Acting
“And Matt Bowdren was sublime as Adolphus, Barbara’s fiancé. He is a bit of a hypocrite - he joined the Salvation Army because he wanted to win Barbara’s heart, not save souls - and Bowdren gives him a charm and depth that brings him into sharp focus.”
Small Giants - Notes on Nothing
“Bowdren’s Robert, an erudite book publisher who hates being betrayed, but not enough to deny indulging in some betrayals of his own, was contained and very British, but all the while radiating a vibe that violence was just under the surface.”
“Matt Bowdren rightfully pushes his performance beyond the superficial. He conveys his character’s immaturity and naivety with a wry, understated sense of humor, letting the audience in on the joke without ever falling into caricature.”
“The character’s passion for forestry, his exhaustion with caring for patients, and his constant introspection, wrap around Bowdren like a rich cloak. Because of him, we know Astrov, we ache for him, laugh at him.”
Photo by Joe Mazza
“‘Metamorphosis,’ the most familiar and theatrically complicated of the two, features a brilliant performance by Matt Bowdren as the unfortunate Gregor Samsa.”
“Matt Bowdren also juggles two roles as Superfrog...Bowdren continues his mastery of not-quite-human characterization, having recently played the man turning into a cockroach lead in Rogue’s production of Kafka’s existential “Metamorphosis.” His Frog is courteous, courageous, yet still alien, creating a sort of Kabuki of the Absurd.”
Directing
“...beautifully-adapted contemporary version of Anton Chekov’s classic tragedy, skillfully directed by Matt Bowden, we have an exciting new company who can stand confidently beside Chicago’s other fine theatrical troupes.”
“The performances that Bowdren gets from his excellent cast are uniformly wonderful....I asked my husband what he thought of this play and he said, “It was sort of brilliant.” I agree. Carefully constructed and wonderfully acted, Leave Me Alone is one of those little gems that deserves to find an audience. The Story Theatre has, in its inaugural production, entered the crowded Chicago theatre scene with a quite literal bang.”
“Director Matt Bowdren helms this solid ship and fashions a piece of theater that strikes an impeccable balance between nuance and grandiloquence. With delicate adherence to Miller’s sensibilities, actors never go out of bounds even as they achieve their bombastic heights; conversely, poignant moments are so intimate that one feels almost privy to a character’s inner resolve.”
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin adapted by Cynthia Meier
“Director Matt Bowdren infuses the production with the tenderness and anger the play requires. He makes the sprawling intimate. He reminds us that we must not be complacent.
What Bowdren has done is no small feat: Eight actors portray about 20 characters. There’s an angel with beating wings. Ghosts wander in and out. Scenes jump from a hospital to a bar to an upscale apartment to a back alley where men meet for sex. Bowdren, who uses a simple set and quick scene changes, finds the humor and the grace in this dark, often disturbing play.”
“Matt Bowdren, directed this version, pulling together the vast reach of its parts into a clear and singular product. Assisted by the efforts of many fine performers, his vision melds fluidly with Kushner’s, and the epic tale we see here, echoes the simple and the complex stirrings of Kushner’s creation.”
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
“Matt Bowdren’s direction is nuanced and precise. He juggled the multiple characters and locations with a seeming ease.”