Matt Cogswell
ACTOR
EDUCATOR
WRITER
A Review of "One Angry Gay Man"
The overlapping, intertwined monologues of men searching for belonging are linked by the undercurrent of longing to feel a connection - to someone, their greater community, their feelings. Cogswell peels back their exterior masks to expose their inner thoughts and hopes, creating characters that break your heart as they show how they try to protect theirs. The universal themes of love and connection are on full display as Cogswell slips effortlessly between the characters, telling their stories and breathing life and individuality into each of these men. Travel with him through these glimpses into their lives as they experience hope and heartbreak.
About Me:
My plays and monologues have been produced by The Forge Theater Lab, Lemon Punch Theatre Lab, Becoming More Productions, Rock River Players/Hooker-Dunham Theater, The Barefoot Theatre Company, Weston Friendly Society/Theatre III, and Queerativity. I am based in central Massachusetts, where I teach public speaking and writing at two local colleges and work as a proofreader.
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"Solemn Process" - Cannon Theatre's 10-Minute Play Festival, June 9-17, 2023
Written Works Produced (Highlights)
The Forge Theater Lab:
"Your Beauty in Another's Face", Right Now,
Nothing Less, Floating on Hope Ave (workshop), One Angry Gay Man (workshop)
Lemon Punch Theatre Lab:
Various Microplays
Queerativity:
fat 43-year-old seeking a sugardaddy
Theater Production Team Experience
Direction
Almost Adults Productions:
Brian's Poems, The Masseur and the Movie Star, A Moment of Clarity, Canonized, Last Exit, One Great Big Light (Director)
The Forge Theater Lab:
Jump Starter, Shadows in the Cave (Director)
Stepping Stone Theater:
High Tea with Alice in Alice's Restaurant (Director, Script)
Turkey Hill Middle School:
Help! I’m Trapped in a High School (Director)
Franklin Piece University:
Days of Fate (Director, Playwright), Ten Minute Play Festival: The Shining Monkey (Director)
Calliope Productions:
A Fly in the Ointment (Assistant Director)
Production
Due Credit Productions:
Only Me Beside You
The Impossible Dream: 25 Years of Dreaming
Franklin Pierce University:
Men! Concert
Stage Management
Portland Actors Ensemble:
The Taming of the Shrew (Assistant Stage Manager)
Flashback Tour:
Stage Manager
Westborough Players' Club:
Pinocchio (Stage Manager)
Calliope Productions:
Snoopy! (Stage Manager)
House Management
Imago Theatre
Fitchburg State University
Calliope Productions
Acting, Community Theater Highlights
Calliope Productions:
Absolutely Dead, Nate
Our Town (2), Howie Newsome
4th Wall Stage Company:
Awake and Sing!, Sam Feinschreiber
Twelve Angry Jurors, Juror Twelve
Westborough Players' Club:
Ordinary People, Cal Jarrett
Sterling Community Theater:
Shrek the Musical, Shrek
River's Edge Players:
The Actor’s Nightmare, George
Westfield Theatre Group:
Company, David
Exit 7 Players:
Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Milt Fields Sudbury Savoyards:
The Boys Next Door, Norman Bulanksy
Fitchburg State University:
The Boys Next Door, Jack Palmer
Romeo and Juliet, Capulet
Leslie Pasternack, Owner and Director, Lemon Punch Theatre Lab:
I had the joy of meeting Matt Cogswell in March of 2020 when he submitted some short plays to a Zoom festival I was producing. I immediately loved the clarity of his writing and the combination of vulnerability and humor he brings to his characters. Matt is also an experienced and gifted actor, so I cast him in several roles over the course of the following year. Matt then collaborated with me on promotional videos and the development of my Physical Comedy class. I find Matt to be exceptionally professional, well-organized, thoughtful, and imaginative in his work. I highly recommend him as a writing and performance mentor or collaborative partner.
Philip Middleton Williams, Playwright
Matt Cogswell directed a virtual production of my play "Last Exit" for Almost Adults Theatre of Santa Fe. His approach to this two-hander play was thorough and sensitive, and he brought out elements in the characters and dialogue that made it exactly what I envisioned on stage and more so. Doing this while on-line through Zoom was an amazing accomplishment, and I would trust my work to him anytime, and I hope to work with him again in the future.
Acting, Film Experience
Six Characters (Lead), One Angry Gay Man, Dir. Samantha deManbey
Denny (Supporting), Where Am I?, Dir. Justin Jaeger
Minister (Supporting), Pick Me Up, Dir. Sean Kelley
Featured Background, Portlandia, 6:6 "TADA,"
Sidestreet Entertainment, Inc.
Background, The Librarians 2:6 "And the Infernal Contract," Ex Libris Productions
Background, The Shack, Shk Productions, LLC
Background, Long Lost AND The Cobblestone Corridor, Dir. Erik Bloomquist
These are some of my written works. More examples are on my YouTube channel.
Matt Cogswell | New Play Exchange
Floating on Hope Ave (full length) - All of the characters in Floating on Hope Ave are simultaneously seeking and running away from connection. Four stories unfold within the play. Martin’s entire story takes place in one day. Alex and Brian’s story takes place in one week. Caleb and Dean’s story takes place in one month. George’s story takes place in a time span of one year.
Right Now (short) - Michael and Nick attempt small talk.
Small Ponds (full length) - Three actors, one of them playing multiple characters, explore the world of theater and writing your own material for the stage.
Solemn Process (short) - A film director hires a stage actor for a brief role in his film. This comedy focuses on the clash between theater and film style acting.