Passing On The Gift Of Comedy
On Jan. 10, my dear friend’s son made his directorial debut at Levittown Hall, with an improv show that he had put together with a group of friends from Hicksville High School. I had the pleasure of speaking with Matthew Waldman, who is not only the director of the show, “Improv Here! Get Your Improv Here!”, but is also a sophomore at Nassau Community College.
Matt began his acting career at Hicksville Middle School; it was at that time that he decided that he wanted to become more involved in directing. After entering high school and becoming active in the theatre department, Matt met Michael Pagano, a fellow student and actor who had his own theatre group called “Paradoja Studios.” Michael asked Matt to join his group and the rest, they say, is history. From the group of Hicksville High School students who were involved in Paradojo, and mostly from Michael, Matt learned through mentoring about himself, as well as his desire to direct. With the encouragement of Michael, Matt began to seriously consider directing. Mary, Matt’s mom, also gave him quite a bit of support and encouragement. But the one person who stood out most of all was Matt’s grandfather, James T. Caulfield, Sr.
James Caulfield always had a comedic streak about him, especially when Matthew was a young child. Quick with a joke or a facial expression that always set Matt off into a fit of giggles, the two began to share a bond that began with something silly and grew into something that was so much more. Soon, Matt began to develop that same dry wit and learned to admire the man who taught him bravery and courage, as well as a perfect comedic timing. I mention bravery because Mr. Caulfield was diagnosed with cancer and passed away on Dec. 5, 2014. About an hour before he passed, Matt’s grandpa woke from his unresponsive state, raised his eyebrows twice and was able to say goodbye in peace. This was a private joke that Matt and his grandpa shared, so the value of this final gift was priceless.
Matt knew that directing would be difficult; he was prepared for the hard work that ensued. He credits his cast and crew, but especially his mom, for helping him to get the show up and running: “If it weren’t for my mom, I don’t know if the show would have happened,” he said.
Matt told me that his grandparents had a tradition of praying the rosary before bed each night. In tribute to his beloved grandpa, on the night that the show opened, Matt took the stage alone before the show. He offered prayers as he, too, prayed the rosary; afterwards, he raised his eyebrows twice in salute to the wonderful man who had made his love for comedy possible. When the show closed on Jan. 11, Matthew made a generous donation of $200, partial proceeds from the show, to St. Jude’s Hospital, in honor of his grandpa. The show was dedicated to him, as well.
The show was a huge success. There’s more in store for the group from Hicksville High, as well as for Matt. The gift of laughter is immeasurable; Matt gave the Hicksville community a show that was not only memorable, but that came from his heart. Bravo, dear Matt (and dear Paradoja Studios)—I look forward to much more of your wonderful talents!
