This show is Exciting! Exciting! Exciting! – Chatting with Beetlejuice’s Elliott Mattox

Kevin Ray Johnson

Meet Elliott Mattox! 

Elliott is currently starring in the out of town tryout of Beetlejuice at The National Theatre in Washington DC. He made his Broadway debut in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and is co-host of Equity One: Broadway's Happy Hour! “As you know, sometimes in this business we have to make our own creative opportunities. My best friend, Caleb Dicke, and I have always wanted to work together on something creative. Caleb came to visit me on a contract, and we were Face timing my boyfriend. Our antics had him laughing nonstop, and he put the idea of starting a podcast into our heads. Last summer, we finally decided to just buy a microphone and start! We have a blast doing something together and talking about the industry with people we really respect! Give us a listen on iTunes!” says Mattox.

Elliott knew he wanted to perform at such a young age. He grew up around music and started taking dance class reasonably young.  But there was one moment in particular when he realized that performing was what he really wanted to do. “I did a production of The Music Man in 5th grade, and as soon as it was over, I was so sad that I spent the entire next few days crying and looking at pictures from the experience. I knew then that performing was something that I wanted to pursue,” says Elliott. Minus his mother who is a singer and plays the piano, Elliott is the only person in his family who performs, but he still had a family who completely supported his dream of performing on stage. Elliot stated that “As a young kid with a laser focus on the industry when I was learning, my family was also learning. They were endlessly supportive and worked hard to make sure I could pursue a career in the arts. I'm very grateful for that.”  

So I grew up on the movie Beetlejuice (my sister and I probably watched it at least a thousand times), and when I saw that a musical was being made and will be heading to Broadway, I was beyond happy to hear that! I asked Elliott to describe in one word (and say it three times) his experience with the new musical, and he said “EXCITING. EXCITING. EXCITING. I've been lucky enough to be a part of the lab process for Beetlejuice, and it’s been thrilling since day one. Being in a new musical is a crazy experience because everyone is working around the clock to make the show it's very best. There are new pages in our scripts almost every day! It keeps getting better and better. I will say that I think my favorite part is the heart at the center of the story we're telling. Get ready for a wild ride!”

Every artist will have those special moments and shows that will always be near and dear to their heart and for Elliott that was his Broadway debut! “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will always hold a special place in my heart; it made so many of my childhood dreams come true. It was a special time that I got to share with all of my family and friends” says Mattox. Elliott will always be thankful for his cast at Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  He stated that “My family at Charlie was by my side through a tough time in my life when I experienced a loss in my family during outrun. It reminded me that community is one of the things that drew me to theatre in the first place. That was a really special experience.”

Elliott Mattox (Dancers of NY)

There is an endless number of people that Elliott could list that have helped him to this point! He said that “Teachers are so important to the development of young artists. I've had mentors teach me so many important lessons - and I'm still learning from teachers and mentors every day. What I've learned over the years is that we also learn countless lessons from watching our peers! Seeing the work of the people around you can teach you so much. I'm constantly inspired to keep growing by simply looking around.”

Elliott has excellent advice for all the young actors wanting to pursue a performing career, and that is – “Work hard. Learn as much as you can. Don't compare yourself to others. Love yourself. This business can be tough, but incredibly rewarding. I'm living my dream every single day, and it is the product of countless hours of work and dedication to becoming the best artist that I can be. Trust that your dreams can come true!”

Elliott is an extraordinary performer and an even better person. If you are in the DC area, I strongly suggest going to check out Beetlejuice at The National Theatre.

For more information on Elliott please visit – www.elliottmattox.com. For more information on that please visit – www.beetlejuicebroadway.com & for more information on his Podcast (Equity One) please visit – www.soundcloud.com/equityonepodcast.