News

Press Responses to Amadeus

“Salieri, portrayed by the phenomenal Matt Daniels, tells the tale, in a narration that oozes with jealousy and spite.

Daniels can whip up an audience into rapt attention like few other actors (which explains the glowing reviews he’s received for his Ebeneezer Scrooge in The Milwaukee Rep’s A Christmas Carol for the past four years), so this role suits him, and vice versa.”
— Around the Town Chicago
“Matt Daniels as Salieri and Zach Thomas Woods as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart are perfect counterparts — delivering acting masterclasses individually and together.

Daniels is endlessly fascinating as an initially good man – devoted to God and music – devolves into a bitter, cruel tormentor.”
— Broadwayworld
“It is Matt Daniels (as Salieri) who draws the most attention. His excellent performance is the heart and soul of this production. He appears to time-shift his appearance effortlessly, which is a mark of professional distinction.”
— Milwaukee Shepherd-Express
“The Skylight has assembled fantastically good actors, notably Matt Daniels as Salieri... Personally, I would run to anything Daniels does, so polished a vocal and physical actor he is, with a manner that draws attention.”
— Urban Milwaukee
“It is fascinating to watch Daniels in this leading role about a powerful man’s inner torment just weeks after he finished playing Scrooge in Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s “A Christmas Carol.” In the latter, the Juilliard-trained actor shows a conversion in the heavenly direction; in “Amadeus,” the character arrow is reversed. “Amadeus” gives Daniels many chances to express a specific artistic anguish: even as he yearns to destroy Mozart, Salieri is the only living human in the world of the play who hears and appreciates how great Mozart’s music is.”
— Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Announcing my 2025-2026 Season

Mr. Pittman, Titanic, the Musical, Milwaukee Rep, 2022

At long last, I have 2025-2026 all put together!

  • Directing Lungs by Duncan Macmillan, for Vanguard Productions, running September 19 - 28.

  • Returning as Ebeneezer Scrooge for the 50th Anniversary production of A Christmas Carol at Milwaukee Rep, running November 25 - December 24.

  • Playing a bucket list role: Antonio Salieri in Peter Schaffer’s Amadeus at Skylight Music Theater, January 23 - February 8.

  • Playing Pedro in the rolling World Premiere of Lauren Gundersen’s new play Lady Disdain at Forward Theater, running April 9 - 26.

  • Finishing the season as Rogers in Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None running May 26 - June 28 at Milwaukee Rep.

I’ll also continue my work on the faculty of the award-winning First Stage Young Company, by prepping the team for the annual Utah Shakespeare Festival High School Competition, and teaching Movement throughout the year.

All in all, a great season, full of fun, challenges, and some truly excellent writing. I’m really looking forward to it.

Press Responses to Romeo and Juliet

“Matt Daniels gives his all playing Lord Capulet as the bigger than life paterfamilias of a wealthy family. He’s the kind of voluble bearded guy you might find on a Kentucky road behind the wheel of his Silverado; genial when he’s pleased, terrifying when he’s crossed.”
— PlayOnMKE
“Matt Daniels brilliantly adds a country twang and explosive temper to turn Lord Capulet into the production’s driving force, and he also slyly appears as servant Samson.”
— Urban Milwaukee
“In a harrowing scene, as Juliet refuses her father’s demands to marry another, Matt Daniels gives new meaning to the term, “patriarchal dominance” (read: toxic masculinity) as Juliet, and her mother and female nurse cower at the explosion of his emotions. Daniels shows once again his versatility at being able to play any role and he completely immerse himself. It’s stunning to watch with its timeless realism.”
— Milwaukee Shepherd-Express
“As Lord Capulet, Juliet’s father, Matt Daniels blisters his anguished daughter with a fiery my-way-or-the-highway speech viewers won’t soon forget.”
— Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Best of Milwaukee

The people of Milwaukee named me the Best Stage Actor in the 2023 Shepherd-Express annual poll!

“Watching Matt Daniels perform on stage is watching a highly talented actor “disappear” into the role of whatever he’s playing. Be it the proper and very clever manservant Jeeves to that most infamous of misers Ebenezer Scrooge, Matt does it all—and infinitely more. Milwaukee theater goers heartily agree. (Harry Cherkinian)”


New Year, (Slightly) New Format

I hope to revamp the site this year, but in the meantime, I will be posting news and links to press here. We’ll see if I’m able to keep up. I used to be pretty good at keeping the site up to date, but things started to fall apart for me in that department in 2019. I’ve got Actor up and running again, but still have to get Director (which is woefully behind) caught up. Oy.