Matthew Dickens
Encyclopedia
Matthew Dickens’ is an American theater, film, television performer with credits as an Actor/Singer/Dancer, Writer/Producer/Director and Choreographer.
. Matthew’s early training as an Actor began at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts
in DC, mentored by the late founder, Director/Choreographer/Educator Mike Malone who he later joined as a company member of the Equity Theater Company at Karamu House in Cleveland, Ohio. Other notable teachers were Kenneth Daugherty (Acting), Glenda Dickerson
(Acting), Donal Leace (Theater History), Tony Booker (Voice), and Quay Barnes Truitt (Costumes and Make-up)
Matthew’s early training as a dancer included classes at The School of the Cleveland Ballet. In New York, he had a short stay at The Ailey School and studied with David Howard, Finis Jhung and Frank Hatchett. While performing in New York he met Debbie Allen
. The two went on to work together on numerous projects including A Different World, Fame
, Polly, Carrie
and The Academy Awards
.
with Jasmine Guy and Steve LaChance.
Early life
Matthew Dickens was born in an ambulance on a highway on the outskirts of Nancy, FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Matthew’s early training as an Actor began at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Duke Ellington School of the Arts
The Duke Ellington School of the Arts is a high school located at 35th Street and R Street, Northwest, Washington, D.C., and dedicated to arts education. One of the high schools of the District of Columbia Public School system, it is named for the American jazz bandleader and composer Edward...
in DC, mentored by the late founder, Director/Choreographer/Educator Mike Malone who he later joined as a company member of the Equity Theater Company at Karamu House in Cleveland, Ohio. Other notable teachers were Kenneth Daugherty (Acting), Glenda Dickerson
Glenda Dickerson
Glenda Dickerson is a director, folklorist, adaptor, writer, choreographer, actor, black theatre organizer, and educator. She has worked in venues including the Biltmore Theatre , Circle in the Square , Lorraine Hansberry Theatre , Ford's Theatre and the Kennedy Center...
(Acting), Donal Leace (Theater History), Tony Booker (Voice), and Quay Barnes Truitt (Costumes and Make-up)
Matthew’s early training as a dancer included classes at The School of the Cleveland Ballet. In New York, he had a short stay at The Ailey School and studied with David Howard, Finis Jhung and Frank Hatchett. While performing in New York he met Debbie Allen
Debbie Allen
Deborrah Kaye “Debbie” Allen is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, television director, television producer, and a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities...
. The two went on to work together on numerous projects including A Different World, Fame
Fame (1982 TV series)
Fame is an American television series originally produced between 1982 and 1987. The show was based on the 1980 motion picture of the same name. Using a mixture of drama and music, it followed the lives of the students and faculty at the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. Although...
, Polly, Carrie
Carrie (musical)
Carrie: The Musical is a musical with a book by Lawrence D. Cohen, lyrics by Dean Pitchford, and music by Michael Gore. Adapted from Stephen King's novel Carrie, it focuses on an awkward teenage girl with telekinetic powers whose lonely life is dominated by an oppressive religious fanatic mother...
and The Academy Awards
63rd Academy Awards
The 63rd Academy Awards were presented March 25, 1991 at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. The show was hosted by Billy Crystal.The prominent winner was Dances with Wolves which earned seven Oscars, including Best Picture. Joe Pesci winning Best Supporting Actor...
.
Films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Polly | Dancer | Television Film |
| 1990 | Polly: Comin’ Home! | Onlooker #1 | Television Film |
| 2005 | Confessions of an Action Star Confessions of an Action Star Confessions of an Action Star is an American action comedy mockumentary starring David Leitch, Angelina Jolie, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Eric Roberts, Dax Shepard, Debbie Allen, Lee Arenberg and directed by Brad Martin... |
Agent #2 | Released January 20th 2009 |
| 2005 | Their Eyes Were Watching God | Principal Dancer | Released March 5th 2005 |
| 2005 | Rent Rent (film) Rent is a 2005 American musical drama film directed by Chris Columbus. It is an adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name, in turn based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème. The film depicts the lives of several Bohemians and their struggles with sexuality, cross-dressing, drugs, life... |
Bohemian | |
| 2006 | Dreamgirls Dreamgirls (film) Dreamgirls is a 2006 musical drama film, directed by Bill Condon and jointly produced and released by DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures. The film debuted in three special road show engagements beginning December 15, 2006 before its nationwide release on December 25, 2006... |
Jimmy’s Band | |
| Year | Title | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | The Aviator | Choreographer | |
| 2005 | Sailing for Madagascar Sailing for Madagascar Sailing for Madagascar is a 2004 short film, written and directed by Tom Oesch, and starring Aimee Teegarden. The film deals with the racial tensions growing in the United States during World War II... |
Choreographer | |
| 2011 | Leave It On The Floor | Dance Production Supervisor | |
| 2011 | The War Zone 3D | Writer, Producer, Director | |
Television
TV appearances include "Fame," guest starring roles on "A Different World", "Quantum Leap," and several commercials. In 1991 Matthew performed in the ABC special “American Dance Honors”, which received an American Emmy Award nomination for the choreography. Matthew appeared on The Debbie Allen Special in 1989 which was nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys and co-starred in the opening number of the 63rd Academy Awards63rd Academy Awards
The 63rd Academy Awards were presented March 25, 1991 at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. The show was hosted by Billy Crystal.The prominent winner was Dances with Wolves which earned seven Oscars, including Best Picture. Joe Pesci winning Best Supporting Actor...
with Jasmine Guy and Steve LaChance.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | In Living Color In Living Color In Living Color is an American sketch comedy television series, which originally ran on the Fox Network from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Brothers Keenen and Damon Wayans created, wrote, and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions in association with 20th Century... |
Himself | |
| 1991 | 63rd Academy Awards 63rd Academy Awards The 63rd Academy Awards were presented March 25, 1991 at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. The show was hosted by Billy Crystal.The prominent winner was Dances with Wolves which earned seven Oscars, including Best Picture. Joe Pesci winning Best Supporting Actor... |
Performer | |
| 1992 | Fame Fame (1982 TV series) Fame is an American television series originally produced between 1982 and 1987. The show was based on the 1980 motion picture of the same name. Using a mixture of drama and music, it followed the lives of the students and faculty at the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. Although... |
Television series | |
| 1992 | A Different World | Guest Star | |
| 1993 | The Arsenio Hall Show The Arsenio Hall Show The Arsenio Hall Show is an American variety/talk show that aired late weeknights in syndication from January 3, 1989 to May 27, 1994. The show was created and hosted by comedian/actor Arsenio Hall.- Background :... |
Himself | |
| 2000 | The West Wing | Man #3 | |
| 2003 | The Wayne Brady Show The Wayne Brady Show The Wayne Brady Show was a variety show hosted by Wayne Brady that originally ran from August 8, 2001 to March 11, 2002 on ABC. Due to low ratings, the show was cancelled by ABC and reformatted into a daytime variety talk show for syndication... |
Himself |
| Year | Title | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Euro 2000 | Choreographer | |
| 2002 | Het Nationale Huwelijksfeest | Choreographer | The Wedding Event for Prins Willem and Maxima of Argentina Amsterdam Arena Amsterdam ArenA Amsterdam Arena is a stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is the largest stadium in the nation and it was built from 1993 to 1996 at a cost of €140 million, and was officially opened on 14 August 1996. It has been used for association football, American football, concerts, and other events... |
| 2004 | NFL Kickoff | Assistant Choreographer | |
| 2004 | NFL Thanksgiving Day | Assistant Choreographer | |
| 2005 | ESPY Awards | Assistant Choreographer | |
| 2008 | The Mole The Mole (U.S. Season 5) The fifth season of the US version of The Mole began airing on ABC on June 2, 2008, after being pushed back a week by ABC. Casting information was announced online.... |
||
| 2009 | I Am... Yours I Am... Yours I Am... Yours was a 2009 Las Vegas revue show by American singer-songwriter Beyoncé Knowles, in support of her third studio album I Am... Sasha Fierce. The concerts were held at the Encore Theatre in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show was deemed "an intimate encounter" as Knowles portrayed a more raw and... |
Writer | Aired November 26, 2009 on ABC |
Stage
Matthew was in the original Broadway cast of Sunset Boulevard starring Glenn Close (and later with Betty Buckley and Elaine Paige) having initially appeared in the original Los Angeles production. Matthew returned to the Broadway company of Miss Saigon directly from the Netherlands production, where he played the role of John entirely in Dutch. Other Broadway credits include playing both Chris and John (at different times) in Miss Saigon, C.C. White in Dreamgirls and Stephen King's Carrie. He also co-starred in the original Australian cast of Smokey Joe's Cafe.Broadway
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Dreamgirls Dreamgirls Dreamgirls is a Broadway musical, with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. Based upon the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Supremes, The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others, the musical follows the story of a young female singing trio... |
Understudy CC White | Ambassador Theatre Ambassador Theatre (New York) The Ambassador Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 219 West 49th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.Designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp for the Shuberts, the structure is unusual in that it is situated diagonally on its site to fit the maximum number of... |
| 1988 | Carrie Carrie (musical) Carrie: The Musical is a musical with a book by Lawrence D. Cohen, lyrics by Dean Pitchford, and music by Michael Gore. Adapted from Stephen King's novel Carrie, it focuses on an awkward teenage girl with telekinetic powers whose lonely life is dominated by an oppressive religious fanatic mother... |
Matthew, Tommy | Virginia Theatre August Wilson Theatre The August Wilson Theatre, located at 245 West 52nd Street in New York City, is a Broadway theatre.Designed by architects C. Howard Crane and Kenneth Franzheim and constructed by the Theatre Guild, it opened as the Guild Theatre in 1925 with a revival of George Bernard Shaw's Caesar and... |
| 1991-2001 | Miss Saigon Miss Saigon Miss Saigon is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby, Jr.. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly, and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed romance involving an Asian woman abandoned by her American lover... |
Chris, John | Broadway Theatre Broadway theatre Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City... |
| 1994-1997 | Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard (musical) Sunset Boulevard is a musical with book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Based on the 1950 film of the same title, the plot revolves around Norma Desmond, a faded star of the silent screen era, living in the past in her decaying mansion on the... |
Artie Green, Understudy Joe Gillis | Minskoff Theatre Minskoff Theatre The Minskoff Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre, located at 1515 Broadway in midtown-Manhattan. It is now showing the musical The Lion King, based on the Disney animated film of the same name.... |
Other Theater
| Year | Title | Role/Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 & 1992 | Phylicia Rashad & Co | Featured Performer | Opening Act for Bill Cosby Bill Cosby William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the... Las Vegas Hilton Las Vegas Hilton The Las Vegas Hilton is a hotel, casino, and convention center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a joint venture between Colony Capital, which owns 60 percent, and New York City-based REIT Whitehall Street Real Estate Funds, which owns the remaining 40 percent... |
| 1996 | Smokey Joe's Café (Australia) | ||
| 1997 | :nl:Miss Saigon (Netherlands) | John | Fortis Circustheater Fortis Circustheater The Fortis Circustheater is a Dutch theater in Scheveningen which has been open for 4 Disney Theatrical shows: Beauty and the Beast , The Lion King , Tarzan , & Mary Poppins , which is currently showing there.... |
| 1999 | The Royal Netherlands Air Force Orchestra | Director, Choreographer, Performer | |
| 2002 | Pearl | Ringmaster/Dr. Drewdy | Geffen Playhouse Geffen Playhouse The Geffen Playhouse is a not for profit performing arts theater in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Originally named the Westwood Playhouse, UCLA purchased the property in 1993. UCLA's then chancellor, Charles E. Young, appointed Gil Cates Producing Director... Kennedy Center NAACP Image Award NAACP Image Award An NAACP Image Award is an accolade presented by the American National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to honor outstanding people of color in film, television, music, and literature.... Nomination |
| 2003 | A Merry Mancini Christmas | Associate Director | Walt Disney Concert Hall Walt Disney Concert Hall The Walt Disney Concert Hall at 111 South Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, California is the fourth hall of the Los Angeles Music Center. Bounded by Hope Street, Grand Avenue, 1st and 2nd Streets, it seats 2,265 people and serves as the home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra and the... December 23rd, 2003 |
| 2005 | Stephen Sondheim's 75th | Ensemble | Hollywood Bowl Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances... July 8th, 2005 |