Gold Medal Advice from LP Alum Mathew Fedorek

If you're a prospective performer who wants to know the secret of getting to the next level, Mathew Fedorek's advice is simple: go for the gold. Or at least, always act like it.

"Treat yourself like an Olympian, in every sense," says Fedorek. "Respect yourself like an Olympian. Eat and sleep like an Olympian. Train like an Olympian."

Living that philosophy has helped make Fedorek a fast riser in the musical theatre world. The Pittsburgh native spent six years at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School, where he appeared in almost 30 productions, and took leading roles in such shows as Mary Poppins, Big Fish, and Singin' in the Rain.

After graduating from LP in 2019, Fedorek headed to Happy Valley to continue his performing career. At Penn State, he served as a swing, dance captain, fight captain, assistant choreographer, and assistant director, and graduated Magna Cum Laude in May of 2023.

As a professional, Fedorek joined the first national tour of Funny Girl as a swing and assistant dance captain. Earlier this year, during a break in the tour, he returned to his high school alma mater, and conducted a master class for Lincoln Park dance and theatre students.

He also took some time to talk to the LP website about his time at Lincoln Park, his favorite roles, and the importance of making an Olympic-level commitment to your career.

You started out as a fairly young thespian at the CLO Academy in Pittsburgh. Do you remember your very first show, and how it went?

My very first show was an “All Academy Musical” at the Pittsburgh CLO Academy, where we performed a medley of Broadway and movie musical tunes. I remember being incredibly nervous as the youngest and new member of the show. It went well, but the stage fright lasted long after the performance ended. I actually threw up on the way home, because I had no other way of shaking my nerves!

I’ve come a long way since then, but I do still get a healthy amount of nerves performing a show for the first time. 

What was it that made you decide to come to LP as a seventh-grader? Especially coming from Pittsburgh, was it a difficult decision—and how did your folks feel about it?

I know I wanted to come to LP, because I wanted to be in a place where my training was consistent over the course of multiple years. I was eager to do the work five days a week, sometimes six, with world-class faculty who could keep their eye on me throughout my entire curricular journey.

My parents were very excited. I bet they weren’t sure how to make it possible with the distance and the schedule, but they very quickly got on board and made it work. I’m forever grateful for their willingness and support!

You’ve obviously been in lots and lots of auditions over the years. What do you remember most about your evaluation at LP?

I remember my evaluation feeling quite personal, which is not a word I would use to describe most auditions in my lifetime. I remember being asked a few questions about myself, my experiences, and my interest in LP, which I was admittedly confused by at the time. Ultimately, I understood that they were looking for the right people, not primarily the right performers. 

Tell us about your very first show here at Lincoln Park.

My first show at Lincoln Park was Les Miserables in the fall of 2015. I was originally an ensemble member, but during tech week we had someone drop out of the show, so I was given all of that performer’s roles and features as well. This set me up very well to be a swing in my career, learning very quickly, and getting savvy with quick costume changes.

Of the many, many roles you played here at LP., which was your favorite? And what was your favorite show?

So my favorite role and favorite show are different, actually. My favorite role I played was Don Lockwood in Singin’ In The Rain. There was something about that cast, playing opposite my best friend Alison Ragazzini, and dancing the iconic choreography taught to us by Jennifer Verba…it felt magical.

Mathew Fedorek and Shea Curran in Singin' in the Rain at Lincoln Park, 2019.

My favorite show to be in was Big Fish. I was so connected to the character of Edward Bloom, and I think the music is some of the most underrated in the 21st century. That show was a huge challenge for me as an actor and vocalist, and I really had to test my limits. I’d love to give both of those another go someday in my career. 

Similarly, did you have a favorite class here at LP, and if so, what did you like most about it?

I loved all of my arts classes at LP, so it is difficult to champion one over the others. My favorite thing about all those classes was they were what I made of them. I say this to highlight the personalization of the training at Lincoln Park. When I asked to be pushed, I was pushed, and if I asked for help or extended patience, that was also granted.

The faculty is fantastic about letting you drive the car on your journey, but are not afraid to grab the wheel whenever they see fit!

Mathew Fedorek as young Edward Bloom in Big Fish at Lincoln Park, 2018.

Was there something you picked up here at LP—a skill, a piece of advice, a lesson you learned—that you still refer to regularly as a professional? 

Something I think about regularly is the notion of being in your own way. A simpler way of stating this comes from a college professor of mine, Gwen Walker, who said, “Everything starts with a thought, so let it be a good one.”

I often found myself doubting my abilities throughout my adolescence, and the faculty at LP worked diligently to silence those voices in my head. Negative self-talk is such a dream crusher, and even worse, it’s a liar. Now that I’m out in the world on my own, it’s up to me to channel that same support and care my faculty gave me, so that I can allow myself the chances I deserve to adapt and evolve.

You went on to a pretty accolade-packed career at Penn State. But you also did choreography and some directing, as well. What did you enjoy most about taking on those offstage roles, and are they things you hope to continue?

I was brave enough to ask for offstage roles in college like associate choreographing and assistant directing. I recommend it for any actor interested, because it will only help you better understand what is happening “behind the table,” meaning on the creative side of projects.

I really enjoyed creating movement that made sense for the circumstances of the show as well as the actor playing in those circumstances. I hope to continue in these roles later on in my career as I transition from performer to director/choreographer. 

Being part of the first national tour of any show must be a particularly special experience. What have been the best and most challenging parts of it so far?

The best part is getting to travel the country, and being paid to do it. I’ve hiked mountains, sled down hills, kayaked in the ocean, and ran through the deserts. It has been the most eye-opening experience. There is nothing like experiencing new subcultures, and their food, fashion, and terrain.

The most challenging part has been keeping my body primed for eight-show weeks and eight-week runs. Being in a long-running show requires a heighted stamina, and a sturdy immune system, both difficult things to achieve when you are constantly on the go and changing elevation and humidity levels. Take your vitamins and eat your greens!

One question that musical theatre folks sometimes get is whether they consider themselves primarily a dancer, an actor, or a singer. As a professional now, do you have a “first love” from among those three categories?

I do have a first love in the umbrella of musical theatre skills, and that will always be acting. It will always be the most rewarding and exciting thing to do for me as a performer. You also get to act while singing and dancing, of course, so it really is fundamental. Good singing and dancing does not exist without acting.

Although I have yet to aim my career aspirations toward traditional plays, I do very much see it in my future, once dancing and singing don’t come as easily. 

At a pretty young age, you’ve played a lot of roles. What’s your dream role—the one you haven’t done yet, but want to do someday?

A dream role I have not done yet would easily be the titular role in Pippin. I’ve been working on that material since my freshman year at Lincoln Park, actually. He is such a mixed bag of complex acting, soaring vocals, and some swanky dance moves. It would be such a thrilling challenge to capture his essence and lead the show. (If you’re reading this while being on the creative team of a Pippin somewhere, please reach out to me directly. :) 

You just came back to LP to talk with some of our theatre and dance students. You gave them many words of wisdom, but if you had to boil it all down to one thing you’ve learned that you would share with anyone trying to make it in this field, what would it be?

If I’ve got one piece of advice to aspiring performers it would be: Treat yourself like an Olympian, in every sense. Respect yourself like an Olympian. Eat and sleep like an Olympian. Train like an Olympian.

What most people don’t always notice is that being a professional performer is scarily similar to being a professional athlete. Your body and mind is your whole entire job, and you have to act in accordance! Know your worth and what you bring to the table. Eat foods that fill you up and make it easier to perform and train. Give yourself all the rest you need, so that you can be ready to go again the next day.

Think to yourself that you have the answers, and whatever answers you don't have, you are capable of finding. Performing is a beautiful act of civic duty, athleticism, and love, and we must treat it as such. Take great care of yourself, so that you can go to work and take care of others.

To learn more about Mat Fedorek and his current projects, click here!

Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School is a tuition-free public charter school located in Midland, PA, and open to all Pennsylvania families. Students grades 7-12 are bused from more than 90 different school districts to study the arts concentration of their choice: theatre, writing and publishing, media arts, health science and the arts, music, dance, and pre-law and the arts.

For more information, visit lppacs.org or contact: admissions@lppacs.org