Highlighted Work

BLACK MAGICK

Writer, Creative Director, Producer, Apothic Wine

Matt, along with his company, Drunken Devil, partnered with Apothic Wine to produce an immersive nightlife experience, highlighting the seasonal Apothic Sparkling Red wine. Guests entered a clandestine warehouse that was transformed into a macabre, 1920’s-era speakeasy, where a mysterious story involving the occult unfolded around them. Guests were treated to burlesque performances, roaming magicians, an open bar featuring multiple Apothic varietals, and more, as they interacted with characters that helped drive the narrative. A secret room treated guests to a private, 10-minute magic show, where a character from Apotheca told tales of mysterious wine that enchanted all those who consumed it. The event culminated with music led by a five-piece jazz band, where guests could shed the darkness of the storyline and dance the night away.

TO LIVE AND DI(N)E IN LA

Writer, Director, Producer, Drunken Devil

Los Angeles’ sordid true crime history comes to life in this pop-up, immersive supper club. Running since 2017, this critically acclaimed experience sees guests sitting down for dinner with the ghosts of the city’s most notorious serial killers — and their infamous victims. Past diners have met Elizabeth Short (aka, The Black Dahlia) and her supposed killer, George Hodel, as well as Harvey Glatman and Judy Ann Dull, Charles Manson and Susan Atkins, and Richard Ramirez.

Each of the four courses and cocktail pairings are inspired by the killers and the time periods in which they were most prolific. In between courses, live performances such as burlesque, ballet, and marionette puppetry transition guests from one era to the next, ending in a sinister climax that challenges the audience to reflect on their own dark tendencies.

Hailed by Time Out Los Angeles as “the most morbid - yet entertaining - meal in Los Angeles,” To Live and Di(n)e in LA occurs twice a year, continuing to sell out each new seating.

REBELS & DIPLOMATS

Writer, Director, Event Producer, Diplomatico Rum

For Bartender’s Weekend in San Diego, the retro-kitsch Sycamore Den bar was taken over by Diplomático Rum. Vignettes that communicated a sense of adventure greeted attendees as they entered. Craft cocktails, desgined by guest bartenders Saeed House (Everly Kimpton) and Gianna Johns (Nomad Los Angeles), were available for purchase. Pop-up burlesque performances created a tantalizing, exotic atmosphere, while interactive characters roamed around the bar, engaging willing guests and challenging them to look inwards to discover what sense of adventure they were missing in their lives. The result was a raucous, yet impactful, evening that showcased the adventurous spirit of Diplomático.

BACCHANALIA

Writer, Creative Director, Producer, Drunken Devil

Guests were thrust into a dark narrative brimming with intrigue, betrayal, and political backstabbing, all taking place in Caligula’s court. Awash in blood-red lights, a Downtown LA photo studio was transformed into a decadent, post-modern version of Caesar’s palace, as guests engaged in an immersive narrative where they discovered the beginnings of a political coup. Craft cocktails flowed freely from the tap, magicians and tarot readers roamed the grounds, and internationally acclaimed burlesque stars performed for the crowds. After the bloody finale, guests danced to dark disco and techno until the late hours, as a statue of Bacchus watched over the shadowy festivities.

A NIGHT IN THE SERAGLIO

Creative Director, Producer, LA Opera

The halls of Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles were transformed into a Roarin’ Twenties jazz hall as LA Opera and Metro co-produced a pop-up experience to advertise a vibrant new take on Mozart’s little-known comedy, Abduction from the Seraglio. Unsuspecting commuters experienced a lively jazz band, burlesque dancers, and singers performing arias from the opera as a large crowd gathered to enjoy the festivities. Interactive actors, dressed as flappers, mingled with the crowd as they handed out branded materials and information about the upcoming opera. The event was featured on NBC Los Angeles, and highlighted in the Los Angeles Times.