PROJECT TITLE
Gay Fantasia | Boulder, Colorado & St. Louis Premiere
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
A Late Night Immersive Event Spanning the Last Day of the Harvey Milk to the First Days of the HIV/AIDS Crisis.
PROJECT ROLES
Executive Producer | Creator | Head Writer | Actor
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PROJECT TITLE
Broken Bone Bathtub | St. Louis Premiere
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Broken Bone Bathtub is an immersive theatre project by Siobhan O'Loughlin that takes place inside a bathtub, in an actual home. Hosted in St Louis at the Lemp Mansion and in private homes.
PROJECT ROLES
Co-Executive Producer with That Uppity Theatre Company
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION
Siobhan O'Loughlin
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PROJECT TITLE
A Song For Vanya | St Lou Fringe | Headline Act | St. Louis Premiere
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
A Song for Vanya is a musical adaptation of Uncle Vanya, the tragicomedy by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov – first published in 1899. The setting is a provincial Russian estate, where the quiet lives of the inhabitants are disrupted when the head of the family brings home his beautiful new wife. Instrumentation for this musical includes twenty-eight songs set in various combinations for cello, piano, clarinet, and the eight characters.
PROJECT ROLES
Executive Producer | Director
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION
Cast Members of, "A Song For Vanya." Photo by Robert Crowe.
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PROJECT TITLE
The Mueller Report: Read, Sing, Resist | That Uppity Theatre Company
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: An array of artists, activists, elected officials and community people gathered together to read excerpts and summaries of the Mueller Report in a effort to allow people to share their voices and speak up.
PROJECT ROLES
Performer | Melania Trump
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION
Matthew Kerns as Melania Trump in "The Mueller Report: Sing, Read, Resist." Photo by That Uppity Theatre Company.
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PROJECT TITLE
The Gringo | Fly North Theatricals | St Lou Fringe Headline Act | St. Louis Premiere
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The Gringo takes place between two graffiti-covered Miami neighborhoods — Overtown, historic but rundown, and Wynwood, "graffiti and gentrification central."
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The script follows a young street artist named Ishmael who arrives in town shortly after a beloved local street artist known as El Fantasma is shot to death by police. The story follows Ishmael as he confronts his white privilege in unfamiliar territory and reveals the stories of others he meets along the way, leading to the musical's ultimate question: If your home is hell and you have the privilege to leave, do you? Or do you stay and fight for it? Photo by Christopher Page-Sanders.
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION
The Gringo cast in rehearsal.
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PROJECT ROLES
Executive Producer | Director
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PROJECT TITLE
The Final Performance of Midnight Annie: The Life, Times, & Stories of Chris Andoe | St Lou Fringe Headline Act | World Premiere
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Midnight Annie is a solo-performance chronicling the life story of Chris Andoe, celebrated St. Louis LGBTQIA+ writer. The show takes the audience on his life journey unfolding how he became the great listener for a generation.
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION
Chris Andoe in rehearsal for The Final Performance of Midnight Annie. Photo by Sean Gottlieb.
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PROJECT ROLES
Executive Producer | Co-Creator | Director
PRESS LINKS
Holmes, G. (2023, July 13). The fine art of storytelling. Sophisticated Living.
PROJECT TITLE
The Oreo Complex | St Lou Fringe Headline Act | St. Louis Premiere
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
What does an unapologetic performance of blackness look like in a space where you are underrepresented and very often stereotyped? The OREO Complex is a multi-disciplinary solo performance inspired by WEB DuBois’ concept of double consciousness.
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION
Lillian C. Brown performing her award-winning show, The Oreo Complex. Photo by Robert Crowe.
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PROJECT ROLES
Executive Producer
PRESS LINKS
Farmer, T. (2023, August 16). 12th St Lou Fringe Fest Kicks Off with a Bang. Riverfront Times.
PROJECT TITLE
CHICKEN | Filet of Solofest | Live Bait Theatre | Chicago
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Chicken is the story of a young gay man in pursuit of life, liberty, and pursuit of peanut butter in the shadow of HIV. NOTE: This show went on to be featured by Tony-Award winning Theatre Victory Gardens Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION
This is the show poster for the series of solo performances that were named the, "The Must See Shows of the Summer" in 2007 by WBEZ and the Chicago Reader.
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PROJECT ROLES
Creator | Performer
PRESS LINKS
Metz, N. (2008, January 25). Crip slam puts private moments on stage. Chicago Tribune.
AWARD
St. Louis Business Journal | Diverse Business Leaders Award | Class of 2020
ARTICLE DESCRIPTION
This award honors champions for diversity and inclusion in their respective sectors. Further, Individuals are chosen by peer leaders from across the community who see awardees executing exceptional commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and throughout the St. Louis community. Matthew was selected for his leadership at St Lou Fringe and his deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION
A photo taken on the back steps of Matthew's house in Ferguson, Missouri. Photo by HumansSTL.
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Commendation
Forbes Magazine | 2023 | St Lou Fringe Mention
ARTICLE DESCRIPTION
St Lou Fringe, under the leaders of Matthew R. Kerns, MFA is one of the Kranzberg Arts Foundation's original residents making St. Louis one of the most exciting Emerging Arts Districts in the nation.
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION
A piece of the graffiti wall outside of the Hi/Low, one of the venue homes to STLFringe FEST.
Mural by Remix Uno. Photo by Chadd Scott.
PRESS LINKS
Scott, C. (2023, June 5). America’s most exciting emerging arts district is in... st louis? Forbes.
AWARD
Kennedy Center of the Arts | Creative Ticket | National School of Distinction | 2007
AWARD DESCRIPTION
This award honors the schools leadership and faculty for excellence in arts education.
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION
A bust of former late President, John F. Kennedy featured in the lobby of the Kennedy Center for the arts. Photo by Matthew R. Kerns, MFA.
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LIFE EVENT
The New York Times | Our Wedding | LGBTQIA+
ARTICLE TITLE
A Wedding Under the St. Louis Arch
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION
Matthew & Sean Kerns' wedding photo. A covid wedding with the only gift being toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Photo by the late Tony Potts.
PRESS LINKS
Reyes, N. (2020, May 2). A Wedding Under the St Louis Arch. New York Times.
LIFE EVENT
St. Louis Post-Dispatch | Lifestyle Section
ARTICLE TITLE
Festive Art-Filled Home Makes Debut On Lafayette Square Holiday Parlor Tour
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION
One of the couple's most prized collectibles is this pair of red patent leather boots worn in the original touring production of the hit Broadway musical "Kinky Boots." Gottlieb won them at a charity auction. The boots inspired the decorations on the parlor's Christmas tree. Photo by Christine Tannous.
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LIFE EVENT
Riverfront Times | Society Column | LGBTQIA+
ARTICLE TITLE
A Theater Maven's Cruella De Vil-Themed Birthday
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PHOTO DESCRIPTION
The Cruella De Vil cake that inspired the entire theme for the party. The cake was made by the artists at Celebrating Life Cakes. Photo by Sean Gottlieb.
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