Matt Doyle (actor)

Matt Doyle
Doyle in June 2022
Born
Matthew Finnen Doyle[1]

(1987-05-13) May 13, 1987 (age 37)[2]
Alma materLondon Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Occupation(s)Actor, singer
Years active2006–present
Known forCompany
Websitemattdoylemusic.com

Matthew Finnen Doyle (born May 13, 1987) is an American actor and singer known for his work in musical theatre. He made his Broadway debut in 2007 in Spring Awakening as a replacement for the roles of Hanschen and Melchior. He later had supporting roles in the Broadway productions of Bye Bye Birdie in 2009 and War Horse in 2011. He joined Broadway's The Book of Mormon in 2012, replacing Nic Rouleau as the starring role of Elder Price. Following a period of performing Off-Broadway and regionally, which included starring as Anthony Hope in the 2017 Off-Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He joined the Broadway transfer of the gender-swapped production of Company in 2021 playing the role of Jamie originated by Jonathan Bailey in the West End. For his performance, he won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. In 2022, he returned to the Off-Broadway stage as Seymour Krelborn in the revival of Little Shop of Horrors.

As singer-songwriter, Doyle performs in live shows and has released two EPs, namely, Daylight (2011) and Constant (2012). He released his first full-length album, Uncontrolled in 2016.

Early life and education

Doyle grew up in Weston, Connecticut, before moving to Northern California in his adolescence.[3] After graduating from Redwood High School in Larkspur, California, Doyle went on to train in the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art for a year.[4]

Career

Doyle made his Broadway debut in 2007, at age twenty, as a stand-by in the original Broadway production of Spring Awakening.[3] Following original cast member Jonathan B. Wright's departure, he was promoted to the role of Hanschen until the show closed in January 2009.

In 2009, he portrayed Hugo Peabody in the revival of Bye Bye Birdie.[5] In 2011, he appeared as Billy Naracott (understudying Albert) in Lincoln Center Theater's production of War Horse.[6] Following War Horse, he starred as Elder Price in the Broadway production of Book of Mormon from November 2012 to January 2014.[7]

On screen, Doyle played Jonathan, Eric van der Woodsen's boyfriend, on CW show Gossip Girl.[8] He also starred in Alan Brown's adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, Private Romeo,[9] and had a small singing role in the 2009 film, Once More with Feeling.[10]

In addition to his roles on Broadway and on screen, Doyle has starred in numerous off-Broadway and regional productions. He starred as Anthony in Barrow Street Theatre's production of Sweeney Todd, in West Side Story at the Paper Mill Playhouse, Ryan Scott Oliver's Jasper in Deadland at the West End Theatre in New York[11] and the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle,[12] Brooklynite at the Vineyard Theatre,[13] the musical Giant in Dallas,[14] and the 2017 stage adaptation of A Clockwork Orange at New World Stages.[15] He also appeared as Peter on a recording of Bare: A Pop Opera.[16]

Doyle is also a singer-songwriter. He released his first EP, Daylight, in 2011,[17] with a follow-up EP in 2012, Constant. He released his first full-length album, Uncontrolled, in 2016. Doyle's writing partner is musical theatre composer, Will Van Dyke. Doyle created a web comic, Dents, with childhood friend, Beth Behrs in 2017.[18]

In 2020, Doyle was cast in the gender-bent Broadway revival of Company as Jamie, a role originated and first performed as a man by Jonathan Bailey in the West End.[19] In 2022, he won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his performance.

Doyle frequently performs solo shows and alongside other Broadway performers at New York venues such as 54 Below[20] and Joe's Pub.[21] He streams on Twitch.[22]

In September 2023, Doyle will star as Frank Sinatra in the world premiere production of Sinatra: The Musical at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in Birmingham, UK.[23]

Personal life

Doyle is gay.[24] He lives in Jersey City, New Jersey, with his fiancé Max Clayton.[25]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2022 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Musical Company Won
Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Won
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Won

Discography

Solo album
  • 2016: Uncontrolled
With The Whiskey 5
  • 2014: Make the Season Bright[26]
Extended plays
  • 2012: Constant (EP)
  • 2011: Daylight (EP)
Cast recordings / anthologies
  • 2016: Jasper in Deadland
  • 2011: Our First Mistake[27]
  • 2010: Thirteen Stories Down[28]
  • 2010: (Sorta) Love Songs[29]
  • 2007: bare: A Pop Opera[30]

Acting credits

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2009 Once More with Feeling Young Nonno
2011 Private Romeo Glenn Mangan / Juliet

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2008–2011 Gossip Girl Jonathan Whitney 8 episodes
2015 For Real Alex Merrick Television film
2016 Truth Slash Fiction Tommy Television film
2019 The Code Lt. Goodacre Episode: "Above the Knee"
2023 Gossip Girl Jonathan Whitney Episode: "I Am Gossip"

Theatre

Year Title Role Venue Notes
2006 The Butcherhouse Chronicles The Public Theater Summer Play Festival
2007–2009 Spring Awakening Swing (u/s: Melchior, Hanschen, Otto, Georg, Ernst) Eugene O'Neill Theatre Broadway replacement
Hanschen
Melchior (alternate)
Melchior
2009 Picnic at Hanging Rock Eugene O'Neill Theater Center Regional
2009–2010 Bye Bye Birdie Hugo Peabody / TV Quartet Henry Miller's Theatre Broadway revival
2011-2012 War Horse Billy Narracott (u/s: Albert Narracott) Vivian Beaumont Theater Broadway transfer
2012 Giant Jordy Jr. Dallas Theater Center Regional
2012–2014 The Book of Mormon Elder Price Eugene O'Neill Theatre Broadway replacement
2014–2015 Jasper in Deadland Jasper West End Theatre Off-off-Broadway
5th Avenue Theatre Regional
2015 Brooklynite Trey Swieskowski Vineyard Theatre Off-Broadway
Grey Gardens Joseph Patrick Kennedy, Jr., Jerry Bay Street Theatre Regional
2016 West Side Story Tony Paper Mill Playhouse
2017 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Anthony Hope Barrow Street Theatre Off-Broadway
A Clockwork Orange Georgie New World Stages
2018 The Secret Garden Captain Albert Lennox Unknown Pre-Broadway Lab
The Heart of Rock & Roll Bobby Old Globe Theatre Regional
2020–2022 Company Jamie Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre Broadway transfer
2022-2023 Little Shop of Horrors Seymour Krelborn Westside Theatre Off-Broadway Replacement
2023 Sinatra: The Musical Frank Sinatra Birmingham Repertory Theatre Regional
2024 Apollo Theatre Concert
My Best Friend's Wedding Michael Ogunquit Playhouse Regional
2025 Conversations with Mother Bobby Theater555 Off-Broadway

References

  1. ^ "PLAYBILL.COM'S CUE & A: Matt Doyle – Playbill". Playbill.
  2. ^ "Matt Doyle". Mattdoylemusic.com. June 12, 2012. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  3. ^ a b Stewart, Susan (July 22, 2007). "For Understudy's Debut, It's a Cold vs. the Spotlight". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  4. ^ "Press Office" (PDF). LAMDA. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 2, 2013. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  5. ^ Brantley, Ben (October 16, 2009). "Music to Play, Places to Go, People to See". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  6. ^ "Complete Cast of War Horse Includes Seth Numrich, Matt Doyle, Peter Hermann & More". Broadway.com. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  7. ^ "Matt Doyle to Play Elder Price on Broadway in The Book of Mormon". Broadway.com. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  8. ^ "Matt Doyle". IMDb. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  9. ^ Private Romeo (2011), retrieved July 25, 2017
  10. ^ Once More with Feeling (2009), retrieved July 25, 2017
  11. ^ Collins-hughes, Laura (March 26, 2014). "'Jasper in Deadland' Is a Musical About the Underworld". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  12. ^ "Matt Doyle Will Return to Deadland to Headline Jasper in Deadland's Seattle Premiere | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  13. ^ "Brooklynite | Book by Michael Mayer and Peter Lerman". Vineyard Theatre. August 15, 2014. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  14. ^ "Giant, With Kate Baldwin, Aaron Lazar, P.J. Griffith and Matt Doyle, in Dallas | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  15. ^ "Jonno Davies, Matt Doyle & the Hunks of A Clockwork Orange Meet the Press". Broadway.com. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  16. ^ "bare: The Album – Performers". barethealbum.com. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  17. ^ BWW News Desk. "Matt Doyle Releases Debut EP – 'Daylight'". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  18. ^ "'2 Broke Girls' Star Launches YA Webcomic 'Dents' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  19. ^ "'Company': Matt Doyle, Kyle Dean Massey join Broadway revival". United Press International. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  20. ^ "Matt Doyle & The Whiskey 5 | Feinstein's/54 Below". Feinstein's/54 Below. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  21. ^ "Matt Doyle to Play Joe's Pub, with Guests Jennifer Damiano and Emma Hunton". Broadway.com. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  22. ^ "IsThatMattDoyle - Twitch".
  23. ^ "Tony winner Matt Doyle to star as Sinatra in new musical". July 11, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  24. ^ "Matt Doyle - hunky gay Broadway performer".
  25. ^ "How one of Broadway's rising stars found his footing in N.J." April 2, 2017.
  26. ^ "♫ Make the Season Bright – Matt Doyle and the Whiskey 5. Listen @cdbaby".
  27. ^ "Our First Mistake – Albums – Kerrigan-Lowdermilk". kerrigan-lowdermilk.com. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  28. ^ ""Thirteen Stories Down" The Songs of Jonathan Reid Gealt". SH-K-BOOM RECORDS. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  29. ^ ""(Sorta) Love Songs" The Songs of Scott Burkell & Paul Loesel". SH-K-BOOM RECORDS. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  30. ^ "bare: The Album – Performers". barethealbum.com.