Matt Ritchey

No Matter Watt - The Musical!

matt ritchey · August 07, 2021 certified reviewer
Congratulations to Gordon Matheson on a very successful standing ovation opening night of his very first musical! NO MATTER WATT is Matheson‘s musical love letter to the people and places that aided him during his journey through recovery. The show starts off with a great dramatic song about the emotional tortures of hitting rock bottom. We then meet the main character’s confidants and fellow Group members as they confide in the audience and one another about their stories. A loose thematic show ... full review

Tattered Capes

matt ritchey · August 06, 2019 certified reviewer
A super-fun (pun intended, obviously) romantic action piece about insecurity and deep love. I didn't see TC until Extensions and I now understand why it won BEST DANCE AND PHYSICAL THEATER - the use of shadowplay and combat sequences may not have been crucial to the plot, but they WERE crucial to the production. TATTER CAPES had a cinematic vibe while employing tried-and-true theatrical conventions, adding up to a unique yet comfortably familiar experience - cast (especially Dixon, Mercedes, and ... full review

Batter Up! My Brain on Baseball

matt ritchey · July 20, 2019 certified reviewer
Fantastic. I'm an acquaintance to baseball - I love being at a live game and I'll get into whatever happens to be on TV, but to appreciate BATTER UP, you need only be passionate about something - anything. Brett does a fascinating and hugely entertaining job of showing his "stupid human trick" of his freakishly good memory, but it's not the goofy act of memory that shines through - it's that the deep, deep love of everything baseball is attached to it. The drama comes from the in-show games hopin... full review

FERTILE.

matt ritchey · July 14, 2019 certified reviewer
FERTILE is a study in how to do character work in a solo show right. Not only is the structure of the show tight and moves flawlessly, but Heather Dowling creates scenes between two (or three) distinct people and takes her time shifting from one to the next as they communicate. Her timing is perfect and her characters are always honest and never rushed. The show is a terrific blend of comedy, tragedy, drama, and inspiration and Heather is a tremendous performer. Can't wait to see her next proj... full review

The Journey of The Little Prince

matt ritchey · July 04, 2019 certified reviewer
I am woefully late in writing this review... "The Journey of the Little Prince" was a perfect show for this Fringe... or any Fringe! I'd forgotten most of the original story and this production did a wonderful job of hitting me from a completely different angle than the story did when I was a kid... because that's what it's about: being a kid. Or rather, STAYING a kid and not letting becoming an adult stunt your growth. Sweet performances, a very unique design element, and a wonderful mess... full review

Supportive White Parents

matt ritchey · July 02, 2019 certified reviewer
I love this show. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this show! My choice for Top of the Fringe! It's funny, insightful, the musical is fantastic, the performances are not only great but are crisp, specific, and perfectly stylized. Huge credits to not only the cast but the director for this. The songs are super catchy and Joy is simply adorable. A great look at cultural differences made with love, understanding, and heart. ... full review

Red, White, Black & Blue

matt ritchey · June 29, 2019 certified reviewer
Two high-quality scripts elevated by incredible performances and delicate direction. Adam Meredith and Blain Vedros are both captivating as a veteran suffering from PTSD and trying to get his life on track, and as a man wrestling with his past actions and struggling to forgive himself.... full review

THE BULLY PROBLEM

matt ritchey · June 29, 2019 certified reviewer
A tight script with great structure, clever dialogue, and crisp direction from Joanna Syiek, THE BULLY PROBLEM also has extremely fun and stylistically varied songs, my favorite being the nerd/geek anthem “Hide.” A great new musical, THE BULLY PROBLEM is a fun show with a huge heart. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ... full review

This Way Yonder

matt ritchey · June 26, 2019 certified reviewer
A touching and funny slice of life - a great cast with standouts Marjorie Knight as the caustic Ruth battling a war on several fronts at once, Justin Vlach who owns the stage as her brother, and Omar Salazar as hysterical and endearing Cody Tiger. Emotional performances well crafted by director Monica Martin. ... full review

If We Run

matt ritchey · June 26, 2019 certified reviewer
What a great show - a well-crafted story, honest script, great acting, sensitive direction. It's a simple story with incredibly deep stakes and emotion, a slice of real drama that should hit home for everyone who has ever had a true love and made the decision to leave it.... full review