Interview: Matty Maggiacomo of the Andrew Lloyd Webber Peloton Class

Watch out for any nearby chandeliers! Pelotons new Andrew Lloyd Webber Broadway Series is guaranteed to bring the house down. Get ready to ride, run, and flow along to showstoppers from Cats, Evita, The Phantom of the Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, and more!

One of the instructors for these classes is Matty Maggiacomo. Matty is always eager to bring his passion for fitness and his high-energy, entertaining teaching style to the Peloton community. A born entertainer, former television reporter and pop culture guru, Matty loves to infuse storytelling and humor into every workout. Everyone should feel at-home with Matty because when you're working out with him, you're part of the family.

We chat with Matty about musicals and the Andew Lloyd Webber Peloton class!

How does it feel to have live audiences and performances back?

I feel like Patti winning her third Tony; I knew it was going to happen eventually but it still feels surprising and wonderful! After 2 and a half years of teaching class to an empty room and a little red light, it's just fantastic to have living, breathing energy back in the studio. I'd imagine it's very similar to how Broadway performers feel now getting to see the smiling faces of the audience.

Did you ever do theatre growing up? What roles did you play and what productions were you in?

Did I ever?!? I dropped off the cross country team at LaSalle Academy in Providence, Rhode Island after two weeks to become a lifelong drama club geek. And yes, I performed in all your classic drama club fare: Arsenic and Old Lace (Mortimer) Grease (Roger) Once Upon A Mattress (Minstrel)....and fondly, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Gad)...which was directed by NYC Cabaret legend, Lennie Watts. I'll never forget that production!

What was the first musical you saw?

My first musical was ALW's Phantom of the Opera, 30 years ago, it was the touring production at Boston's Wang Center in 1992. I was 7. Seeing that show made me fall in love with the magic of Broadway for life. I had never seen anything like it. And I remember thinking it was actual witchcraft, but instead it was just brilliant stagecraft and lighting tricks, plus some pulleys and trapdoors.

Do you have a favorite musical?

My top 3 are...

3. Ragtime

2. Dreamgirls

1. Rent

Do you have a favorite musical song?

La Vie Boheme (Rent) or Back to Before (Ragtime)

Do you have a musical you still are hoping to see?

I'm all caught up on this season! A Strange Loop and Into the Woods are standout. But for next season I'm so excited to see Solea Pfeiffer in Almost Famous and Beth Leavel in The Devil Wears Prada.

Who were your influences and inspirations?

I've always been so in love with watching powerful people onstage. Billy Porter, Cynthia Erivo, Hugh Jackman, Neil Patrick Harris all come to mind.

What inspired you to become a Peloton instructor?

It's the best job in the world! Peloton allows me to be my authentic self, which includes doing drag on the Tread periodically (!) and sharing my passion/geekdom for Broadway. My Broadway classes are some of my favorites I've ever taught, my Hamilton Run and Rent and Wicked classes definitely stand out to me. This job offers me the opportunity to connect with people all over the world - with a common thread being exercise and a health - which leads to a connection of other passions, like Broadway. It's a gift.

Why did you choose Andrew Lloyd Webber as a Peloton theme?

ALW is the perfect collaborator on a Peloton Broadway Series, and we've been wanting to do this one for a long time. He was so generous to unlock his entire music library to Peloton. A 30 minute class won't even scratch the surface but I'm going to try! I think folks have a lot of nostalgia and connection to his work. I mean, we're talking 22 stage musicals after all. Phantom and Joseph were two shows that helped to form who I am as a person and so I'm just so excited to share my stories, plus some fun history about ALW that folks may not know about. The Andrew Lloyd Webber Memorial Pool anyone?!?

What do you hope anyone taking Andrew Lloyd Webber's class takes away from it?

I truly hope they just have a great time connecting to the music through movement, plus I know it will be a testament to how powerful his words and musicality are. Having said goodbye to Sondheim last year, I think it's important that we celebrate the living legends of Broadway, and ALW is clearly the first to come to mind. I was able to attend the re-opening of Phantom on Broadway last year - and the block party where the maestro himself DJ'ed! I'll never forget that memory!

Thank you so much your time Matty!

For more information on Peloton and the class, click the link below.

Photos courtesy of Peloton

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