m a t t p o w e l l
Musical Theatre Creative | Video Designer | Queer Practitioner
C.V.
Career Summary:
Over the past eight years, I have worked in a range of roles & creative environments, predominately in Musical and Digital Theatre. I ran a successful community & youth theatre production company in the East Midlands for six years, before moving to London to study at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Since then, I have grown a successful freelance career & continue to produce a variety of work through MPTheatricals. At the core of all my work, I focus on developing creatives, talent and artists through bespoke support, opportunities and productions.
I have worked as Director, Video Designer, Producer or Assistant to Southwark Playhouse, ALPMusicals, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Derby Theatre, Curve Theatre, The Lowry, The MTA, University of the Arts Philadelphia, Watford Palace Theatre, The Other Palace/LW Theatres, Vaudeville Theatre as part of NIMAX’s Rising Stars Festival, Aria Entertainment & my own produced work through MPTheatricals.
Where I Am Now:
I am currently a self-represented freelancer, working in various Digital, Video Design, Producing & Directing roles. I produce and develop new LGBTQ+ focused musicals through my company MPTheatricals on an ongoing basis.
Artistic Mission:
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Provide a passion, excitement and energy for creating unforgettable theatre
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Question and explore the future of musical theatre, experimenting with sound, style and stories
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Support & amplify LGBTQ+ voices & artists
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Innovate and explore how video design can interact and enhance theatrical performance
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Developing bespoke programmes and seasons of work that dare to take bold creative risks
December 2021 | SANTA MUST DIE! | by Rosie MacPherson
Video Designer
Creating integrated captions for songs as animated lyric videos and producing comical adverts interlaced throughout the gig theatre piece.
November 2021 | RUMI | by Dana Al Fardan & Nadim Nassam
London Coliseum
Video Designer
Creating a 3D animated moon, sun and additional textures for the semi-staged concert production.
October 2021 | SNOWFLAKE | by Lewis Cornay
The Lowry, Salford Quays
Producer/Video Designer
Producing a semi-staged concert production as part of The Lowry’s REWRITES festival and creating a scrapbook inspired video design.
September 2021 | MAGDELENE | by Mary Galloway
Arcola Outside
Associate Video Designer (Director: Julia Locassio)
Creating new material and reprogramming/editing Sapphire Goss’ initial video design.
August-September 2021 | Big Watford Bunting
Watford Palace Theatre
Digital Artist
Creating an interactive, digital database and experience of 600 bunting pieces created by the local community.
July-August 2021 | BUFFERING... & Buffergram
Watford Palace Theatre Young Company
Assistant Director with Digital Focus (Director - Vedi Roy)
Assisting the devising process & creating a web-based digital outlet for the participants.
June 2021 | Is He Musical? | by Jude Taylor
MPTheatricals - Curve Theatre
Director/Producer
Running a two-day workshop after commissioning and developing remotely the musical from February 2021
June 2021 | 34 | by Drew Dillion
Aria Entertainment - The Lowry
Video Designer (Director: Bronagh Lagan)
Providing location, neon and particle effects for a workshop production as part of the Lowry’s REWRITES festival. Click here for Showreel
May 2021 | Public Domain | by Forristal and Clarke
ALPMusicals - Vaudeville Theatre
Video Designer/Associate Director
Providing a continuous video design simulating the world of the internet whilst working as associate to provide a dramaturgical link between the video design and the staging. Showreel Coming Soon.
April-May 2021 | The Money | by Isla Van Tricht
represent - Southwark Playhouse
Digital Stage Manager (Director: Guy Woolf)
Operating and managing the three week zoom play, ensuring smooth technical production on behalf of theatrical.solutions
May 2021 | Lewis, Grace & Friends
MPTheatricals - stream.theatre
Producer/Editor
Organising & editing an hour-long cabaret featuring a West End cast as part of fundraising efforts to develop new musical Snowflake
April 2021 | The Blazing World | by Brandy Hoang Collier & Sean Eads
University of the Arts, Philadelphia - Polyphone Festival
Video Editor & Designer (Director: Zi Alikhan)
Providing location, neon and particle effects for a workshop production as part of the Lowry’s REWRITES festival. Showreel Coming Soon.
February 2021 | QUEERME
MPTheatricals - Digital
Producer/Curator
Commissioning eight writing teams to create a song exploring LGBTQ+ history. Click here to watch.
January 2021 | Public Domain | by Forristal & Clarke
ALPMusicals - Southwark Playhouse (Digital)
Video Designer & Associate Director (Director: Adam Lenson)
Creating a fully integrated video design for the social media based musical. Effects work & design included overlays, glitches, found footage editing, vlogger effects
December 2020 | Wilf Goes Wild | by Sarah Middleton & Josh Sneesby
MPTheatricals - Digital
Director/Producer/Video Editor
Commissioning, developing, voice directing and editing the fifteen-minute musical pilot. Received Arts Council funding (under 15k).
November 2020 | Subway | by Gus Gowland
MPTheatricals - Audio
Director/Producer
Ten-minute musical short starring Nicholas McLean and Jack Reitman, streaming on all major music platforms.
October 2020 | SHIFT+ALT+RIGHT | by Hilmi Jaidin
ALPMusicals - Digital
Video Designer (Director: Adam Lenson)
Providing overlays and fake video game design for the live-streamed new musical.
October 2020 | Ordinary Days
Top Note Arts - Digital
Viedo Editor (Director: Leah Fogo)
Editing and video design for remotely filmed, ninety-minute digital production
October 2020 | Make Me Infamous | by Jude Taylor
MPTheatricals - Digital
Producer/Editor
Overseeing production and distribution of a radio adaptation, featuring a cast of sixteen actors & three creatives, produced entirely over lockdown. Available at www.mptheatricals.co.uk/make-me-infamous
October 2020 | MA Music Theatre Catch Up Productions
The Limit | by Freya Smith & Jack Williams
Catch Me | by Christian Czorynj & Arnoud Breitbarth
Royal Central School of Speech and Drama | Streamed Films
Assistant Director
Student production for the MA Music Theatre 2020 cohort, rehearsing two casts per production. Responsibilities include teaching staging, cover rehearsals, acting through song & character development
September 2020 | Coming Home | by Annemarie Lewis Thomas
The MTA - Digital
Video Editor/Associate Director
Editing and co-directing a student production featuring 18 students remotely
October 2020 | Snowflake: Visual EP | by Lewis Cornay
MPTheatricals - Digital
Video Editor/Producer
Editing and organising 40 performers creating an interlinking series of music videos introducing the world of the new musical.
Finalist at the Offies 2020 – OnComm Award for Innovation | Click here to watch
June-July 2020 | MTPRIDE
MPTheatricals/Queerly Productions/ALPMusicals/Musical Theatre Network/Mercury Musical Development | Digital Festival
Co-Curator/Producer
Co-curating and producing a three-week digital festival of events celebrating LGBTQ+ performers and creatives in new musical theatre.
June 2020 | QUEERED Volume 1
MPTheatricals - Digital
Director/Editor
Creating a ninety-minute showcase of queer talent, performing reframed musical theatre classics to have a queer narrative. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB-DRkm0w0c
April-May 2020 | on hope: a digital song cycle | by Sixty Song Writers & Teams
The Other Palace & MPTheatricals
Director/Co-Curator/Producer
Working with dramaturg Victoria Saxton & producer Kiki Stevenson to collaborate with sixty writing teams around the world to create a three-part, song cycle showcasing new songs themed around hope, produced entirely remotely at the height of lockdown. Click here to watch
March 2020 | STAGES: A Video Game Musical | by Christian Czornyj
ALPMusicals - VAULTS Festival
Assistant Director/Stage Manager (Director: Adam Lenson)
Assisting director Adam Lenson and writer Christian Czornyj on a choose your own adventure musical & ensuring a smooth operating of the show as stage manager
February 2020 | Plaza: A Devised Musical
Royal Central School of Speech and Drama - Webber Douglas Theatre
Assistant Director/Video Designer (Director: Maja Milatovic-Ovadia
Student production for the MA Music Theatre 2020 cohort
September 2019 | Carrie The Musical
Regis Theatre - Duchess Theatre
Movement Director/Production Designer
Community production with 16 actors
August 2019 | Chicago: School Edition
Creatio - Duchess Theatre
Director/Producer
Youth theatre production with 12 young people aged 13-18
July 2019 | American Idiot
MTExperiements
Director/Video Designer/Producer
Community production with 35 actors
May 2019 | Into the Woods
Royal Central School of Speech and Drama - Embassy Theatre
Assistant Director (Director: Adam Lenson)
Student production for the MA Music Theatre 2019 cohort
February 2019 | The Tunnel: A Devised Musical
Royal Central School of Speech and Drama - Webber Douglas Theatre
Assistant Director (Director: Maja Milatovic-Ovadia)
Student production for the MA Music Theatre 2019 cohort