About this Artist
As artistic director of The Troubadour Theater Company since 1995, Matt has directed over 25 original productions, and in 2006 received the O.C. Weekly Theater Award for Career Achievement, and in 2007, the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Sustained Excellence in Theater.
Walker has trained with notable performers and organizations including; Bill Irwin, Second City Improvisation, The Royal Shakespeare Co., and The San Francisco Mime Troupe. Walker is also a graduate of Ringling Bros. Clown College, and did time as clown in The Greatest Show On Earth.
Walker served as adjunct professor of Clowning and Commedia at the University of California at San Diego for four years, and now teaches and directs MFA acting students at the University of Southern California.
Other recent work includes:
Writing and directing a show for Universal Studios/Orlando, Disaster!, featuring Chris Walken and Dywane Johnson, which received the 2009 “Rehab Attraction of the Year Award”.
Serving as associate director to Garry Marshall on Happy Days the Musical, as well as its resident director on the 1st National Tour.
Matt also directed the world premiere productions of Million Dollar Quartet at The Seaside Music Theater in Daytona, Florida, and at The Village Theater in Seattle, WA, and although un-credited, he collaborated on the book, which received a 2010 Tony nomination.
Most recently, Matt received commissions to direct two productions at The Getty Villa in Malibu, including an adaptation of Aristophanes’ Frogs, and Oedipus The King Mama, which was #4 in LA Weekly’s 2009 top ten shows of the year.
For television, he has directed numerous shows including, Dinner & A Movie(TBS), Dude Room(Discovery), Saturday Night Solution(Court TV).
And he just finished work as on-set-writer for Garry Marshalls’ film , Valentines Day, for New Line Cinema. The sequel, New Years Eve, begins production in Oct 2010, with Walker onboard again as set writer.
Other recent awards include:2009 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award – Best Director – Musical Larger Theater – As U2 Like It2009 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award – Best Season – Troubadour Theater Company2009 LA Weekly – Top Ten Shows of 2009 – Oedipus The King Mama 2007 LA Drama Critics Circle Award – Best Adaptation – Alice In One Hit Wonderland