STORYCRAFTING begins wherever you are:
- You have a story… but you don’t have a script and you want to make this truly “you.”
- Your script is done… but you want to test it, see how it plays, and find collaborators.
- You have a script and collaborators … but you’re looking for efficient production tactics.
- You’ve done Fringe before… but you’re looking to “one-up” your game.
Matt is a five-year veteran of the Hollywood Fringe with ten shows and multiple award nominations and wins and knows that Fringe crowds are unlike regular theater audiences. There are certain things that you can do to grab more attention, more box office, and more accolades… but it all starts at story.
In this three hour seminar, you’ll learn modern story structure and how adhering to and ignoring it can be both beneficial and a huge risk.
-You’ll understand how a project at Fringe can be viewed through the lens of a longer run and how to plan for the future.
-You’ll get tips on elevating your story through direction and acting and how strong choices will always win out.
-You’ll learn how to engage an audience and keep their attention to the very end.
Matt Ritchey is an award-winning director, writer, actor, and coach. He holds a BFA in Acting from NYU’S Tisch School of the Arts, a Certificate in Shakespeare from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and is an Associate Producer at Director’s Lab West. He has written, produced, directed, or acted in ten shows in the last five Hollywood Fringe Festivals including Blackboxing (writer/performer –"Best Cabaret/Variety," “Standout Song Award,” “Trope Buster” and “Larry Cornwall” winner at the 2019 Fringe), Angel’s Flight (writer/director – “Best Cabaret/Variety” winner at 2016 Fringe, “Best Director” nomination by Rogue Shakespeare Company), American Conspiracy (director – “Encore Producer’s Award” winner at 2018 Fringe, “Best Director” nomination by The TVolution), Martha Washington Killed a Redcoat (director – nominated for “Best Comedy” and “Short and Sweet” Awards 2017 Fringe), and Nic and Brooke’s Comedy Dance Party (co-writer/director – nominated for “Best Cabaret/Variety” award 2017 Fringe).
TESTIMONIALS
“Matt identifies the story, then drives it with physical and emotional action through objective. As a Director and collaborator, he helped kept me lean and mean and made my show hum. Every show can benefit from his eye.” –Jonathan Tipton Meyers, We Are Traffic, Fringe 2017
“Matt Ritchey is an actor’s director. He creates an atmosphere that allows actors to play in an environment where they can make choices that will have the best impact on a performance.“ – Spencer Cantrell, American Conspiracy, Fringe 2018
“Ritchey does the greatest service any director can do for a show which is to let the truth of the characters shine forth. Ritchey has mad skills at his craft.” –Michael Shaw Fisher (reviewing American Conspiracy)
“Matt Ritchey is a gift to actors. His direction is smart, his vision clear. He knows how to make powerful theatre.”–Payden Ackerman, actor/writer, Laertes Loves Hamlet Loves Ophelia,winner of BEST ENSEMBLE Fringe 2018
“Matt has a sensibility and charisma that allowed me to explore different options with my own project. I learned how to stand back and watch how he interpreted my work in a different way that I would have never imagined when I wrote it.” – Victor Sotomayor (reviewing Matt’s How To Direct A Fringe Show Workshop)
Learn More at theaterasylum.com
