Interview: Matthew Morrison of MATTHEW MORRISON at Nancy & David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre

For one night only on February 5, acclaimed singer, actor, and dancer Matthew Morrison will grace the stage at Ruth Eckerd’s Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, delivering an unforgettable performance.

“Every night I step on stage without any armor on and I think the show only works if I’(M) Willing to be seen and not polished, not perfect just completely present,” says Morrison.

He is not interested in performing at the audience anymore. He wants to build something with them. “By the end we’ve all shared a moment that didn’t exist before we all walked in that theater.”

For someone who has performed in massive venues, he lights up when he talks about the intimacy of the Capitol Theatre. “I want to be in a room where that connection can be felt in a way that I think sometimes you lose in a bigger space. I thrive in those moments where the audience can literally feel like they can almost touch me on stage.”

His show pulls from every corner of his career without turning into a timeline. “My show is really tailored around my career but it’s not one of those career retrospectives of like, oh then I did this show and then I did this show. The show is reminding people who I am through different outlets of what I’ve done, more about remembering who I was before the noise and inviting the audience to do the same for themselves.”

That means Hairspray, Light in the Piazza, Glee, and a few surprises tucked into the setlist.

Morrison’s discography features four studio albums, each showcasing his versatility and artistry. His self-titled debut, released in 2011 on Mercury Records, boasts powerhouse collaborations with Sting, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Sir Elton John. He followed this with Where It All Began, a collection of Broadway standards produced by the legendary Phil Ramone. Morrison’s seasonal album A Classic Christmas and the imaginative Disney Dreamin’ round out his diverse catalog.

 Curating the music has been its own creative adventure. “I love challenging myself and to put that all wrapped up into a show together has been really interesting,” he explains. “You will find your connection to me within the show through a song that you know from me doing or be surprised by something you’ve never heard before.”

Even his stories about working with legends Sting, Ramone, and Elton John feel wonderfully grounded. He described Sir Elton John warming up in the studio initially sounding nothing like Sir Elton John. Then the magic arrived. “All of a sudden Elton John’s voice came online and you’re like oh there he is.” Watching icons be human taught him more than any formal lesson.

While many younger fans may recognize Matthew Morrison primarily for his beloved portrayal of Will Schuester on TV’s Glee, his remarkable talent extends far beyond the small screen. Morrison’s Broadway roots are equally impressive. He originated the role of Link Larkin in Hairspray and brought Fabrizio to life in The Light in the Piazza, a performance that earned him a Tony nomination. His versatility and depth on stage are as astounding as his television work on The Good Wife, Grey’s Anatomy, and American Horror Story: 1984. He explains that his TV characters do not follow him onstage. “What I’m doing on stage is me and that is honestly something that I’m still figuring out but it’s all a work in progress.”

Morrison loves old theaters and is ready to soak in the Capitol Theatre’s century of stories. “I love historic places where there is kind of an energy that’s in the fabric of in the walls and in the curtains and just the people who have played on that stage.”

His favorite song to perform changes nightly, but one moment always transports him. “I love singing from the Light in the Piazza because it’s just so out of body for me.” The Italian lyrics are part of the experience. “It’s not about understanding, it’s about feeling.”

Clearwater audiences can expect a night that feels like a conversation set to music. “It’s a lot of music you know and love and stories that you probably haven’t heard before. It’s a really human night. It’s joyful, it’s vulnerable, it’s funny and it’s meant to make you feel something not just watch something.”

Even with Tony, Emmy, and Golden Globe nominations, Morrison remains humble and driven to seek new creative challenges. Rather than waiting for opportunities to come his way, he is actively writing new material for himself, determined to shape the next chapter of his career on his terms.

When asked how he continues to push himself creatively after such prestigious recognition, Morrison explains that he does not let accolades define his journey. “I try not to focus on those things,” he shares, emphasizing that his drive comes from within rather than external validation.

His current show is a perfect example of this ongoing spark. “To be as raw and vulnerable as I am being, it’s beautiful and I love it,” he says. “For a long time, success for me meant the applause and now it just means walking off stage knowing I told the truth and maybe helped someone else tell theirs. If people leave humming a song that’s great but if they leave feeling braver about showing up in their own lives that’s the real encore for me.”