Praise for Red Velvet at the Raven Theatre
“Klingler peels back LaPorte’s Gallic charm to reveal a man with his own troubled past from the French Revolution.” – Kerry Reid, Chicago Tribune.
“Matthew Klingler, as Pierre LaPorte, the manager of Covent Garden, at first appears as a soft spoken but firm Frenchman who is making a momentous decision yet appearing to make it an obvious one. But, as the play progresses, he becomes the power broker and the counter force to Ira Aldridge’s insistence on how he is to play his role as Othello. And ultimately, La Porte must make the agonizing decision on Aldridge’s career. Klingler’s portrayal of a man with a desire to do the right thing yet daunted by the man he wishes to support is powerful.” – Scotty Zacher, Chicago Theater Beat
“…superb performances are matched by the youthful brilliance of handsome Matthew Klingler…”
– Colin Douglas, Chicago Theatre Review
– Colin Douglas, Chicago Theatre Review
“When Klingler finally taps into Chris’s outraged fraternal bond, the result is glorious to behold.”
– Jacob Davis, Chicago Critic
– Jacob Davis, Chicago Critic
“This…undeniably powerful American classic crackles under Michael Menendian’s direction thanks to intense and honest performances by the entire cast – in particular Chuck Spencer as Joe, Matthew Klingler as his son, and the superb JoAnn Montemurro as Joe’s wife…” – Albert Williams, Chicago Reader
“Matthew Klingler and Jen Short shine as Chris Keller and Ann Deever, respectively. Their portrayal of idealistic love is a joy to watch while its deprivation induces anguish.”
– Mary Kroek, NewCity
– Mary Kroek, NewCity
Praise for The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later at Red Twist
“The most compelling scene in Greg Kolack’s intimate, well-paced production re-creates a chilling jailhouse confession by Shepard’s unapologetically homophobic killer, played by the excellent Matthew Klingler.” – Albert Williams, Chicago Reader
“Matthew Klingler offers an appropriately chilling turn as the murderer Aaron McKinney.” – Rory Leahy, CenterStage
“Although the entire cast was sublime, I was incredibly disturbed by Matthew Klingler’s performance as an aggressive 20/20 producer but mostly as a cold-blooded killer, Aaron McKinney. Klingler’s excited description of his new gun purchase followed by a non-emotional blow by blow of the murder was gasp-worthy.” –Katy Walsh, ChicagoNow
“Much of Act 2 is devoted to interviews with the convicted killers, who were only represented in the first play through indirect testimony. Here Russell Henderson, and especially Aaron McKinney (in a blazing performance by Matthew Klingler) can almost be seen sympathetically.” – David Zak, Chicago Stage Style
Praise for columbinus at the Raven Theatre
“Abelson and Klingler’s fusion of visceral power and emotional precision ranks with the signal acting accomplishments in Chicago theater history—William Petersen in Wisdom Bridge’s In the Belly of the Beast, John Malkovich and Jeff Perry in Steppenwolf’s True West, Kevin Anderson and Terry Kinney in Steppenwolf’s Orphans.” -Albert Williams, The Chicago Reader
“Last but not least is … Klingler’s searing performance as Klebold, consumed by hate.”- Barbara Vitello, The Daily Herald
“And all the while we also sense the growing fire inside two exceptionally smart but unstable and tormented outcasts: ….and the more naive and suggestible Dylan Klebold (Matthew Klingler, wonderfully ambivalent)…” -Hedy Weiss, The Chicago Sun Times