Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Busch.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
It all started when I played Baptista in “Taming of the Shrew” in middle school. I’m not sure why there was a full production of a Shakespeare classic for 11-year-olds, and why I was cast to play a father, but that’s what happened. I distinctly remember that I was also playing baseball at the time, and I was running late to one of the shows from a baseball game and performed onstage in dirty baseball pants. It was exhilarating.
I continued to play double-duty on sports and theater until it came time to choose my path, and I obviously chose the creative one. I took part in quite a few productions, both at schools and local playhouses in Charleston, SC while growing up. I was lucky enough to have found exactly what my life calling was by high school, so the frantic search for the right college came quickly. Through a recommendation from my high school theater teacher, I looked into The Savannah College of Art and Design. After traveling to Savannah as a spry 17-year old, I fell in love with the artsy, quaint city dripping with history. On top of that, SCAD offered a curriculum that was unmatched with classes taught by industry professionals you couldn’t find anywhere else. I auditioned, was offered a scholarship, and packed my bags and never looked back.
Throughout college, I was never really “the star” performer; because of this, it motivated me to work even harder at honing my craft, while I had the ability to do so, around such incredible talent and knowledge. I performed in a few mainstage shows, along with some student-driven pieces, and found success in my own way. I built a solid foundation in all aspects of theatre, which helped once I was shoved into the real world. Towards graduation, it came time to decide on the next chapter; I researched various internships across the country and applied for a wide variety of them, anywhere from acting to directing to dramaturgy.
I was lucky enough to receive a call from Freddie Ashley, Artistic Director of Actor’s Express here in Atlanta, inviting me to join the 2012-2013 internship class as an acting intern, and I graciously accepted. I graduated SCAD, moved to Atlanta, and started a professional internship all in the span in less than a month. Once I completed the internship, I was lucky enough to be consistently booked in various productions across Atlanta. This is how I got involved with Out of Box Theatre.
After performing in a few shows with Out of Box, I had a discussion with Carolyn Choe (Artistic Director) and Amber Rampy (Executive Director) about joining the ranks in some capacity to bring a fresh new perspective to what they were already successfully doing. I signed on as Associate Artistic Director and the rest is history. In the years since I joined Out of Box, I have acted in a handful of plays, made my professional directorial debut, and conceived, created, implemented, and managed an internship program that introduced seven wonderful young theatre-makers to the Atlanta scene, all who have gone on to do incredible things across the country.
I continue to act and direct across town and am always honored when somebody asks me to be a part of their production.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I don’t think any road is ever smooth, but my road has been as smooth as I have chosen to make it. I don’t like to dwell on challenges, I accept them and face them head-on. I learned that early on in my life and continued to face challenges through my collegiate and professional career, both personal and professional. I embrace challenges because it’s the only way we can grow and move forward.
I used to think that “adults” had it all figured out. It was when I was thrust into the real world that I realized we’re all just pretending that we know what we’re doing and what we’re talking about, but in reality, we’re all wearing masks to hide our insecurities. Life is sloppy and messy and unpredictable, and the sooner we recognize and embrace that, the sooner we’ll allow ourselves to make mistakes, learn from them, and grow as humans.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Matthew Busch – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
As a freelance actor & director, I strive to tell stories of the human experience. I think there is a great empathy that occurs when you frequent the theatre and see examples of lives you can never live. Creating a character or crafting a show is like a puzzle; there are pieces scattered everywhere and it’s our job as artists to figure out how those pieces all fit together to create a larger picture.
At Out of Box Theatre, we exist to tell stories of the human experience in an intimate and thought-provoking way. We embrace challenging scripts. We embrace stories that are difficult to tell. We embrace unknown playwrights. We embrace emerging artists. We embrace the intimacy of our 50-seat black box theatre. When you see a show at Out of Box, you aren’t just a fly on the wall, you’re literally sitting in the room with these characters, watching them live and breathe. As an artist at Out of Box, there is an innate challenge with the intimacy; it is an incredible workout to be completely and utterly “in the moment” each and every second of a performance. It’s essential because the audience can tell if you’re lying…after all, they are 5 feet away. There is no hiding in our space like in many larger theatres with rows and rows of people that could be hundreds of feet away from you. That’s what makes us unique.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I’ve learned to take life day-by-day. We can plan all we want, but there is an innate force in the universe that is pushing us a certain way, and rather than struggle against it, I’ve learned to accept what is coming my way. Of course, I would love to be able to tailor my future, and I actively work towards the goals I’d like to accomplish, but I find myself finding joy in the everyday more and more. I want to continue to find and tell creative stories to the best of my ability and to spread empathy to the masses via theatre in a time when we can all use a little compassion and understanding.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.matthewrbusch.com
- Phone: 843.847.0241
- Email: matt@outofboxtheatre.com
- Instagram: @itsmattbusch
- Facebook: facebook.com/mattbusch
Image Credit:
Casey Gardner; BreeAnne Clowdus; Brian Wallenberg; Topher Payne; Brenda Moorer
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