A NEW HOST: Gaten Matarazzo of “Stranger Things” fame is the host of ‘80s Online Trivia Night at the State Theatre New Jersey on October 14. (Photo by Catie Lafoon)

State Theatre New Jersey has announced actor Gaten Matarazzo — from the Netflix hit series, Stranger Things — as the host of ‘80s Online Trivia Night on Wednesday, October 14 at 7 p.m. Proceeds raised support State Theatre’s Community Engagement programs.

Known for his portrayal of Dustin on Stranger Things, Matarazzo began his career on Broadway starring in Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and later landing a role as Gavroche in Les Misérables. He’s been recognized by The Hollywood Reporter as one of the top 30 stars under the age of 30.  

Matarazzo is the host and executive producer of the Netflix hidden prank series, Prank Encounters. He also performs with his siblings Carmen and Sabrina in an ensemble band, Work in Progress. The band travels the country performing covers and originals. 

When he is not filming or touring the country with his band, the 18-year-old devotes his time to raising awareness about cleidocranial dysplasia — a condition that affects the development of bones and teeth. With the help of a Utah-based doctor, Matarazzo launched CCD SMILES, a foundation built to help families pay their children’s dental bills. He recently visited Capitol Hill to speak in favor of a new piece of legislation called the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act (ELSA). This bipartisan legislation will provide insurance coverage to individuals born with congenital abnormalities or birth defects. 

‘80s Online Trivia Night will feature questions on ‘80s pop culture, including movies like The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off; music groups like Run DMC and The Bangles; fashion trends like leg warmers and spandex; to nostalgic games and toys like Pac Man and Care Bears; and much more.  

Trivia Night will be composed of 50 multiple choice questions. The first-place winner gets bragging rights as well as a $150 State Theatre gift certificate and a State Theatre swag bag and the second-place winner gets a State Theatre swag bag. Online Trivia Night will be hosted on Zoom on each participant’s desktop computer and played on the smartphone-based trivia game APP called Kahoot. Closed Captioning for Trivia Night can be made available by request by emailing info@stnj.org, one week prior to the event.  

A minimum donation of $5 allows patrons to participate in the trivia challenge. To sign up, visit STNJ.org/Trivia.