Class Notes: Matt Manuel in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”

Summary

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BroadwayRadio: Class Notes

Matt Manuel in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”

Date: April 3, 2026
Host: Lauren Clash Schneider
Guest: Matt Manuel (Mitch Mahoney, Spelling Bee at New World Stages)

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Episode Overview

In this engaging conversation, Lauren Clash Schneider interviews actor and singer Matt Manuel, who currently stars as Mitch Mahoney in "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" at New World Stages. The episode delves into Matt’s journey with the show, the unique challenges and joys of performing in a production with audience participation, memorable experiences with celebrity guests, his background growing up in Detroit and transitioning from gymnast to Broadway actor, and the advice he offers aspiring performers.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mitch Mahoney’s Role in Spelling Bee

• Role & Significance
  • Matt describes Mitch Mahoney as the “comfort counselor,” tasked with consoling eliminated kids—offering juice boxes and emotional support, albeit with humorously little enthusiasm at first.
    • "His job is when a kid gets a word wrong, he offers them a juice box, he consoles them as best as he can, and then he gets them off the stage. The part that's kind of funny about it is he's not very warm at the beginning." (Matt Manuel, 01:00)
  • Mitch is someone searching for his purpose, volunteering at the school and unexpectedly filling this unusual position.

2. Onstage Humor and Staying in Character

• Corpsing:
  • Matt admits it’s genuinely hard not to laugh onstage, especially given his funny castmates.
    • "Sometimes it's really, really hard. I try to keep a stone face for at least half of the show...But sometimes it's really hard to not break, especially because my castmates and some of the spellers are hilarious." (Matt Manuel, 01:49)

3. Navigating Audience Participation

• Handling Unpredictability:

  • The cast has adapted to audience participation, including unexpected guest speller successes, which can alter the course of the show.
    • "You have to plan for if a guest speller gets a word right when they're not supposed to, it can shift the show. But Jason Kravitz is really great with it, and so is Lilli Cooper...They really control the ebb and the flow of the show." (Matt Manuel, 02:29)
  • Matt humorously likens his ability to “remove” guests from the stage to being a nightclub bouncer.

• Memorable Instance:

  • Recalls a time when a guest speller persisted through multiple rounds due to initially easy words, teaching the cast a valuable lesson about show pacing.
    • "We all looked at Jason, and we were like, it's because you gave her a very easy word at the beginning. You should have got her out...So let that be a lesson. When you give somebody a really easy word, thinking they won't get the hard ones later." (Matt Manuel, 03:46)

4. Celebrity Guest Spellers

• Daniel Radcliffe’s Guest Appearance:
  • Matt names Daniel Radcliffe as his favorite celebrity guest, recounting a chaotic (and memorable) night punctuated by a fire alarm and theater evacuation.
    • "It was the most notable experience because the fire alarm went off during that show, so we had to evacuate all five theaters and New World Stages...I had to kind of step in and be his bodyguard for a hot second. I told him. I was like, hey, you're gonna be good. I got you. But, yeah, it was just a wonderful and a memorable show, for sure." (Matt Manuel, 04:26–05:47)
  • He highlights Radcliffe’s genuine enthusiasm for theater and his connection to cast member Leanna.

5. Working with Director/Choreographer Danny Mefford

• Collaborative Leadership:
  • Matt shares high praise for Mefford’s directorial debut, emphasizing the director’s collaborative and actor-friendly approach.
    • "He is an actor's dream to work with." (Matt Manuel, 05:58)
    • "The way that he allowed us to collaborate...he brought us into his mind about these characters and allowed us to have a say."

6. The Audition Journey

• Self-Tapes & Virtual Callbacks:
  • Matt details his audition journey, starting from LA with a self-tape while hoarse, callbacks, and eventually booking his role via a Zoom audition due to logistics—a testament to adaptability and passion.
    • "I did my final callback over Zoom and I booked the role." (Matt Manuel, 06:35–07:52)
  • The show is especially meaningful for Matt, as an earlier local production was his first paid acting job and pivotal in his realizing his love for the stage.

7. Detroit Roots and Musical Theater

• Growing Up in Motown:

  • Matt’s upbringing in Detroit and proximity to Hitsville, USA (the Motown Museum) directly influenced later roles in “Motown” and “Ain’t Too Proud.”
    • "I grew up down the street from Hitsville, usa." (Matt Manuel, 08:00)
    • He shares personal family anecdotes tying him to Motown legends, including holding a Grammy as a teen.

• Landing Iconic Musical Roles:

  • Both "Motown" and "Ain't Too Proud" were booked via open call auditions in Detroit, leading to him playing Marvin Gaye and David Ruffin.

8. From Gymnastics to Music

• Serendipitous Path:
  • Matt’s journey began in competitive gymnastics but pivoted to music after costs made gymnastics unattainable. A mix-up at his first voice lesson unveiled his singing talent.
    • "Our lessons got switched, and that's how I found out I could sing." (Matt Manuel, 09:31–10:31)
    • He shares the touching moment a coach recognized his gift: "Do you have any idea how good you are? And I said, no, I don't. But it stuck." (Matt Manuel, 10:35)

9. Advice for Aspiring Performers

• Persistence Over Talent:
  • Matt emphasizes diligence and perseverance as the deciding factors in a performer’s success:
    • "The difference between that can be the diligence and the perseverance to pursue that thing...You almost have to be a bit insane. But when you know what you're doing and why you're doing it and who you're doing it for, that's the hardest part...Once you know that, if you stick with it, it really only takes one yes to change your life." (Matt Manuel, 11:13)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "I Can turn from, you know, the comfort counselor to a bouncer at a nightclub real quick." (Matt Manuel, 02:29)
• "It's the type of thing that can only happen with live theater." (Lauren Clash Schneider, 05:47)
• "I never thought that these things would end up formulating my career." (Matt Manuel, 08:20)
• "It really only takes one yes to change your life." (Matt Manuel, 11:13)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:00 — Matt describes the Mitch Mahoney character
• 01:49 — Struggling to keep a straight face on stage
• 02:29 — Navigating unpredictable audience participation
• 03:46 — Story about an audience member with multiple correct words
• 04:26 — Celebrity guest stories; Daniel Radcliffe and the fire alarm
• 05:58 — Working with director/choreographer Danny Mefford
• 06:35 — Audition process and booking the role over Zoom
• 08:00 — Growing up in Detroit and Motown roots
• 09:31 — Transition from gymnastics to singing
• 11:13 — Advice for aspiring performers

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Conclusion

This episode offers an uplifting, candid look into Matt Manuel’s unique journey to Broadway, blending humor, backstage stories, and practical advice for the next generation. His reflections capture both the challenges and magic of live theater, underscoring the importance of perseverance and self-discovery in the performing arts.

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Transcript

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[Lauren Clash Schneider]

Hi, I'm Lauren Clash Schneider with Class notes for Broadway Radio. I'm here with Matt Manuel, cast member in the 25th annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at New World Stages. Hello and welcome.

[Matt Manuel]

Hi. Thanks for having me.

[Lauren Clash Schneider]

You bet. So, the story as contestants, these white knuckle adolescents in the heat of competition with emotions running from A to Z, step up to the mic because they love spelling and because being a champion could solve everything. You play the character of Mitch Mahoney. How does this role fit into the story?

[Matt Manuel]

So Mitch Mahoney is actually the comfort counselor. His job is when a kid gets a word wrong, he offers them a juice box, he consoles them as best as he can, and then he gets them off the stage. The part that's kind of funny about it is he's not very warm at the beginning. He's, like, very new to it, and he's kind of in his second act. He's trying to figure out what he wants to do with life, and he just ends up volunteering at this school and happens upon this position. Mm.

[Lauren Clash Schneider]

And I realize it's your job, but in this show in particular, with your role, how do you keep from not cracking up?

[Matt Manuel]

You know, sometimes it's really hard. Sometimes it's really, really hard. I try to keep a stone face for at least half of the show, and eventually I start to allow myself to respond with a smile and things like that. But sometimes it's really hard to not break, especially because my castmates and some of the spellers are hilarious.

[Lauren Clash Schneider]

It's a show that brings in audience participation onto the stage. How does the company navigate the unpredictability of that?

[Matt Manuel]

They have. We've gotten so good at it because the thing about it is, you know, you have to plan for if a guest speller gets a word right when they're not supposed to, it can shift the show. But Jason Kravitz is really great with it, and so is Lilli Cooper. They play Panch and Rona. They really control the ebb and the flow of the show. And they have gotten really fantastic about knowing what a guest feller needs in the moment. And me, I am very good about kind of when it's time to go, it's time to go. And so I Can turn from, you know, the comfort counselor to a bouncer at a nightclub real quick.

[Lauren Clash Schneider]

One of the times that I saw it recently, a guest speller, an audience participation speller, had about maybe three to four words, correct.

[Matt Manuel]

Yeah.

[Lauren Clash Schneider]

When they finally gave her the zingerist, it seemed like nobody on the planet would be able to spell that for you to be able to eliminate.

[Matt Manuel]

Yeah. And I think I remember this, and we talked about it, and right after our last speller gets out, I sing the prayer of the comfort counselor, and then we have a snack break moment, and that's the only break that the cast gets. And so when we all came off stage, we all looked at Jason, and we were like, it's because you gave her a very easy word at the beginning. You should have got her out. And now we're all here, and it was like, so let that be a lesson. When you give somebody a really easy word, thinking they won't get the hard ones later.

[Lauren Clash Schneider]

Sometimes there are celebrity guest spellers. Do you have a favorite?

[Matt Manuel]

Yeah, I do. Mine is Daniel Radcliffe. Dan's such a. He's such a cool guy, and he's such a fan of the arts and of talent and of what we do on a Broadway stage. And he is also a really near and dear friend to Leanna, who plays Marcy park because they did merrily together. And so he came to kind of get the gist of what it feels like to do something a little off the cuff, because he was about to start rehearsals for every brilliant thing. And it was the most notable experience because the fire alarm went off during that show, so we had to evacuate all five theaters and New World stages. And I just remember people screaming like, oh, my God, it's the cast of Beth. Spelling Bee. Is that Daniel Radcliffe? And so I had to kind of step in and be his bodyguard for a hot second. I told him. I was like, hey, you're gonna be good. I got you. But, yeah, it was just a wonderful and a memorable show, for sure.

[Lauren Clash Schneider]

And the type of thing that can only happen with live theater.

[Matt Manuel]

Oh, absolutely.

[Lauren Clash Schneider]

Yeah. Yeah. Spelling Bee is directed and choreographed by Danny Mefford. Have you ever worked together before?

[Matt Manuel]

We have not. It's so crazy because I think this was also his debut, his directorial debut, and it blew us all away because I'm like, I can't imagine being in better hands. The way that he allowed us to collaborate with him, and he brought us into his mind about these characters and allowed us to have a say. He is an actor's dream to work with high praise.

[Lauren Clash Schneider]

How did the audition come about for you?

[Matt Manuel]

So I got a self tape from my agents at the time. I was living in LA and got the audition, did the self tape. I was hoarse at the time because I was singing at some concert. And I remember all of the songs for the concert were up a half step because they were like, oh, we saw you. We know you can sing it. And I was like, oh, my God. So I'm doing this self tape, get it done. I get a call back, I do that. And they asked for a final callback and asked for me to fly to New York. And I just. I couldn't. And I was really upset because the show meant so much to me. It was actually the first show that I had ever done that I got paid for. I didn't get paid much. I was in my small town, but it was the first thing that I did. And it's what made me realize I loved acting. And so I really wanted to get this job, but I said, I can only do it on Zoom. And they said, that's totally okay. And I did my final callback over Zoom and I booked the role.

[Lauren Clash Schneider]

Oh, I love that story. And you alluded a little bit to growing up, which I believe you grew up in that great music town of Detroit.

[Matt Manuel]

I did. I did. I grew up in Detroit, and then at about 11 years old, my family moved about an hour north to a much smaller town. But I grew up down the street from Hitsville, usa.

[Lauren Clash Schneider]

Oh, boy. And you've also appeared in Motown and ain't too proud. Is this all related somehow?

[Matt Manuel]

You know, it is somehow. I think when I auditioned for Motown, they held an audition at Hitsville, and it was the first time I'd ever been. I'd lived down the street from it my whole life. Never went in. So I went in, auditioned, booked the role in an open call. And I also did the same with Ain't Too Proud. I booked it at an open call in Detroit. But, yeah, playing Marvin Gaye and playing David Ruffin were incredible. And all of my family could say, because everyone has stories, it was like, oh, you know, your grandfather used to play cards with David Ruffin. And I was like, that's crazy. You know, but my best friend, her, her grandfather is Paul Williams of the Temptation. So I held his Grammy when I was, like, 16 years old. And so I never thought that these things would end up formulating my career.

[Lauren Clash Schneider]

I love that. In addition to your incredible music background, I read that you wanted to be a gymnast when you grew up. So what changed?

[Matt Manuel]

So I was a competitive gymnast when I was a kid. It's a very expensive sport, especially if you are a boy. There's typically more girls that go into it, and the more people you have on a team, the more you can split the cost. And so there were only three of us, and so it was very expensive. And my parents ended up having to pull me out for a time. And at that time, my mother was like, you know, she saw how distraught I was about it, and I would sneak away and practice all my gymnastics routines on playgrounds, which is very dangerous. And so she got me to stop, and she said, let's do a piano lesson. And my older brother was like, well, you know, I want a voice lesson. And so my mom scheduled us lessons and dropped us off, and when we arrived, our lessons got switched, and that's how I found out I could sing.

[Lauren Clash Schneider]

Oh, my gosh. So serendipitous.

[Matt Manuel]

Yeah, I remember, you know, we. We wanted to correct him, but, you know, we were trying to, like, be respectful. And so my brother was a brilliant piano player and found it out there, and I was a. A great singer. And I remember him saying, do you have any idea how good you are? And I said, no, I don't. But it stuck.

[Lauren Clash Schneider]

Well, look what a little respect you'll get.

[Matt Manuel]

Yeah, it gets you a Broadway career.

[Lauren Clash Schneider]

Last question. What advice would you give to that kid out there who wants a career like yours when they grow up?

[Matt Manuel]

I would say in this day and age, diligence plays one of the biggest parts in your success. There are so many people who are talented. There are so many people who deserve more than they have at the moment. But the difference between that can be the diligence and the perseverance to pursue that thing. People will pursue it when they have all of the money. They will pursue it when they have no money and there's no sight of it. They'll pursue it because they have a belief. You almost have to be a bit insane. But when you know what you're doing and why you're doing it and who you're doing it for, that's the hardest part, in my opinion. Once you know that, if you stick with it, it really only takes one. Yes. To change your life.

[Lauren Clash Schneider]

I hope the young kids out there hearing this and take you to heart. And, Matt, I thank you so much.

[Matt Manuel]

Oh, thank you so much. This has been incredible.

[Lauren Clash Schneider]

I'm Lauren Klasschneider with Class Notes for Broadway Radio. I'm here with Matt Manuel, a cast member in the 25th annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at New World Stages.

[Matt Manuel]

Thank you, Sam.