Review Fix Exclusive: Matt Webster Talks ‘Back’

Review Fix chats with ‘Back’ author Matt Webster, who discusses the production and impact he’d like it to have on audiences.

About The Production:

90-minute drama will perform on Saturday 8/10 @ 2:15pm; Tuesday 8/13 @ 8:45pm; Friday 8/16 @ 7pm; Sunday 8/18 @ 4pm; Friday 8/23 @ 9:15pm with tickets being available at www.BackThePlay.com (further info at @BackThePlay)

Love takes lifetimes.

Leah travels to New York City to reconnect with her best friend Derek. Their undeniable chemistry and inherent trust would otherwise make these two a perfect match, if it weren’t for something in the past keeping them apart. Leah tells Derek about an incredible opportunity: a chance to go back in time and change the course of their lives. But there are rules about altering the past that could have devastating effects on the present. Will they risk everything in search of a second chance at life?

About Matt Webster:

Matt Webster is a New York City based actor and writer. Most recently, Matt performed on Broadway at the Hudson Theatre in DGF Toasts: Stephen Schwartz. In addition to singing in the show, Matt contributed the vocal arrangements. Matt has been seen onstage as Glad Hand in the Broadway Tour of West Side Story and won Best Actor for his portrayal of Johnny Pope in A Hatful of Rain (BroadwayWorld.com). Matt has performed with many companies throughout NYC, including: LaMaMa Theatre, LABA Theatre, Vital Theatre, Connecticut Children’s Theatre, and Rescue Agreement. Matt can also be seen on screen in various feature films, commercials, web-series, and short films. As a writer, Matt’s first musical, Kingdom Come, won Best Musical at the Downtown Urban Theatre Festival in NYC. Since winning the festival, Kingdom Come has been featured at the New York Theatre Barn and the Secret Theatre in Long Island City. Kingdom Come made its regional premier at Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota. 

His second original musical, Propaganda! The Musical was produced at the Pearl Theatre on 42nd St. as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival. It won several awards, including: Best Featured Actress and Best Choreography. It had its regional premier in Orlando, Florida at the Winter Park Playhouse in 2017. Propaganda! The Musical made its international debut at the Gaetnerplatz Theatre in Munich, Germany in July of 2018. This summer, Propaganda! The Musical will be released as a one of a kind, fully produced, podcast musical, featuring a full sound design, complete orchestra, and a cast filled with Broadway stars. Matt’s children’s show, a fast-paced, four-actor version of Cinderella, featuring songs from the Great American Songbook, premiered in March 2017 in Washington, DC with the American Pops Orchestra. 

He is currently writing several projects including: a new adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing featuring chart topping country hits; a film called “Super,” about the opioid epidemic in Ohio; and a new play called Jay and the Contest. He received his BFA in Acting from West Virginia University where he was named the outstanding graduate from the College of Creative Arts. Matt is a founding member of the Magic Forest Theatre Company – a traveling children’s theatre that performs at pre-schools and daycares across the NY Metro area. Matt won the 2016 Johnny Mercer Award for Songwriting and currently works as an assistant to Broadway’s Andrew Lippa. www.TheOtherMattWebster.com

Review Fix: What was the inspiration for this project?

Matt Webster: When I started to form the story, I was inspired by an invitation to my high school reunion. I didn’t want to go because I didn’t think people from high school knew the real me – they just knew their own version of me that they had created in their heads from social media. So that sparked the idea of everyone in the world having the ability to create their own private universe.

Review Fix: What is your creative process?  

Webster: I listen to a lot of scores while I write – film scores, mostly. They’re filled with emotion and story, but no lyrics to trip up my thoughts. I often write at my dining room table with noise-canceling headphones, or I’ll head to a coffee shop down the street if I need a change of scenery. I often come up with new ideas while walking. My father in law told me about a whole group of artists that consider themselves a part of the “wander society.” They walk around and allow the meditative action of walking to help them clear their minds.  

Review Fix: What did you learn/are learning about yourself through this process? 

Webster: I’m learning that I have really wonderful people surrounding me. Everyone is encouraging, supportive, and positive. I’m learning that I need to be around good energy and good people in order to be the most creative and successful. 

Review Fix: What are your ultimate goals for this piece for the future? for the company?   

Webster: I want as many people as possible to see this love story and be inspired by it. We only have one life, so let’s spend it sharing love and speaking love and giving love. 

Review Fix: What’s next ? 

Webster: I’m looking forward to a writing retreat in Georgia coming up in September. It’s a great opportunity to focus on a new play and provides a distraction free environment. I’ve never spent any time in Newnan Georgia, so I’m looking forward to being in a new community of artists and learning from their experiences.

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About Patrick Hickey Jr. 13821 Articles
Patrick Hickey Jr. is a full-time Assistant Professor of Communication & Performing Arts and Director of the Journalism program at Kingsborough Community College and is the chairman of the City University of New York Journalism Council. He is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of ReviewFix.com. He's also a former News Editor at NBC Local Integrated Media and National Video Games Writer at Examiner.com where his work was mentioned in National Ad campaigns by Disney, Nintendo and EA Sports. Hickey was also the Editor-In-Chief of two College Newspapers before he received his BA in Journalism from Brooklyn College. Hickey's work has been published in The New York Daily News, The New York Times, Complex, The Hockey Writers, Yahoo!, Broadway World, Examiner, NYSportScene Magazine, ProHockeyNews.com, GothamBaseball.com, The Syracuse Post-Standard, Scout.com and the official sites of the Brooklyn Aces and New York Islanders. His first book, The Minds Behind the Games: Interviews With Cult And Classic Video Game Developers was released in April 2018 and is chock full of interviews with legendary developers. His second book in the series, The Minds Behind Adventures Games, was released in December 2019. His third book, The Minds Behind Sports Games, was released in September 2020. His fourth book, The Minds Behind Shooter Games, was released in March 2021. The Minds Behind Sega Genesis Games and The Minds Behind PlayStation Games were released in 2022 and The Minds Behind PlayStation 2 was published in January 2023. Hickey is also a contracted comic book writer, currently penning his original series, "Condrey," as well as "The Job," "Brooklyn Bleeds" "Dem Gulls" and "KROOM" for Legacy Comix, where he serves as founder, owner and Editor-in-Chief. Hickey Jr. is also a voice actor, having starred in the 2018 indie hit and 2019 Switch, PS4 and Xbox One release, The Padre (also serving as English language Story Editor), from Shotgun With Glitters. The sequel, The Padre: One Shell Straight to Hell was released in February 2021- Hickey also served as a Story Editor and Lead Voiceover performer. He has also done narration and trailers for several other titles including The Kaiju Offensive, Relentless Rex and Roniu’s Tale. Hickey is also the lead voiceover performer on Mega Cat Studios’ upcoming title WrestleQuest, responsible for nearly 90 characters in the game, as well as Skybound's Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood, where he voices both Dracula and Renfield, as well as several other characters. He also stars in Ziggurat Interactive’s World Championship Boxing Manager 2, where he performs the VO of nearly every male character in the game. He also worked on the Atari VCS’s BPM Boy.

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