American Academy of Dramatic Arts - 2019

The American Academy of Dramatic Arts - An entirely masked and socially distanced production

June 2021

Due to the COVID pandemic, DOG SEES GOD and all the Graduation Series shows had to be rehearsed and performed both masked and socially distanced. It was a real challenge staging the show under these restrictions, especially daunting were the ket moments in the show were a stage kiss is pivotal to the events of the play. I wracked my brain trying to come up with a creative and viable solution, which eventually led to my creating a Charles Schulz-style four panel comic strip. The black and white comic was intended to be evocative of Schulz’s old PEANUTS strips and capture the kiss. The actors depicted in the kiss held the strip up during the moment on stage, and not only did it solve our stagin problem, it kept the actors socially distanced, and perhaps most excitingly it provided a unique stylistic moment for the production. Years of drawing and doodling came in very handy, indeed!

Direction and Costume Design

Masks by Jonathan Becker

NYU Gallatin - February 2015

J’adore Molière.  Molière is one of the theatre’s greatest comic playwrights, and while one of his more obscure plays, AMPHITRYON is no exception to his genius.  AMPHIRTYON is a brilliant satirical farce and my production aimed to stay true to the sweeping theatricality of Molière’s original.   My production was a celebration of Moliere’s comic legacy, which borrowed liberally from the antecedents of Ancient Comedy and the Italian Commedia dell’Arte.   Molière left an indelible mark on comedy.  Modern comedy would not be as rich if not for its inheritance from Molière.  I attempted to honor that heritage by uniting on stage a pastiche of modern and ancient comic components. 

Mask was at the center of my process on AMPHITRYON.  From the very origins of theatre, masks have been an integral component of performance.   Molière often performed in the masked tradition, as he recognized what countless theatre artists before him had:  theatrical masks transform the actor, and reveal rather than conceal. 

Starting from our very first rehearsal, each actor was given their character’s mask, which was custom designed for our production.  Our shared exploration of this play was deeply informed through learning to come into harmony with these unique masks.  Primarily, we applied the physical acting techniques of French master-teacher Jacques Lecoq, which emphasizes the primacy of play (le jeu), openness (disponibilité) and togetherness (complicité). 

The production opened on February 5th, 2015, and each performance was a unique synthesis of mask, actor and Molière’s poetry.  It was an absolute pleasure watching the student actors grow into their roles, inhabiting these masks and this language in ways both delightful and unexpected.

 We had the great privilege to work with a masterful translation by Richard Wilbur.  Wilbur's version is very funny and tremendously well written.  His translated verse brings to the fore the biting satire inherent in Molière’s original, which critiques the carelessness of the rich and powerful who operate with impunity; something which I think resonates today as much as it did in 1667.  In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, and ‘recklessly risky behavior’ leading to foreclosure on the masses but big bail-outs for the banks, Molière's verse is all the more poignant,

“When one is blessed with high estate and standing,

All that one does is good as gold,

And things have different names, depending

On what position one may hold.”

--English translation by Richard Wilbur

Fordham University - 2012

Scams of Scapin - CUNY Kingsborough 2010

Fordham University - Mimes and Mummers - February 2022

Directing theatre during the COVID pandemic comes with a number of unique challenges, not the least of which is rehearsing and performing a musical in surgical masks. Despite the obstacles along the way, this cast and creatve team rose to the challenge a together we produced a delightful SHREK.

“SHREK: THE MUSICAL was The Mimes and Mummers' Slot 3 performance; undoubtedly our most challenging. From swamps to castles to dragons to a theatre making its comeback from COVID-19, this challenging show was unlike any other for Fordham University's mainstage theatre group. With a tight budget and an even tighter schedule, director Matthew A.J. Gregory brought the company together with innovative solutions and ideas that brought this show to life. Matthew seamlessly found effortless ways to incorporate the full cast into a multitude of numbers and made the rehearsal room an equal playing field for all actors, both returning and new. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, Matthew successfully navigated directing and overseeing direction for this musical with a cast of over 30 members, all with varying levels of musical theatre experience. His patience and adaptability were unmatched when we all had to take a step back due to COVID testing and protocols. Time was lost, but Matthew brought us back up to speed in time to create an outstanding set with wonderful costumes for the show. SHREK: THE MUSICAL was one of The Mimes and Mummers' most technically impressive shows, and it would not have gotten done without the direction of Matthew A.J. Gregory.”

—Griffin LaMarche - President of the Mimes and Mummers at Fordham University ‘22

Mannes Sounds Festival 2023 - Imagining Faust - An evening exploring plays, operas and music inspired by the Faust legend.

Mannes Sounds - Cinderella - February 7th, 2025. An evening of songs and scenes inspired by the Cinderella fairytale.