Tony Award winner Matt Doyle brings intimate Broadway cabaret to Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA - Tony Award-winning Broadway star Matt Doyle is trading the big stage for a much more intimate setting as he brings his cabaret show to Philadelphia.

Doyle, known for acclaimed performances in "Company," "The Book of Mormon" and "Spring Awakening," will perform at Broadway Cabaret at Rittenhouse Grill on Monday, Oct. 19.

But unlike the Broadway productions where audiences have watched him disappear into a character, Doyle says his cabaret gives fans the chance to get to know the person behind the performances.

"What I make sure with my cabarets is to make sure that you feel like you’re sitting in the living room with me," Doyle told FOX 29’s Kamryn Scrivens. "I want to be able to tell really personal stories and make you feel invited into my life and my journey."

From ‘Spring Awakening’ to a Tony-winning turn in ‘Company’

Doyle made his Broadway debut at just 19 years old in "Spring Awakening," where he appeared as Hanschen and understudied Jonathan Groff in the role of Melchior.

He said that The Beatles’ "Let It Be" helped him land that first Broadway job — making it one of several songs in his cabaret set tied to major moments in his life and career.

That career would eventually include roles in "Bye Bye Birdie," "War Horse," "The Book of Mormon" and "Little Shop of Horrors."

In 2022, Doyle won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Jamie in the Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’s "Company." His performance of the notoriously fast-paced "Getting Married Today" became one of the production’s standout moments.

Now, songs from "Company," including "Being Alive," are taking on a more personal meaning in Doyle’s cabaret.

"There’s a lot of songs that focus on my mental health journey," Doyle said. "The main song in that is my favorite song by Stephen Sondheim, which is ‘Being Alive.’"

"I think it’s a song about togetherness and a song about hope and the beauty in life and all of its struggles and ups and downs."

Matt Doyle opens up about the vulnerability of cabaret

Performing in an intimate room may seem less daunting than taking the stage in a massive Broadway theater, but Doyle says it can actually be the opposite.

"I think it’s much more terrifying to open yourself up to a small room of people than to be on stage and kind of hidden behind a mask," he said.

Over the years, however, Doyle says he has found something healing in that vulnerability.

His cabaret allows him to share personal stories about his career, relationships and mental health while connecting directly with audience members.

"For sure, it’s connecting with people and making sure people feel seen and heard," Doyle said. "I think [that] is the best thing about cabaret."

Advice Matt Doyle would give his younger self

Doyle’s career has taken him well beyond Broadway.

He starred as Frank Sinatra in the world premiere of "Sinatra The Musical" in the United Kingdom and later took on another iconic American character, playing Jay Gatsby in a production of "The Great Gatsby" in Seoul.

Still, when asked what he would tell the 19-year-old version of himself beginning his Broadway career, Doyle’s answer was simple: trust yourself.

"Self-doubt is a really horrible thing that we all experience on the day-to-day, and I went through so much of that early on in my career," Doyle said. "I wish I could go back and just show that kid what is on the other side of every single hardship and struggle during this crazy business and just say, trust your talent, trust yourself."

Doyle added that his career has taught him that taking those chances can eventually pay off.

"It pays off to trust in what you’re doing, and it pays to stick with it, and it pays off to take big risks."

What Philadelphia audiences can expect

While Broadway fans will hear plenty of musical theater during Doyle’s Philadelphia performance, he says the show may also reveal a side of his musical taste they haven’t experienced before.

"If you’ve only seen me on Broadway, you probably haven’t heard me sing as much pop music as this," Doyle said.

His set includes music from artists and songwriters including Sara Bareilles, Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan — music Doyle says influenced both his life and the performer he eventually became.

The evening will also pay tribute to performers who have influenced Doyle throughout his career, including the late Broadway star Gavin Creel.

"It’s not just a Broadway side of me," Doyle said. "You’re getting plenty of that, don’t worry."

Doyle will be joined by musical director Evan Zavada for the performance.

Matt Doyle performs at Broadway Cabaret at Rittenhouse Grill, located inside Philadelphia’s Warwick Hotel, on Monday, Oct. 19.