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Sue Merrell on the “Camelot” National Tour Production, 2008
“ Matt Bogart , however, as the pious, dashing French knight Lancelot, commands a full, enveloping voice, tailor-made for “C'est Moi” and “If Ever I Would Leave You.” Beyond his vocal abilities, Bogart continues to impress with his genuinely funny performance. Bogart proves “Camelot's” love triangle can be timeless, not tiresome, when sharing the stage with the consummate professional Rachel de Benedet as Guenevere. “Camelot's” strong suit is knowing when to surge with song and when to let silence dramatize the situation. Even 30 rows back, you can feel the steamy tension between Bogart and de Benedet thanks to suspenseful silence during the lovers' first kiss. Their impassioned embraces and piercing glances continue to intensify “Camelot's” appeal.” Jessica Novak on the “Camelot” National Touring Production, 2008
“Nearly the entire reason to shell out $70 for this Camelot is for Matt Bogart who is a mesmerizing charmer as Lancelot. He is the perfect balance of unmitigated ego, chivalry and good intention. His self-absorption is utterly charming as it becomes increasingly apparent that the Lancelot is completely unaware of his own self-love; rather, he sees all of his attributes as naturally praise-worthy, kind of like knowing you have nice hair or pretty eyes. In that way, Bogart charms us, beguiles us and makes us root for him. Charisma is what this man has in excess - hell, he even makes baby blue look macho. Then there is his voice…Mr. Bogart sings beautifully and acts so well, the stage electrifies every single time he enters.” James Howard on the “Camelot” National Touring Production, 2008
“Guenevere and Lancelot sizzled during their verboten love scenes and the swordplay was fiery and inventive…Matt Bogart (Lancelot) is one of the highlights. You feel his longing for Guenevere and his internal conflict over the decision to follow his hear and seek love or follow his head and remain loyal to his king. The scenes in Guenevere's bedchamber and Bogart's stunningly powerful “If Ever I Would Leave You” were among the best of the night and highlighted the power a tragic love affair could evoke on stage. Sadly these moments came after the halfway point of Act II.” Chris Silk on the “Camelot” National Touring Production, 2008
“Matt Bogart as Lancelot sounds wonderful in the trademarked classic, "If Ever I Should Leave You. "” Catherine Coke on the “Camelot” National Touring Production, 2008
“Even better is MattBogart as egotistical, insufferable Lancelot, whose lightly Gallic accent and creamy baritone make the queen's conflicted allegiances quite believable.” Hap Erstein on the “Camelot” National Touring Production, 2008
“Rachel de Benedet and Matt Bogart deliver the musical goods, especially Lancelot's "If Ever I Would Leave You," still swoonable after all these years.” Frank Rizzo on the “Camelot” National Touring Production, 2008
On the other end of the spectrum are Rachel de Benedet as Guenevere and Matt Bogart as Lancelot. Both have magnificent voices, and Bogart delivers the best "If Ever I Would Leave You" we've heard. A. Harvey on the “Camelot” National Touring Production, 2008
With his cherubic face, chiseled body, and a light French musical accent, Bogart manages to balance nobility and thickheadedness as Lancelot. When he sings "If Ever I Would Leave You," it's more erotic than a hardcore porn movie. His facial expressions become primal and the hunger between he and Guinevere is so palpable, the audience can practically taste it. Jonas Schwartz on the "Camelot" National Tour Production
But Lancelot not only steals Arthur's wife, he also steals the show, thanks to Matt Bogart's terrific performance as the self-adoring French knight. San Diego audiences know Bogart well. He starred in the world premiere of three recent San Diego musicals ---- "Ace" and "Himself and Nora" at the Old Globe, and "Zhivago" at La Jolla Playhouse, where he won a San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award for his performance as the revolutionary Strelnikov. Bogart's got a rich baritone voice, rock-solid comic abilities (shown best in "C'est Moi") and he's as handsome and studly as the role requires. His resemblance (from his haircut to his costumes) to the film version's dreamy Franco Nero appears to be no accident. Pam Cragen on the "Camelot" National Tour Production
Bogart fares better as Lancelot, nailing the buzzkill aspects of his personality as well as his pain over the romantic triangle. His rendering of “If Ever I Would Leave You” is a beauty. Deborah Martin on the "Camelot" National Tour Production
Guenevere (Rachel de Benedet) and Lancelot (Matt Bogart ) do the heavy vocal lifting. And it's that duo's bubbling romance — a love triangle formed in the shadow of the legendary Round Table — that brings real dramatic sizzle. Chris Page on the "Camelot" National Tour Production
Matt Bogart as Lancelot was a scene-stealer from his first appearance to his last. His physical and funny presentation of “C'est Moi,” a tribute to his own talents, hit just the right note. "Camelot" National Tour Production
Bogart delivers the show's breakout number, “If Ever I Would Leave You,” to the rafters with knee-melting feeling. Jackie Demaline on the "Camelot" National Tour Production
Matt Bogart sold the swoons in “If Ever I Would Leave You.” Erin Crawford on the "Camelot" National Tour Production
Matt Bogart completes the love triangle as the all too perfect Lancelot. His comic timing and sincerity in "C'est Moi" was magnifique. And his rendition of "If Ever I Would Leave You" will make you forget Robert Goulet. Sue Merrill on the "Camelot" National Tour Production
CCM grad Matt Bogart gives Lancelot (the bold, brave, eternally confident and only slightly dim knight) a nicely detailed emotional arc often missed in the role. Mr. Bogart maintains his French accent consistently throughout, and possesses a strong and pleasant singing voice. Scott Cain on the "Camelot" National Tour Production
Lancelot, admirably sung and acted by Matt Bogart, a graduate of UC's College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) who played the title character in the Cincinnati Playhouse's Ace last fall…The best performers in this production are Bogart and Shannon Stoeke. Rick Pender on the "Camelot" National Tour Production
Without Matt Bogart's anguished purity as Lancelot and Rachel de Benedet's soulful love for two men as Guenevere, the emotional stakes in this retelling wouldn't rise as high, especially in the more poignant second act. Among the highlights: Bogart's ardent rendition of If Ever I Would Leave You (the song that made Robert Goulet a Broadway star), de Benedet's plangent voice in Before I Gaze at You Again and just about anyone's delivery or reprise of the wistful title song. Michael Grossberg on the "Camelot" National Tour Production
Naomi Siegel on “Romance, Romance” at Paper Mill Playhouse, 3/2007 “A fine “Romance/Romance,” my friends, this is. “How fitting that we first meet Matt Bogart when he's in formal wear, for Alfred is one stuffed shirt. Yet when he decides “It's Not Too Late” (one of the score's best songs), Bogart's loses the effete quality and does a breathtakingly easy jump over a divan. He makes Alfred loosen up nicely for the rest of the act. His real-life wife, Jessica Bogart, gives Josephine a winning grin that makes theatergoers almost cry out, “Good for you!” Her soprano trills thrill, too. An audience's admiration for them will more than double after intermission. Now that Matt Bogart no longer needs to play the gentleman, he turns out to be a handsome and rugged leading man with a voice to match. Jessica Bogart portrays the typical New York woman: Overwhelmed and frazzled from work, and even more confounded when she must face her love life head on. The show is yet another reminder that Paper Mill is still in it's belt-tightening era. Is a small cast, small orchestra, and small set all the playhouse can offer? If so, at least they're showing that two good things can come in a small package.” Peter Filichia on “Romance/Romance” at Paper Mill Playhouse, 3/2007
-Bob Ickes on ”Miss Saigon," New York City, 1997
-Ben Brantley on ”110 in the shade” at Signature Theatre, DC, 2003
-Ben Brantley on ”Company” at the Kennedy Center Sondheim Festival, 5/2002
-Joel Hirschhorn on "Himself and Nora" at the Old Globe, CA, 2005
"As Joyce, Bogart ages authentically from boy to man, and he sings with energy, intelligence and passion. His second-act solo "Always...In Love" is achingly pretty, and he solidly serves up drinking songs, Irish jigs and harmonious duets." -"Himself and Nora" at the Old Globe, San Diego, CA, 2005
-Dennis Ryan on "Orpheus Descending" at Arena Stage, Washington, DC, 2004
"Elvis has entered the building. The Orpheus figure is Val Xavier (Matt Bogart), a hunka-hunka burning love who sidles into town with a guitar slung over his shoulder. He's every bit as pouty and snake-hipped as the King, and all the ladies react accordingly-even the pursed-lipped among them." -Jayne Blanchard on"Orpheus Descending" at Arena Stage, Washington, DC, 2004
"(Director), Molly Smith is aided by superb performances from every cast member, especially the leads. Matt Bogart brings an absorbing blend of innocence and cocky assurance to the guitar-toting visitor in his snakeskin jacket. If "Orpheus manages to briefly upstage the Kennedy Center's production of "Streetcar," "Cat" and "Menagerie," it will be because Arena has boldly thrown light on a work just as deserving of a first-class treatment." -Paul Harris on "Orpheus Descending" at Arena Stage, Washington, DC, 2004
"As Val, Matt Bogart creates plenty of heat; his every move is teasingly suggestive and yet seemingly unselfconscious. You believe Val when he tells Lady that his temperature is "always a few degrees above normal." And Bogart looks the part: his dark hair and smoldering eyes proves his mettle in a serious, even tragic, role. He adds an important empathy and vulnerablitiy to Val's earthy sensuality; he is a man trapped by his own animal magnetism, in search of a deeper, more spiritual connection with someone." -Deryl Davis on"Orpheus Descending" at Arena Stage, Washington, DC, 2004
"Here the sparks work just right. Neither Matt Bogart as Val Xavier or Chandler Vinton as Lady succumb to the temptation to get too hot too soon. Instead, their attraction to each other grows slowly but steadily until it overwhelms them and their story. Both create characters with enough complexity that their attraction isn't a simple matter of sex, it is reciprocal fascination that only slowly takes on a sexual compulsion. Bogart, best known for his work in musicals, demonstrates his strength as an actor here with just a few moments to strum on his guitar and sing. With a Broadway musical talent like Bogart, this Val Xavier must sing." -Brad Hathaway on "Orpheus Descending" at Arena Stage, Washington, DC, 2004
-Jolene Munch on "Damn Yankees" at Arena Stage, Washington, DC, 2005 "Matt Bogart is on target as "Shoeless" Joe Hardy, the clueless good guy living out his baseball fantasy. This Broadway and Arena Stage vet is completely at home in such leading-man roles, with his earnest manner and pleasant voice." -Paul Harris on "Damn Yankees" at Arena Stage, Washington, DC, 2005 "The gorgeously-voiced Bogart skillfully shows the older Joe bulging through the toned physique of the younger. He displays strong chemistry with both of his leading ladies-yearning tenderness with the excellent Kay Walbye and palpable sexual tension with eMeg Gillentine." -Maya Cantu on "Damn Yankees" at Arena Stage, Washington, DC, 2005
-Alvin Klein on ”Carousel” at Paper Mill Playhouse
“Matt Bogart exudes such tenderness and romanticism, he pulls off “C'est Moi” with aplomb. Lanky and handsome he certainly looks the part of Lancelot, and his charged portrayal of the knight escapes any trace of ridiculousness.” -"Camelot" at Arena Stage, 11/2003
"Matt Bogart's matinee idol looks and swagger make him an ideal Lancelot. He also sings splendidly, using his resonant baritone to maximum advantage in “If Ever I Would Leave You.” -”Camelot” at Paper Mill Playhouse, 2003
“Matt Bogart's square-jawed, rumple-haired, hunky Lancelot enters the picture...Bogart pulls off the tricky task of not turning this braggart into a laughingstock.” -"Camelot" at Arena Stage, 11/2003
Every good performer should be as lucky as Matt Bogart. His first solo recording, Simple Song, has been released with the kind of orchestrations and production values that even the greatest Broadway singers won't let themselves dream of and he knows it. Backed by an enormous symphony orchestra, Bogart sings one fantastic song after another and easily makes the case that he's a leading man to be reckoned with (and cast!) as we head into a new millennium. Recent live performances to celebrate the release of Simple Song at ARS NOVA and Joe's Pub proved that Bogart's soaring, lyric baritone/tenor isn't manufactured in the studio either. With his model looks and effortless charm, he's a natural performer who is comfortable with a variety of musical styles. Of special note on the CD are "Proud Lady" from The Baker's Wife, "New America" from JFK, "Tell My Father" from The Civil War and, most stunningly, both "Her Face" from Carnival and "Rain Song" from 110 in the Shade. The latter two choices are inspired choices for Bogart and he sings them thrillingly. Culled from a variety of sources, the orchestrations, primarily by Larry Moore, are spectacular. Lastly, even though he turns it into a comic duet with longtime girlfriend Jessica Boevers, his reading of "I Could Write a Book" from Pal Joey indicates Bogart would be a phenomenal Joey in a deserved revival. -David Hurst
-Diane Lewis on "Phantom" at Music Theatre of Wichita, 2005
"Bogart brings a smoldering sex appeal and great sensuous voice to Starbuck." -”110 in the Shade” at Signature Theatre, DC, 2003
-IN THEATRE MAGAZINE
“Matt Bogart shines in Tell My Father, a deftly understated soliloquy of a dying soldier.” -”Civil War”
“According to those who can divine such things, The Civil War's breakout performer is Matt Bogart..." -“Civil War”
"What a ride! Matt Bogart(the caption inside the press photo for HX magazine) Carousel is a deeply emotional show, with good-intentioned fuck-up Billy Bigelow at its emotional center. Thankfully, this production’s Billy is Matt Bogart, who hits the role with a very affecting blend of vulnerability and bravado. His “Soliloquy” about how he would deal with having children delivers dramatic fireworks; he gives this classic musical theatre moment it's full due." -”Carousel” at Paper Mill Playhouse
"The cast is near-perfect and expertly led by Matt Bogart and Glory Crampton as the star-crossed lovers, Billy Bigelow and Julie Jordan. Mr. Bogart has the difficult task of playing a role that will forever be associated with John Raitt and Gordon MacRae, but this appealing actor makes the troubled Billy his own and he wins your heart immediately. Strong, determined and passionate, Mr. Bogart is a captivating Billy and his “Soliloquy” is one of the best I have ever seen." -”Carousel” at Paper Mill Playhouse
"Matt Bogart threatens to dominate the production when he opens with a rich, gorgeous, and impishly humorous “C'est Moi.”" -”Camelot” at Paper Mill Playhouse, 2003
"Matt Bogart handles the role of Sir Lancelot with both physical and vocal elan, bounding through the wildly egotistical ”C'est Moi,” and filling the evergreen “If Ever I Would Leave You” with enough devotion to melt any lover's heart." -”Camelot” at Paper Mill Playhouse, 2003
"Kudos to the top notch cast should probably start with Matt Bogart in the crucial role of Curly, the wrangler whose cowboy bravado keeps him from roping a romance. The Broadway veteran and beefcake billboard model has precisely the right athletic good looks for the role, but even more striking is his vocal performance. Bogart infuses such oft-sung songs as “Surrey with the Fringe on top” and “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” with an unexpected freshness,handling the difficult melodies with a conversational ease and masculine sensitivity." -”Oklahoma!” at Music Theatre of Wichita, 2003 |
©2002 Official Matt Bogart Website
“Matt Bogart completes the love triangle as the all too perfect Lancelot. His comic timing and sincerity in "C'est Moi" was magnifique. And his rendition of "If Ever I Would Leave You" will make you forget Robert Goulet.” 
“Much credit goes to the musically rich, synergistic performances in the leading roles by Matt and Jessica Bogart, dynamic performers who were recently married. Their sexual sizzle is amusingly tempered by Victorian conventions. Repressed desire is a powerful force here, and these two light all the right jets. (In) “Summer Share,” the more compelling of the two works, the team is unbeatable. Playing Sam and Monica…they turn flirting into an art form. These songs…are eloquently performed by the excellent cast – reason alone to catch this filling, if not nourishing, confection.” 
““C'est moi!” Matt Bogart sings, encased in armor for his enthralling entrance as Lancelot du Lac in Arena Stage's opulent new “Camelot.” C'est him, indeed. As befits a hero of the round table, Bogart's arrival comes just in the nick of time...Bogart's rendition of C'est Moi” is ideally balanced between vanity and humility, sex and honor; Here's a Lancelot who's bedazzled by his own magnetism but also, amusingly, bewildered by it...Bogart's Lancelot seems closer to the idea of a silver-plated naif, and as a result the rousing number achieves a touching note of grace. C'est Moi is a high point...Bogart, is a revelation here...the actor's good moments are so good...”
“Over at Miss Saigon, there's now a human to compete with the helicopter. As Chris, a role that can devolve into postadolescent whining and crotch-grabbing, Matt Bogart suffers-without seeming insufferable. For the first time in the show's six year run, the lead is actually more interesting than the doomed Kim or the reptilian Engineer. (Bogart even brings off lines like “Why, God? Why this face?”)”
"Mr. Bogart's whispery interpretation fits into a show that speaks softly the better to hear what's within it."
“Ms. Ripley here wears her lush beauty as if she would like to tear it off, and there's a plaintive air of apology behind Amy's harshness with the patient Paul (sweetly embodied by Matt Bogart). Their scene together has never been funnier or sadder."
"James Joyce is a great character, and in Matt Bogart, the producers of "Himself and Nora" have found the ideal actor to play him. Joyce was a hell-raising, hard-drinking, sexually uninhibited wild man, and Bogart layers these elements with devil-may-care charisma...Bogart has the power to be a roaring, Eugene O'Neill-type drunk and the strength to take this compulsion to soaring heights."
"Matt Bogart is tailor made for the role of the young man, Val Xavier. Bogart uses his looks as a weapon and his singing as a spell to ensnare town women. The growing relationship between Val and Lady is realistic and moving."
"Matt Bogart is a perfect "Shoeless Joe" Hardy, the real bright spot in Smith's cast. Every time Bogart pops in on the proceedings, the scene bounces along in double-time. He shares what is irrefutably the evening's best number -- vocally and otherwise -- with Meg Gillentine in a hip retro rendition of ''Two Lost Souls.''
“If I Loved You” is one of the most complete, sublime songs ever written. Here, Glory Crampton and Matt Bogart fulfill its completeness as a self-sustained scene that in itself soars mightily as an object lesson in the possibilities of musical theatre - all that, 56 years after it was first heard. Although Mr. Bogart overplays the struting macho routine at first, Billy’s self doubts are just as apparent, and he emerges with vulnerability, though still cocky, a neat trick. Even though the actor’s thinness in the top register is all the more glaring, given surrounding vocal splendor, his sense of musicianship is superior to the Billy in the rethought production of the last decade."
"As the Phantom, Matt Bogart captures a haunted man with grace and mystery. His singing is first-rate."
“Bogart was attracting fans long before his billboard. Eight times a week, he brings a jolt of energy and a powerhouse voice to the role of Chris, Saigon's tormented GI-not an easy task, considering the through-sung, rock-operatic score.”