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| Elias Matthews |
by Gil Benbrook
Portraying a single character across multiple plays is a rare and rewarding challenge for any actor, and Elias Matthews had the unique opportunity to bring the character of Eugene Jerome to life in all three of Neil Simon’s "Eugene Trilogy" plays—Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, and Broadway Bound. at Fountain Hills Theater this season, with the final play in the trilogy, Broadway Bound opening this Friday and running through March 16.
Simon’s semi-autobiographical trilogy follows Eugene from his teenage years in Brooklyn to his time in the Army and, finally, his early career as a comedy writer. Throughout these plays, Eugene evolves from a wide-eyed dreamer into a sharp-witted observer of life, and having seen Matthews in the first two plays, his portrayal captures every nuance of that journey with humor, heart, and depth.
In addition to acting in theatres in town, Matthews is the co-founder of Valley Players, a theater company focusing on modern and contemporary works. Their first show was Matthews' original play Many Winding Roads, and their next show is 12 Angry Jurors opening March 21 at Scottsdale Neighborhood Arts Place (SNAP).
Matthews' time at Fountain Hills Theater won't end after Broadway Bound closes as he recently assumed the position of Technical Director where he's learning the ins-and-outs of the technical aspects of putting on a show from FHT's long term Artistic Director, Peter J. Hill and Ross Collins, the Artistic Director of Fountain Hills Youth Theater. In this capacity, he’ll be working on lights, sound, and set construction on a full-time basis.
In between final rehearsals and working his new job, Matthews sat down to answer some questions and to reflect on his experience inhabiting Eugene across the three plays, sharing insights on how he approached the role, the challenges of growing with the character, and what he’s taken away from the experience.
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| Walt Pedano, Elias Matthews, Cindy Covington, Michael McGraw and Richard Powers Hardt in Broadway Bound at Fountain Hills Theater photo by Patty Torrilhon |
Eugene is such a beloved character in Neil Simon’s trilogy—what has been the most rewarding part of playing him?
Elias Matthews: "The most rewarding part is getting to act with all of these juggernauts onstage. Every single person in this trilogy has brought their A-game and I get to be front seat to all of it."
Each of the three plays shows Eugene at a different stage in his life. How do you approach evolving the character from Brighton Beach Memoirs to Biloxi Blues and Broadway Bound?
"It’s all about maturity. In Brighton Beach Memoirs Eugene is very self-centered in my opinion. He is a teenager after all. But as he ages we get to see him understand that there’s more to life than what’s in front of him. In Biloxi Blues he encounters anti-semitism, death, and real love for the first time. These events lead him to understanding and connecting with others better. In this show, Broadway Bound, he spends much of the play caring about the other members of the family. Especially his mother. I’m very lucky to get to play this role at 23, the same age Eugene is in this last play, because I get to pull from the decision-making and growing moments of my youth."
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| Elias Matthews, Cindy Covington, and Alexandra Palmatier in Brighton Beach Memoirs at Fountain Hills Theater Photo by Tiana Torrilhon-Wood |
Neil Simon’s writing is known for its balance of humor and heart. How do you navigate the comedic and dramatic moments in your performance?
"Something our director Gil Berry is very mindful about is not letting us play caricatures. It would be very easy to play up the comedy as slapstick as possible but that would be doing a disservice to Neil Simon. These characters were all based on real people in his life. Even though they’re all very funny, they all also have big hearts. They laugh when they’re happy and cry when they’re sad. I try my best to be as grounded as possible in every moment as Eugene. We’re very lucky to have Gil there to pull us back if we get too performative and help us bring out the true motivations in every word."
Eugene serves as both a participant and an observer in his family’s story. How do you convey that dual perspective on stage?
"A simple way to answer this is the use of narration. Whatever Eugene is saying directly to the audience is part of the overarching memoirs he’s writing throughout the trilogy. Especially in this play, there are some things he writes about specifically because he can’t find the confidence to say it out loud."
Do you relate to Eugene in any way? Are there personal experiences or traits that you bring to the role?
"It’s actually hard to believe how many similarities Eugene and I have. We’re both very ambitious when it comes to our careers. We fall in love quickly. We both care deeply for people in our lives and show that through humor. We can have a hard time standing up for ourselves when it comes to tough situations. On an emotional level it’s very easy playing Eugene. It’s when he starts monologuing where it becomes difficult!."
What has been the most challenging scene or moment to perform in the trilogy, and why?
"The most challenging scenes for me actually come in this show, Broadway Bound. Any scene between Eugene and his mother just tears me apart. My actual mother is the most loving woman on the planet and I get to see that in Cindy Covington’s excellent portrayal of Kate. Kate is going through all of these struggles but still manages to put on a brave face for her children, and I have to pretend not to notice. It kills me and it’s the most beautiful part of these plays."
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| Elias Matthews and Lauren Miller in Biloxi Blues at Fountain Hills Theater Photo by Patty Torrilhon |
Eugene is often considered a stand-in for Neil Simon himself—how much of that influences your interpretation of the role?
"It’s very influential. It’s nice knowing the direction of your character after the show. Knowing Eugene grows up to be a successful writer, it’s fun getting to sprinkle in some of that talent throughout the trilogy. I’ve listened to many Neil Simon interviews about these plays and I get to borrow some of those feelings he has about these moments of his life and filter them through my own experiences. It’s very cool getting to pretend to be as talented as Neil Simon for a couple hours a day."
The plays explore themes of family, ambition, and coming-of-age. Which theme resonates with you the most?
"FAMILY! Family is at the center of this entire series. Even in Biloxi Blues when Eugene is in the army, he approaches challenges in certain ways because of how he grew up with his family. Gil Berry always has us search for the heart in every scene and it shows. We feel like a real family on and off stage. That’s why it’s so exciting when we see these characters succeed and so heartbreaking when they fail."
How has working on these plays changed your perspective on Neil Simon’s work or on acting in general?
"Acting is always better with people you love. I’ve made so many new friends with the cast and crew of this trilogy. We’re constantly laughing and supporting each other, and all of that continues on stage. If audiences find half the joy that I’ve found performing in these shows, then these plays will stay with them for a long time."
If you could give Eugene advice at any stage of his journey, what would you tell him?
"DON’T HAVE A CRUSH ON YOUR COUSIN!"
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