Multi-Talented JB National Tour Cast Member Brandon Matthieus
November 24th, 2009Edith Billups of the Examiner.com has a terrific interview with Brandon Mattieus, who plays multiple roles including Hal Miller, Barry Belson, a cop, a detective, and two other parts in the JERSEY BOYS national tour. Here’s a preview:
As an actor who plays six different roles in the National Theatre production of the Broadway hit Jersey Boys, Stanford graduate Brandon Matthieus feels particularly blessed. “When I was going to college, I interned for Mel Gibson’s and Denzel Washington’s public relations person,†said Matthieus, 34. “I thought I was going to be a PR person and never thought I would be doing this.â€
As fate would have it, Matthieus, the son of an African-American father and Filipino/Italian mother, would be asked to audition for the role of Simba in The Lion King and would land the understudy role. “There weren’t a lot of black guys on the roster to submit names to play Simba,†said the singer/actor who had studied musical theater and opera at Northwestern and sociology at Stanford. “So when they asked if I could sing, I said ‘yes’.â€
Matthieus would go on to play Simba in the first and second U.S. tours of the smash Broadway hit, and what had been a hobby since the age of 10 would turn into a successful career.
Visit Examiner.com to read the full interview with Brandon.
I saw Jersey Boys today at the National Theatre in DC and Brandon was in the cast. He is very talented and I thought it was cool how he played several parts; the police officer character was memorable. Because he is so talented, it’s too bad that he doesn’t do more in this show. I can actually see him as the tall Jersey Boy, Bob. I hope he will get a chance to roar on this show too. I think audiences would be okay with it.
Comment by Jackie — November 29, 2009 @ 10:54 pm