Matthew Stocke

Matthew Stocke is an American stage and television actor born on December 21, 1971, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He earned a BFA in Acting/Musical Theatre from the Carnegie Mellon College of Fine Arts in 1995 and relocated to New York City the following year to begin his professional career. He has since returned to Carnegie Mellon on occasion as a guest instructor.

Stocke made his Broadway debut in the 1998 musical production of Titanic, subsequently joining the show's National Tour cast. His Broadway career has spanned more than two decades and includes credits in Pretty Woman: The Musical, The Last Ship, Rock of Ages, the comedy The Silver Wedding, and Linda Eder: The Holiday Concert, among other productions. In 2000, he was part of the original Broadway cast of The Full Monty, serving as a swing and covering the role of Jerry Lukowski, a character portrayed by his college roommate Patrick Wilson. During the production's appearance at Great Britain's Royal Variety Performance, Stocke performed as Jerry Lukowski before Queen Elizabeth II in the show's final number, "Let It Go." He joined the original Broadway cast of The Boy from Oz in 2003, and in 2006 was part of the original cast of The Wedding Singer, where he understudied the roles of Sammy, Robbie Hart — played by Stephen Lynch — and Glen Guglia, played by Richard H. Blake.

In early 2007, Stocke appeared in Donnie Kehr's Rockers On Broadway: Jersey Style and took part in an informal reading of Grumpy Old Men: The Musical. He then originated the role of the Witch's Father/Ozian Official, Frexspar the Godly, for the Los Angeles company of Wicked, which opened on February 10, 2007. In that production he also understudied John Rubinstein as The Wizard and Timothy Britten Parker as Doctor Dillamond, and his track included the roles of Doctor Nikidik, the Yak at the train station, and the Big Green Guard in the Emerald City. He additionally led weekly Behind the Emerald Curtain tours for the Los Angeles company. Stocke departed the Wicked LA cast on February 10, 2008, exactly one year after the production's previews began.

From March 12 to April 20, 2008, he originated the roles of Barstow, Mr. Simms, Dr. Vinton, and Camp Director in the musical adaptation of the 1985 film Mask during its world premiere at the Pasadena Playhouse. Later that year, he appeared in the original Off-Broadway cast of Road Show at New York's Public Theater, running from October 28 through December 28, 2008, alongside Michael Cerveris and Alexander Gemignani. The production featured music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

Stocke joined the Broadway company of Rock of Ages on October 6, 2009, understudying the roles of Lonny, Dennis, and Hertz. He departed the show on January 9, 2011, and returned to cover the role of Hertz from February 7 to March 11, 2013. In 2012, he played Mike in the Off-Broadway production of Giant at the Public Theater's Newman Theatre, a role he had first originated at the Dallas Theater Center earlier that year. In January 2013, he participated in a reading of The First Gentleman with Sally Struthers, and in June 2013 performed in a one-night benefit concert of The Pirates of Penzance at the Public Theatre.

Stocke's voice appears on the original cast recordings for The Full Monty, The Boy from Oz, The Wedding Singer, and Giant, as well as on The Dirty Sock Funtime Band's debut album and multiple volumes of BC/EFA's Broadway's Greatest Gifts: Carols for a Cure. His television work includes guest appearances on 30 Rock, The Sopranos, Conviction, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, and Chappelle's Show, as well as appearances in two episodes of The Americans on FX, playing the Technician in "The Oath" and "The Colonel." He has also made appearances on the Tony Awards and The Today Show.

Beyond performing, Stocke co-founded Moveable Arts alongside Adam Pelty and Justin Greer, a New York-based educational company offering workshops and retreats covering the audition process, headshots, and financial topics for individuals pursuing professional performance careers. He later founded a media training company called GhostLite Media. Stocke participated in the 2002 National Kidney Foundation U.S. Transplant Games in Orlando, Florida, and ran the New York City Half Marathon on July 27, 2008. He regularly performs with Patrick Wilson's Van Halen cover band, The Wilson Van.