REVIEWS & QUOTES
Reviews - “Mamma Mia!”
25th Anniversary National Tour
“Conductor Matthew Croft’s touring 7-piece rock band was bright and tight throughout the show…”
- Cassiopeia Guthrie, San Diego Story
“The live band including keyboard, guitars, bass, and drums conducted by Matthew Croft rocked the overture and the entr’acte. The music was loud and booming creating a sense of attending a live rock concert.”
- Danica Francom, Utah Theatre Bloggers Association
“There’s nothing like a live band, especially for a jukebox musical, and Matthew Croft (conductor/keyboard) adds a special flair to some of your ABBAsolute favorite songs.”
- Alayna Een & Eliza Een, Front Row Reviewers
Showcase 2023 - New Orchestrations
Academy of Musical Theatre Fredericia, Denmark
“We just finished the orchestra rehearsals and we’re super happy with your material, so again thank you for your great work”
- Jacob Trautner, Music Director
"The Drowsy Chaperone" Reduced orchestrations
Academy Of musical theatre fredericia, Denmark
“The orchestrations were great and the shows went really well!
Thank you so much for your work :-)”
- Martin Konge, Music Director
REVIEWS - "SOMETHING ROTTEN!"
2018-2019 National tour
“Matthew Croft does an excellent job as music director…”
- David Kiley, Encore Michigan.com
“The small but mighty orchestra provides the perfect musical support for the action to happen, and the entire ensemble is overflowing with talent.”
- Kat Boogaard, Appleton Post Crescent
REVIEWS - "MOTOWN THE MUSICAL"
2017-2018 National tour
"The songbook? Everything from “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Baby Love” and “Do You Love Me” to “Dancing in the Street,” “My Girl,” “ABC,” “Reach Out and Touch” to “What’s Going On.” And that is just for starters, with Matthew Croft leading the small but powerful band in Ethan Popp’s zesty (often abbreviated) arrangements..."
- Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times
"Matthew Croft (musical director), Ethan Popp (music supervisor), Bryan Crook (orchestration), Zane Mark (dance music), along with the well-designed choreography by Warren Adams and Patricia Wilcox deserve all the credit this review can provide them. The 5-member band was blazing."
- David Siegel, DC Metro Theater Arts (reviewed at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap, Vienna, VA)
"The orchestrations by Ethan Popp and Bryan Crook made the most of the classic Motown tunes and the orchestra in the pit under the direction of Matthew Croft sounded great."
- Nancy Sasso Janis, Naugatuck Patch CT
"The live Motown orchestra under Music Director Matthew Croft (doing the savvy arrangements of Ethan Popp) and the almost nonstop excitement of Choreographers Patricia Wilcox and Warren Adams help make the changing eras come to vibrant life."
- John Harding, DC Metro Theater Arts (reviewed at the Hippodrome Theatre, Baltimore, MD)
The set for "I Love A Piano" at Meadow Brook Theatre, April-May 2017.
REVIEWS - "I LOVE A PIANO"
Meadow Brook Theatre, Auburn Hills MI
"When the upstage doors are occasionally opened, we see the band, under the superb direction of Matthew Croft, hard at work. Although the piano is definitely the star, we are treated to a variety of unexpected instruments – from banjos to tubas – so that the accompaniment sounds bigger than the eight musicians who bring these arrangements to life."
- Patty Nolan, encoremichigan.com
"The show closes with a spectacular performance by the cast and band of “I Love a Piano”. Don’t leave the theatre too quickly because you’ll miss the extended version played by the eight piece band under the direction of conductor and pianist Matthew Croft. And if that song doesn’t make you want to go out and buy a piano so that you can love one, too, or at least learn how to play one, you probably don’t have a musical bone in your body."
- Daniel Skora, itsalltheatre.com
Production photo from the 2016 Showcase production of "Sweet Charity" at the Academy of Musical Theatre Fredericia in Denmark.
"Sweet Charity" Reduced orchestrations
Academy Of musical theatre fredericia, Denmark
"Matthew provided us with a reduced version of the original orchestra arrangements for Sweet Charity. The arrangements were extremely well-crafted and had the big Broadway sound that the show needs - you almost wouldn’t notice that it was a reduction from 26 to 11 players!
On request Matthew also provided us with a couple of new arrangements from the revival - these were also brilliant. Finally he provided us with a great and well-sounding keyboard setup.
During the whole proces Matthew was extremely helpful and easy to communicate with - professional in every way.
So I can only recommend anyone who needs professional and well-sounding arrangements for their show to get in touch with Matthew."
- Martin Konge, Music Director
Conducting the finale and exit music of "Forever Plaid".
REVIEWS - "FOREVER PLAID"
Meadow Brook Theatre, Auburn Hills MI
"Props of a different kind to band members, bassist Andrew Lloyd, percussionist Nick Matthews and pianist/ conductor Matthew Croft."
- Amy J. Parrent , encoremichigan.com
"The elegantly dressed on stage band (Matthew Croft - conductor and keyboards; Andrew Lloyd - bass; and Nick Mathews - drums) add to the sophistication."
- Daniel Skora, itsalltheatre.com
The band for "Altar Boyz" at Meadow Brook Theatre.
REVIEWS - "Altar Boyz"
Meadow Brook Theatre, Auburn Hills MI
"The music, which includes a live, on-stage band directed by Matthew Croft, is wonderful, taking full advantage of the harmonies possible when five gifted men share the stage."
- Patrice Nolan, encoremichigan.com