Matthew Umstot - playing Trevor

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m a father of three, ethnic studies teacher with MPS, and a lover of theater for decades. I only got back into acting about a year ago and have been through a whirlwind of experiences since diving back in. I’ve been in Rent, Murder on the Orient Express, and A Christmas Story.

What attracted you to this show?

This story speaks to the topics I talk about in my day job: racism, homophobia, and our inability to confront those biases in healthy ways. Plus, I wanted to act alongside Jaleesa for the first time since high school and this was the perfect vehicle for that to happen! I also really liked the mission statement of Theatrical Tendencies and their goal of bringing different stories to stage.

How do you feel about your character?

At first glance, Trevor seems like the best out of the bunch, and in some ways he is. He doesn’t hold the racist or homophobic beliefs the other characters have, which makes him seem like the good guy. However, Trevor’s defining characteristic is his cowardice. He knows a lot of what happens here is wrong, and he offers weak resistance to it. He was the one who had enough power in the situation to stop Danny and Emilie from making their mistakes, and he doesn’t do anything.

What would you like the audience to take away from this show?

A lot of people might come away feeling self-righteous (at least I’m not a Danny or Emilie), but I want people to consider if they’ve been a Trevor. If they’ve silently allowed someone important in their lives to be hurt like these characters get hurt. If they have, reach out and apologize. Then, the next time a situation like this happens, confidently defend that person and affirm them. That helps build beloved community, which is the greatest remedy to all the hate swirling around us.