Some people make a few false starts before they discover the career that perfectly suits them—but not Matt Naegeli. By age ten, Matt was already completely devoted to musical theater. Born and raised in Albuquerque, Matt had watched most of the classic movie musicals often enough to know every libretto by heart while still a kid. When he was in sixth grade, he got a part in ACLOA’s fully staged production of Oliver!, directed by Hal Simons, with Gaye Grant as Nancy. That was it. Matt fell in love—with Gaye, with the show, and with the energy and imagination of the stage. Now, at age 23, he has already directed several musicals and some non-musicals too, including Shadowlands, about his hero, C.S. Lewis, which played at the Adobe Theater earlier this year. Blessed with a fine singing voice and an easy dancer’s frame, he has played leads from his days at La Cueva High School to Tony in MTS’s recent production of West Side Story.

For many youngsters, a gifted teacher or inspiring theater program opens the door to a lifelong passion. A key influence in Matt’s life has been a church that uses and celebrates theater. Dr Gary L. Hamburger, pastor at Hope Evangelical Free Church, and his wife, Susan, introduced drama as an enriching medium for building confidence and community within the youth program. Now the church offers its space and resources to all the residents of the city to enjoy and participate in good-quality, uplifting theatrical experiences. The church as a body has recognized Matt’s extraordinary gifts, and going beyond providing inspiration, has offered him a position on the staff. This underwriting enables him to support himself while making theater by and for the community.

In the fall of 2005, a few months before he completed his bachelor’s degree in music at Colorado Christian College, Matt went to England to study English and philosophy at Oxford. One course was about C.S. Lewis. "Lewis showed me fantasy," said Matt. "He taught me how to look into another world. I see the proscenium arch as that portal into an alternative place of the imagination. It was in England, too, that I began really to believe in Shakespeare and his world." Matt has adapted some of Lewis’s prose for the stage, getting agreement from Douglas Grisham, Lewis’s stepson, to perform the world premiere of The Silver Chair in 2004. Talented in so many areas, Matt has decided to focus on directing at this point.

For one so young, he has come far, and his advice for other young people interested in theater today is this: "It’s not just about getting caught up in the glamour, or getting a good role or a high-profile gig. It’s about having a vision, even pictures in your head, which you want to share with others. Everyone gets tired and frustrated, and it’s easy to burn out. But if you can keep hold of the heart of that vision, that well of meaning, you can drink from it, and you won’t run dry or burn out."

As for the future, Matt hopes to refine his craft and continue to direct in larger venues to bigger audiences. He is hoping to start work on a master’s degree in directing before too long. He also thinks it is crucial to build broader partnerships across the community, in order to create more interesting theater and to build a faithful patron base for theater throughout Albuquerque. "The potential audience for good theater is huge," he says. "Every good production helps every theater, and great theater enriches our community and city!" Matt is excited about the advent of the Albuquerque Theatre Guild, which can alert residents of this region to the wonderful opportunities for making and seeing good drama, including wonderful musical theater. "Theater is good for all of us," he believes. "It’s about encountering truth through fantasy and exploring and developing the imagination."

See his latest project, My Fair Lady, for yourself, and experience the joy and creativity of this immensely talented young man. He is Albuquerque’s own son, and artists of his caliber don’t come down the pike all that often. He’s a gift to our city—you’ll want to be there with him as he transforms the spaces around him.

with Tania Ensign, Thane Kenny, Ray Orley, Hy Tillery, and many more!

Freedom Community Theater at Hope Evangelical Free Church

4710 Juan Tabo NE., ½ mile north of Montgomery.

Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm, July 6 through 22.

For information and tickets, call 702-2726

or email fct_tickets@hotmail.com