Setting the Stage: Robert Matos Illuminates The Hitchcock Hotel Once Again

Can Can’s highly acclaimed and best-selling show, The Hitchcock Hotel, has returned to the stage for obvious reasons and we literally can’t stop talking about it. Now, I know what you’re thinking… if you’ve seen one man’s goods light up blinking red, you’ve seen them all. But let me reassure you, faithful patrons, this simply isn’t true.

Now here’s a curious question, just exactly who is responsible for the illuminating bulge that shines brightly upon our beloved Jonny?

Maybe he’s born with it? Maybe it’s Madam Maybell?

No, I’ve got two words for you... Robert. Matos.

Matos, the Technical Production Designer of this ghoulish ensemble, shares how his vision for this year’s rendition of The Hitchcock Hotel comes to life through the dynamic interplay of lighting, sound, and the unexpected, resulting in a production that defies expectations and leaves audiences in awe.

As we delve into the realm of The Hitchcock Hotel, Robert Matos graciously opens the door to a world of innovation. With a playful spirit and unwavering dedication, Matos and his exceptional team have strived to elevate the experience for each and every member of the audience.

So, dear readers, prepare to be transported to a world where lighting and sound are more than technical elements; they are the heartbeats of this performance.

THECANCAN.COM: The Hitchcock Hotel is a highly anticipated show this year. Can you share some insights into how this production compares to what you worked on last year? Are there any significant changes or improvements in the lighting and sound design that we can look forward to?

Robert Matos: Approaching a revamped show is always a totally different experience. We're fortunate in that we have a lot of the same performers and a lot of the same creative team members. And this year we actually got to welcome a few new cast members and so that always just heightens the experience. Not only are we getting to retouch a world that we already visited but we now have new people and new minds to add to it.

Anytime you bring in a new person to the collaborative process, it can expand it in a million different ways. In this production in particular, Nik Hagen has been such a joy to watch him dive into this role and the comedy that he brings to it. The show had a very spooky twist on it last year, but this year it brings comedy more to the forefront. And I think our audiences enjoy that.

In terms of the lighting and sound design, and any significant changes, I would say it's just been nice to be able to reenter the world and kind of touch on things that we maybe had to rush or quickly open with last year. It feels like a lot of the numbers are a lot more calculated. They're a lot more dialed in this time around so I got to also focus on the transitional pieces. So, how we enter a scene, how we enter an act, how we, you know, send off to intermission. All those subtleties that you as an audience member might feel but not be aware of, that has been something I've tried to kind of hone in on and to make that as fluid and as smooth as possible.

THECANCAN.COM: As the Technical Production Designer, you play a crucial role in shaping the overall experience. How has your approach to running the lighting and sound department evolved, especially when compared to previous years? Are there any new technologies or techniques you've integrated?

Robert Matos: I'd say it has been my brainchild over the last year and a half. It's been close to my heart, and in this show, I've really had to rely on the team that I've built around me. I'm extremely grateful for them. Jerena Layacan is our lead show operator right now. She's on the grounds, day to day, you know, making sure the cues are firing correctly, and things are where they need to be. Then we have Britta Baer-Simon, who's one of our technicians, so she'll come in and help me hang lights, focus them, and do a lot of the maintenance.

This has been a very cool project to see how our department has grown, how we can continue to expand and improve this company, and the level of quality that we're able to output. That's one of the biggest compliments that I hear about- our department and our work feels so much bigger than it is. People come to the show and they leave reviews and they're like, “It's like this mini Vegas show in the middle of Seattle.” Comments like that always hit truly in the best part of my heart because I know how hard both myself and my team members are working to try and get it to this level.

THECANCAN.COM: This year you are taking on the lighting design in The Hitchcock Hotel. Could you share some of your favorite moments or highlights from your experience working on this production? Are there any particular scenes or effects that you're especially proud of?

Robert Matos: Well our use of atmospherics is always something very prominent in the Can Can production world. So lots of haze and smoke and fog. But I'd say something I'm proud of is honing down all these different elements into a version that is possible for one person to playback. I think a lot of people when they come to the shows, imagine that there's probably several wardrobe people and several technicians, a sound person, a light person... No, it gets boiled down to about one person doing each thing, and not only are they having to navigate the moving stage, every light cue, every sound cue, the different automation of the chandeliers coming in and out… it's such a big process. I always compare it to landing an airplane and you're in the cockpit. There are so many different buttons and things here that are flashing at you. That’s what I'm most proud of in this show- being able to get so much production in and boil it down to be possible each night.

THECANCAN.COM: Every production comes with its challenges. Can you tell us about any specific challenges you've encountered during this second production of The Hitchcock Hotel and how you've overcome them?

Robert Matos: I'd say the timeline is always a challenge. No matter what, there's never enough time to get everything to the way that you want it to be. However, this time round, I'm incredibly proud of the communication that's been able to happen between me and the other creative members. So, you know, between Fae, Chris, Jonny, and Shadou, we entered this process just on the same wavelength.

And quite frankly, it doesn't always happen. And I think that's the reality of artists working together as people have different ideas and different visions. This time around, we really linked together and we got it done. I left this process feeling really, really good and charged by it. Even though it’s very taxing and draining work at times, it’s so rewarding to be grooving creatively with my team and with the larger creative visionaries.

THECANCAN.COM: Ultimately, the lighting and sound design greatly impact the audience's experience. What can the audience expect in terms of sensory immersion and ambiance when they attend The Hitchcock Hotel? How do you aim to engage and captivate them through your work?

Robert Matos: What we do here in Seattle is unique. It is unlike any other experience that you can have here, and maybe even in other cities, I think it stands out. I would say that it's a beautiful blend of rock and roll lighting mixed with low, you know, deep, saturated, sultry, Burlesque lighting, and it leaves people wanting more.

We put on this spectacle of a piece that audiences keep coming back time and time again. In all my time working in this type of field, Can Can truly is this beautiful, unique hybrid of every best part of live performance.

Don’t miss the chance to see The Hitchcock Hotel, now running through November 12th.