What was that process like, adjusting to a new heartthrob after performing through the workshops with James Carpinello?
MJW: Matt’s actually the person I knew the least out of this whole process because most people have been here through at least a workshop or a reading. It was much different with James. At the time, when he left, I was like “We’re going to Seattle in a week!” But even when there was talk of James leaving, I was on the bandwagon for Matthew from day one. Matthew is nothing like James, but he was going to be perfect. James was one way and Matthew was the exact opposite. What happened was [Matthew’s Link] grounded me. James and I were older and we’d [been in development with the show for] so long. But Matthew is 22 or 23. Bringing Matthew in totally took me back to being a total 16-year-old. I’m so in love with him. My boyfriend always makes fun of me because I’m like, “I love Matthew.” He’s become one of my best friends, which is weird because we’re so different on stage. While Harvey and I are exactly the same onstage as we are offstage, Matthew and I are opposite of what we are like on
