When people search for Carmen Matarazzo, the first connection they often encounter is his relationship with actor Gaten Matarazzo, best known for playing Dustin Henderson in Stranger Things. That family connection explains much of the public interest surrounding Carmen, but it does not tell the whole story.
Carmen Matarazzo has developed experience in both music and theater, particularly through stage productions in New Jersey. He has worked as a drummer and actor and has appeared in productions ranging from Mary Poppins and Clue: On Stage to Sweeney Todd, RENT, and Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical. Discover Jersey Arts described him as an actor and drummer in its 2023 coverage of his role as Tobias in Sweeney Todd.
His career is therefore better understood as a developing performing-arts career rather than simply an extension of his brother’s celebrity.
Who Is Carmen Matarazzo?
Carmen Matarazzo is an American performer from New Jersey whose public work has included acting and music. He grew up in the Little Egg Harbor area and graduated from Pinelands Regional High School, according to Discover Jersey Arts and New Jersey media coverage.
Carmen is part of the same family as Gaten Matarazzo and Sabrina Matarazzo. His connection to Gaten naturally brought additional public attention, particularly after Stranger Things became a major international television series.
However, Carmen followed a somewhat different professional path. While Gaten became widely recognized through television and Broadway, Carmen’s documented work has centered heavily on regional theater and music.
That distinction is important when researching the Carmen Matarazzo biography because many online profiles focus primarily on his family relationship rather than his own work.
Carmen Matarazzo Age and Early Background
Carmen Matarazzo was born on November 10, 2003. As of September 2026, he is 22 years old and is scheduled to turn 23 in November.
He grew up in New Jersey with his siblings and developed an interest in performing at a relatively young age. His early theatrical experience included productions at Pinelands Regional High School as well as performances with theaters around New Jersey.
His early credits included roles in productions such as Mary Poppins, Clue: On Stage, Spring Awakening, The Addams Family, and The Sound of Music. These early appearances provide useful context for understanding how his stage career developed before some of his later, more prominent roles.
Carmen Matarazzo and His Connection to Gaten Matarazzo
One of the most common searches related to Carmen is “Carmen Matarazzo Gaten Matarazzo brother.”
Carmen is Gaten Matarazzo’s younger brother. Gaten became internationally recognized for his role as Dustin Henderson in Netflix’s Stranger Things, while Carmen has pursued his own interests in theater and music.
The brothers have also shared an unusual theatrical connection. In 2023, Carmen played Tobias Ragg in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the Levoy Theatre in Millville, New Jersey. Around the same period, Gaten was preparing to play the same character in the Broadway production of Sweeney Todd. Discover Jersey Arts specifically discussed the unusual timing and the brothers’ shared connection to the role.
That overlap illustrates the family’s broader relationship with musical theater while also showing that Carmen’s stage work can be considered independently of Gaten’s television career.
Carmen Matarazzo’s Music Career
Acting is only one part of Carmen’s artistic background. He has also worked as a drummer.
Carmen performed with Work In Progress, a band associated with his siblings and friends. His musical activities gave him experience performing in a live-band environment, complementing his theatrical work.
This background is particularly relevant because many of Carmen’s later theater projects have involved musicals. Being comfortable with rhythm, live performance, and musical collaboration can be useful in a stage environment where acting, singing, movement, and timing have to work together.
His development as a drummer also helps explain why descriptions of Carmen often identify him as both a musician and actor rather than placing him exclusively in one category.
Carmen Matarazzo’s Theater Career
Carmen’s theater career has developed through a series of regional and musical-theater productions.
Early Stage Roles
Before his higher-profile roles, Carmen appeared in several New Jersey productions. Discover Jersey Arts lists credits including Robertson Ay in Mary Poppins, Professor Plum in Clue: On Stage, Ernst in Spring Awakening, Lucas in The Addams Family, and Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music.
These roles covered different musical and dramatic styles, giving him experience across a range of stage productions.
Carmen Matarazzo in Sweeney Todd
One of the most notable early milestones was his role as Tobias Ragg in Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Carmen appeared as Tobias at the Levoy Theatre in Millville, New Jersey, from February 10 through February 19, 2023. The production attracted additional attention because Gaten Matarazzo subsequently played Tobias on Broadway.
The role was significant because it placed Carmen in a demanding musical-theater production while giving audiences an opportunity to see his work independently on a professional stage.
Carmen Matarazzo in RENT
Carmen continued his theater work at Algonquin Arts Theatre in Manasquan, New Jersey.
In the theater’s 2025 production of RENT, Carmen played Mark Cohen. The official Algonquin Arts Theatre information identifies him as Mark Cohen and notes previous credits including Sweeney Todd, Almost, Maine, Clue: On Stage, and Spring Awakening.
The role of Mark Cohen gave Carmen another substantial musical-theater credit. RENT also allowed him to work within a production known for combining rock music, contemporary storytelling, and ensemble performance.
Carmen Matarazzo in Hair
Carmen’s recent stage work continued in 2026.
Algonquin Arts Theatre presented Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical from August 8 through August 16, 2026. Carmen Matarazzo was part of the principal cast as Berger. New Jersey Stage’s production announcement identifies him in that role, while subsequent coverage and photographs also document his participation.
This is particularly useful for anyone researching what Carmen Matarazzo is doing now, because older biographies may stop with his earlier music activities or his 2023 appearance in Sweeney Todd. His documented theater work continued into 2026.
Why Carmen Matarazzo Is Often Associated With Music and Theater
Carmen’s career demonstrates how several performance disciplines can overlap.
As a drummer, he has experience with timing, rhythm, rehearsals, and live performance. As an actor, he has worked on character development, stage movement, dialogue, and musical productions.
Musical theater brings many of those skills together. Performers have to coordinate with musicians, fellow actors, choreographers, directors, and technical crews while maintaining a consistent performance from beginning to end.
Carmen’s progression from school and regional productions into roles such as Tobias Ragg, Mark Cohen, and Berger shows a continued involvement with that type of performance environment.
Is Carmen Matarazzo in Stranger Things?
No. Carmen Matarazzo is not known for playing a character in Stranger Things.
His brother Gaten Matarazzo plays Dustin Henderson in the Netflix series. Carmen’s own documented acting work has primarily involved stage productions rather than the television series.
The confusion is understandable because the Matarazzo family name is strongly associated with Stranger Things. However, separating the two careers provides a more accurate picture of Carmen’s professional background.
What Is Carmen Matarazzo Doing Now?
As of September 2026, Carmen’s most recently documented major theater appearance was as Berger in Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical at Algonquin Arts Theatre in Manasquan, New Jersey. The production ran in August 2026.
Before that, he played Mark Cohen in RENT at the same theater in August 2025.
These recent credits show that stage acting remains an important part of his public career.
There is less reliable public information about his day-to-day life outside his professional activities, so it is better to distinguish documented theater credits from speculation about his private life.
Carmen Matarazzo’s Career Beyond the Family Name
Being related to a well-known actor can create attention, but sustained work in theater requires a different kind of commitment.
Carmen’s publicly documented credits give audiences a way to evaluate his career through actual performances rather than family connections. His theater résumé includes productions at schools and professional regional venues, while his music background adds another dimension to his experience as a performer.
The progression is also notable. His early roles included supporting and ensemble-oriented opportunities, while later credits included central characters such as Tobias Ragg, Mark Cohen, and Berger.
Rather than defining Carmen solely as Gaten Matarazzo’s brother, these credits provide a clearer picture of an emerging performer who has continued developing his own experience in music and theater.
Frequently Asked Questions About Carmen Matarazzo
How old is Carmen Matarazzo?
Carmen Matarazzo was born on November 10, 2003. He is 22 years old as of September 2026.
Who is Carmen Matarazzo’s brother?
Carmen’s brother is Gaten Matarazzo, the actor known for playing Dustin Henderson in Stranger Things.
Is Carmen Matarazzo an actor?
Yes. Carmen has built a stage-acting résumé that includes productions such as Sweeney Todd, RENT, Spring Awakening, Clue: On Stage, and Hair.
What role did Carmen Matarazzo play in Sweeney Todd?
Carmen played Tobias Ragg in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the Levoy Theatre in Millville, New Jersey, in February 2023.
Was Carmen Matarazzo in RENT?
Yes. Carmen played Mark Cohen in Algonquin Arts Theatre’s 2025 production of RENT.
What role did Carmen Matarazzo play in Hair?
Carmen played Berger in Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical at Algonquin Arts Theatre in August 2026.
Is Carmen Matarazzo a musician?
Yes. Carmen has been publicly identified as a drummer and has performed music alongside his theater work. Discover Jersey Arts described him as an actor/drummer in its 2023 profile.
Is Carmen Matarazzo in Stranger Things?
No. His brother Gaten plays Dustin Henderson in Stranger Things. Carmen’s documented acting credits are primarily from stage productions.
Where did Carmen Matarazzo grow up?
Carmen grew up in New Jersey and attended Pinelands Regional High School. His early theater work included productions at his school and other New Jersey venues.
What is Carmen Matarazzo’s net worth?
There is no reliably documented public figure establishing Carmen Matarazzo exact net worth. Online estimates should therefore be treated cautiously rather than presented as confirmed financial information.
Final Thoughts
Carmen Matarazzo’s public profile begins with a famous family connection, but his career extends beyond that association. He has developed experience as both a drummer and stage actor and has built a growing theater résumé in New Jersey.
From Tobias Ragg in Sweeney Todd to Mark Cohen in RENT and Berger in Hair, his recent credits demonstrate an ongoing connection to musical theater.
For people searching for Carmen Matarazzo today, the most useful perspective is to look beyond the question of who his brother is. His own work in music and theater provides the clearest picture of the performer he has become and the direction his career has taken.
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