For its first musical, the newly revamped theater company Our Productions has chosen a fresh musical called Ordinary Days. Written in 2008 by Adam Gwon, the show follows four young New Yorkers — Claire, Jason, Deb and Warren — navigating life and love.
Fittingly, the production features Matthew Silar, a fresh face on the DFW theater scene. He joins Sarah Elizabeth Smith (the next Idina Menzel), David Price (Buck Barrow in WaterTower Theatre's Bonnie & Clyde) and Juliette Talley (a DFW Critic Forum winner for her starring role in Dogfight).
The Chicago native only made his professional debut this past summer in Dogfight, and before he takes to the Studio Theatre stage at the Addison Theatre Center on April 9 (the show runs through April 19), Silar took the time to fill out our survey of serious, fun and sometimes ridiculous questions.
Name: Matthew Silar
Role in Ordinary Days: Warren
Previous work in the DFW area: I made my professional debut this past summer in WaterTower Theatre's regional premiere of Dogfight. But I went to Abilene Christian, so I've been around DFW for a few years now.
Hometown: Chicago
Where you currently reside: Farmers Branch
First theater role: Wacky the Puppet in Annie Jr. I was upgraded after being cast as the sound effects man. #destiny
First stage show you ever saw: Cathy Rigby's first tour as Peter Pan. I. Was. Hooked. (Haha. Hooked. As in Captain.)
Moment you decided to pursue a career in theater: I co-launched a nonprofit theater company in 2011 that specialized in charitable events and 24-hour musicals. The night of our first event, we all held hands during a cast meeting, and I knew what was about to happen was going to be special. They bowed, I cried and for the first time, I was positive this was it.
Most challenging role you've played: I played Hunter in [title of show] in college, and his vocal range made that show a marathon every night, but well worth the challenge.
Special skills: I daytime as a barista at Starbucks and sometimes I flip the scanner in my hands and scan gold cards like a ninja. It's not even as cool as it sounds.
Something you're REALLY bad at: Aside from thinking of special skills? I look so uncool putting on a suit jacket, so why do people keep putting it in the choreography?
Current pop culture obsession: Those BuzzFeed videos on YouTube? I never knew how much I cared about what Australians thought of our snacks.
Last book you read: Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris. Recommended!
Favorite movie(s): Mrs. Doubtfire, 500 Days of Summer, The Prestige
Favorite musician(s): I never know how to answer this question!
Favorite song: See above.
Dream role: Ken in Red by John Logan or any role Adam Chanler-Berat has tackled.
Favorite play(s): Red by John Logan and anything by Rajiv Joseph.
Favorite musical(s): Little Shop of Horrors. Honest.
Favorite actors/actresses: This year made me a huge Benedict Cumberbatch fan, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt can do no wrong. Neither can Amy Adams. As for the stage, I have a celebrity crush on Laura Osnes, and it is not a secret at all.
Favorite food: Chocolate chip cookies and Dr Pepper. I am health.
Must-see TV show(s): Pushing Daisies! Bring it back!
Place in the world you'd most like to visit: Ireland and England. And I really want to see the Northern Lights before I die.
Pre-show warm-up: Just some physical warm-ups, a prayer and eating Twizzlers in my dressing room.
Favorite part about your current role: Warren, I truly believe, is just better at being a person than most people. He's a genuinely good guy even though he isn't perfect. He reminds me of what Charlie Brown probably grows up into. He makes me want to treat people better.
Most challenging part about your current role: Warren is in a season of life where he's asking a ton of questions about what's next. He's kind of making me sort out some of my own crud in the process of finding him and telling his story.
Most embarrassing onstage mishap: Sigh. I have completely wiped out not once, but twice on stage. We're not talking a stumble. We're talking face to the floor. The first time I was in a Victorian suit and the second I was in a dress.
Career you'd have if you weren't in theater: I think I would be a journalist. I like listening to people's stories and telling my own.
Favorite post-show spot: Houlihans!
Favorite thing about Dallas-Fort Worth: I am obsessed with the way this theater community loves one another. Dogfight was my first professional gig in the area, and by the end of the summer, I have Facebook friends from WaterTower, Dallas Theater Center, Garland Summer Musicals, Uptown Players, Stage West and every theater in between. It's just awesome.
Most memorable theater moment: I would do these Christmas musicals every year at my church growing up. The church had a nice-sized group of theater people, so they embraced it and would do this big family show every year.
Part of the gig was a free performance for families in the community who couldn't afford Christmas presents for their kids. It snowed onstage at the end of the show, a relatively simple effect these days, but the kids in the audience were just enamored. They went nuts.
I remember talking with the cast after those performances every year and just being like, "Wow. We're touching magic. That's cool."
Up-and-coming Dallas actor Matthew Silar.
