'Looking Ahead' Theatre Talk With Matthew C. Reid

Matthew Reid’s picture and resume were sent to me the other day. Just by reading his impressive resume, I wanted to include his voice in this profile series.

From his website: “[He] is a composer for film, television, games, and theatre. His funny songs have delighted almost a million people during his ten-year stint as composer for Toronto’s world famous Second City comedy theatre. His comedic musical, “The Second City Guide to the Symphony has been performed by top orchestras across the country.

As a film composer, he recently won great acclaim as a composer with Tim Burton’s producer, Derek Frey, on the multiple award-winning film, ‘Green Lake’.

Currently, Matthew is scoring the 9/11 feature documentary ‘No Responders Left Behind’ featuring Jon Stewart.

Additionally, Matthew is also putting the finish touch on a second musical revue with Colin Mochrie, Russel Braun, and members of the T.S.O. entitled ‘Mass Hysterical: A Comedic Cantata’. Featuring actors from Second City and hosted by Colin Mochrie, ‘Mass Hysterical’ will be streamed from the United Kingdom (with North American times). For further information on how to access the production, please visit https://stream.theatre/season/113.

Matthew and I conducted our conversation via email since he is obviously in final preparation for the online production. Thank you, Matthew, for adding your voice to the conversation:

It’s a harsh reality that the worldwide pandemic of Covid 19 has changed all of us. Describe how your understanding of the world you know and how your perception and experience have changed on a personal level.

Same as before COVID - don’t trust anybody over thirty. Or under thirty, for that matter… Come to think of it, if you’ve recently turned thirty as well, I’d wager I can throw you further than I can trust you.

With live indoor theatre shut for one year plus, with it appearing it may not re-open any time soon, how has your understanding and perception as a professional artist of the live theatre industry been altered and changed?

Well, it’s been good to see, once again, that even in dire situations people look for alternatives as best as they can. There was a time when experts thought that in a number of years, we would be neck-deep in horse s**t. Of course, not one of them predicted that the automobile would be the solution.

Similarly, I never expected to create a live musical that would instead be premiered as a collection of footage made separately by all the performers involved on their telephones(!) and then pieced together through the miracle of digital editing. This is not to say that the substitutions that people make out of necessity are always improvements but it’s always fascinating to see the creative ways how people can adapt when the rules change.

As a professional artist, what are you missing the most about the live theatre industry?

Its existence. I would like the live theatre industry to exist again. This goes beyond the feeling of, “Oh, I miss the applause” or “I miss the connection between performers and audience.” I am concerned that the fear created over the last year will permanently stigmatize live events as both dangerous and unclean. I would hate to feel like every show I do is some show for an audience of surgeons in full PPE.

Truly dystopian.

As a professional artist, what is the one thing you will never take for granted again in the live theatre industry when you return to it?

Very simply, I will not take for granted that it will be allowed to exist. Let’s make sure that it continues to exist. Similar to gathering with people over food, gathering with people to experience art is something ancient. I don’t think that can or should be tampered with. And I’m saying that as an extroverted introvert.

Describe one element you hope has changed concerning the live theatre industry.

With one hundred percent conviction, every show needs WAY more pyro. I want the saying to become, if there’s a bottle rocket hanging on the wall in the first act, it should go off in the next one. And then a fireworks display. And then some sort of large tire fire that we dance around naked. I’m convinced Chekhov would have wanted this. 

Explain what specifically you believe you must still accomplish within the industry.

As much as I tried, I have yet to be booed off a stage. It’s nowhere near enough just being mildly disliked! 

But, honestly, the most important accomplishment would be making things that I’m happy with for the rest of my life. Never running out of ideas that are worth pursuing. The form isn’t important as I don’t always have control over it.

Strangely, at my age, and with only a modest level of success, I don’t feel particularly greedy about what my success ought to be. Don’t get me wrong, I would definitely like some sort of luxury boat and, naturally, a king-sized bed made out of ten-dollar bills, but that’s entirely peripheral to who I am.

Some artists are saying that audiences must be prepared for a tsunami of Covid themed stories in the return to live theatre.  Would you elaborate on this statement both as an artist in the theatre, and as an audience member observing the theatre.

Well, firstly, I’m getting sick of hearing the word “tsunami” paired with the word “COVID.” Is it like “a murder of crows?” - “A tsunami of COVIDS”. Considering, for a year even SNL’s been flooding us with COVID themed sketches, it might be a good idea to give those richer stories a little time on the shelf before it comes out. It’s like putting out the hagiography of some public figure while they’re still alive and just hours before some scandal sinks them.

Come to think of it, remember Oh Calcutta? We need more shows like that again. A tsunami of Oh Calcuttas! With pyro.

As an artist, what specifically is it about your work that you want future audiences to remember about you?

Well, as an artist whose media is meant to entertain large audiences or fit the vision of a certain director, that’s tricky. The work I create for myself is nowhere near as well known as the work I create to entertain an audience. In my personal work, both in comedy and when composing music, it’s important that my work will always surprise while at the same time work as perfectly as possible within its own logic.

And as much as I hear, “everything has been done” I’m going to keep finding my own personal loopholes. Even in my popular work, I will smuggle my eccentricities as much as I can get away with into my work. That’s what I want my future audience to remember.

Who wouldn’t love a charming smuggler?

Matthew Reid’s headshot by Lisa Mark.

To follow Matthew on Instagram: @matthewcreid

To learn more about Matthew, visit his website: www.matthewcreid.com.