Johnny Mathis, The Carpenters, Barry Manilow and Anne Murray. Brandon’s life was forever changed when in 1994 he was introduced to the wonder of the Nancy LaMott.

The Laurie Beechman Theater
Downstairs at the West Bank Cafe is the Laurie Beechman Theater, a performance and private event space that has hosted hundreds of readings, radio broadcasts, plays, musicals, and concerts since it opened in 1982.

A Slight Headache closed last night but things aren’t slowing down. I began rehearsal for a new show called “The Divine Will of Ryan Morgan” on Saturday morning. The show will be performed in an Off-Broadway venue on May 7th — the same night as my cabaret show. So, I’ll be performing at 7pm and then running up 15 blocks to perform a completely different show at 9:30pm. As I approach my first year in NYC, it’s great to be working on so many cool projects. More details to come soon on Ryan Morgan — I play his smart ass best friend — it’s a good part and a really well written script.

Here are some photos from the upcoming show “The Divine Will of Ryan Morgan”:
Click on the pics for my character, Jeremey’s explanation of the photo.

Well that’s what the advertisement says for the upcoming “Brandon Cutrell & Co-Horts”, a cabaret performance I’ll be appearing in at the Laurie Beechman Theater on May 7th. More details on the event soon, as well as the ability to purchase tickets, but for now, here’s some brief information about the event, Brandon Cutrell, and the venue:

Brandon Cutrell & Co-Horts
Thursday, May 7th @ 9:30pm
Brandon Cutrell, popular co-host of The After Party, invites a few of New York’s most promising newcomers to take the stage and showcase their talents. From songwriters to singers, this show is full of variety! $20 cover plus $15 Food and/or Beverage Minimum. Doors open 1/2 hour prior to show.

Brandon Cutrell
MAC AWARD and BISTRO AWARD winner Brandon Cutrell made his entrance on the New York cabaret stage in 2001′s It’s an Art: The Music of Stephen Schwartz (with Stephen Schwartz). Other New York credits: Broadway By The Year (Town Hall, directed by Emily Skinner), The 2nd Annual Broadway Unplugged (Town Hall), Pippin (with Ben Vereen and Rosie O’Donnell), Liz Swados’ Waiting For Lefty and David Friedman’s King Island Christmas. Nationally, Brandon has performed with Theatre of the Stars, Goodspeed Musicals, the Human Race Theatre, and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. Brandon’s solo cabaret debut, entitled, was honored by TheaterMania as the best debut show of 2002 and by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC), which honored Brandon in 2003 with the MAC Award for Best Male Debut. Brandon’s show, No Reservations, enjoyed a four month run in New York and received the praise of Stephen Holden in The New York Times. No Reservations also earned Brandon his second MAC Award, the 2005 MAC Award for Outstanding Male Vocalist, and the 2005 Back Stage Bistro Award for Outstanding Male Vocalist. For nearly two years, Brandon was the original Host of Mostly Sondheim. Brandon made his debut in the Algonquin’s Oak Room when he was named a finalist in the Algonquin’s Young Artist Competition. In June of 2006, Brandon made his solo debut at Feinstein’s, New York’s legendary nightclub on Park Avenue. Every Monday night during the summer, Brandon and his musical director, Ray Fellman, can be found at the Ice Palace on Fire Island as the Hosts of Brandon and Ray’s Broadway At The Beach.

The son of a United Methodist preacher, Brandon was born and raised in Indiana. It was in the church where Brandon at the age of three made his solo debut. In addition to sacred choral music and hymns, Brandon was very influenced musically by his mother’s record collection, which included gospel singer Sandi Patty, Johnny Mathis, The Carpenters, Barry Manilow and Anne Murray. Brandon’s life was forever changed when in 1994 he was introduced to the wonder of the Nancy LaMott.

The Laurie Beechman Theater
Downstairs at the West Bank Cafe is the Laurie Beechman Theater, a performance and private event space that has hosted hundreds of readings, radio broadcasts, plays, musicals, and concerts since it opened in 1982. For more information, please contact Kenny Bell @ 212-695-6909. Starting July 7, 2006, The Laurie Beechman Theater is proud to announce an exciting and eclectic line-up of performers and performances, all of which take place in our gorgeous 80 Seat venue.

As the New York sun slowly decides to share its warmth, Matt’s life and career are heating up and depression’s thawing.

As actors, we’re taught about objectives and how they should lead your character through a story. My friend’s objective was strong enough to get him safely to his bed. He of course, didn’t want to wind up in a compromising situation, or be late for his work function the following day. I’m telling you this because as the weather is growing warmer, I feel like I’ve come out of hibernation. I read my last blog about eating all that leftover Thanksgiving turkey and realized that somehow, I came out of winter better than I went into it. I’m doing a show, I’m making ends meet — even if it is on very little, and I’m not working some stupid job… I’m a working actor. Ok, ok, I do a few other things to make money here and there other than the show, but my days are filled with lots of activity pertinent to being an actor. Read the rest of this entry »

I had my New York Theatrical Debut this Thursday, March 26th, appearing in Alyson Pou’s “A Slight Headache” at South Street Seaport Museum’s Melville Gallery. If you’d like to see it, you have until April 19th. Sometimes as artists, or even New Yorkers, we feel like the black sheep of society because we’ve made a choice to do something different with our lives. “A Slight Headache” is essentially the story of an ambitious, intelligent girl who wants to leave home to be a scientist. There’s one major problem however, her mother. The show takes audience members back to the 1890s where a mother and daughter run what is essentially, an upscale freak show. The mother and daughter are themselves “freaks” as they are attached by hair that cannot be cut (a knowing and playful twist on conjoined twins). As the daughter grows, she feels that she is merely a pawn in her mother’s enterprising ways and looks to escape.

I play the part of The Maestro. He’d hoped to play the piano and sing to audiences in beautiful concert halls, but now, he performs once an evening at a freak show… and it’s not even Mr. Ripley’s! For the rest of the night, he accompanies mother and daughter through their gimmicky show which the mother is often drunk during. The project was a lot of fun for me and I even got to write a large portion of the music that is performed. The show runs at 7:30pm, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Details are below…

PURCHASE TICKETS

A SLIGHT HEADACHE
March 20 – April 19
South Street Seaport Museum, Melville Gallery
213 Water Street NY, NY

A Slight Headache (www.aslightheadache.com) is a play of sensuous lyricism staged within a dime museum installation in the evocative setting of New York’s downtown historic district. The event aims to transport audiences back to a time when “the wonders of nature, the works of man” were displayed for profit with amazing theatricality. The classic theme of a daughter’s struggle for freedom and a mother’s quest for survival takes place among the strange, the unusual, the bizarre and the exotic. A new piece written and performed by Alyson Pou, directed by Jessica Bauman, with Gregory Cohen Frumin and Matt Falber.

Performances March 20 – April 19
Thurs – Sun 7:30p

PURCHASE TICKETS