Lindy RybloomWhen Matthew Morrison was 10, he lived with his parents in Orange County, California. As an only child to two nurses, he spent a lot of time alone, stuck with no outlet for his vibrant imagination. One summer, Matthew’s parents packed up his belongings and sent him to visit his extended family in Arizona. During this time, he and his cousins were thrown into a children’s theater program. It was there, in that small theater, where Matthew discovered his life’s work.
“The lights, the community. Everything just clicked. I loved creating with people. It was magic,” Matthew said.
Matthew has been chasing the rush of performing ever since that fateful trip to the desert. On September 15, he will present Show Up at the Elsinore Theatre, a live show featuring Broadway and pop tunes, storytelling, comedy, and connection with the crowd. The show is built on vulnerability and authenticity.
Since the late 1990s, Matthew has had a successful career as a professional actor and dancer in various Broadway plays, television shows such as ‘Glee,’ and movies. After spending years mastering characters for various productions, Matthew just wants to be himself. The concept for Show Up came from a desire to connect with an audience he had never had before.
“There’s something so moving about watching people arrive as strangers, and by the end of the evening, feeling like we’ve all been through something together. I don’t know where it’s gonna go, and there’s something kind of scary about that, and then there’s something kind of freeing about that at the same time,” Matthew said.
For the last nine months, Matthew has been hitting the road for about 10 days at a time to share Show Up with the country. After doing 8 shows a week during the height of his Broadway career, this schedule feels like a breath of fresh air. Giving himself space to rethink what being on the road looks like in his adult life has allowed Mathew to rediscover the joy of performing.
“I’ve spent my career moving between Broadway, television, and dance. I think this show lets me bring all of those worlds together in one place,” Matthew said. “It feels like the most complete expression of who I am as a performer.”
Matthew has done countless concerts, but in the past, he has often left the stage feeling a sense of emptiness. He expressed that sometimes, live performance can feel like a transactional experience between himself and the audience. With Show Up, the goal was to create something that asked more of the crowd and fulfilled Matthew in a way that he so desperately craved. The hope is that Show Up will resonate with the audience days, weeks, or even months after walking out of the theatre doors.
“You can stream a song anywhere, but you can’t stream the feeling of a room full of people laughing together, singing together, or just suddenly becoming completely still together. I think that electricity only happens live,” Matthew said.
It’s easy to become comfortable with the post-pandemic world we live in today, where sometimes staying at home feels easier than showing up to a crowded space full of strangers.
“The title has become so meaningful to me, I think. In a world where so much of life is just filtered through our phones, there’s something incredibly powerful about actually showing up and sharing a real experience together,” Matthew said.
So, consider this a sign to show up—to this show and to your own life. Show up authentically. Show up honestly. Show up open to new experiences. Show up ready for connection.
Matthew Morrison presents Show Up
When: 7:30 p.m. September 15, 2026
Where: Elsinore Theatre, 170 High St SE
Click here for tickets.
The Instigator
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