Matt Landry-McWilliams is a dynamic educator, director, and performer. He currently serves as the Arts Department Chair and Performing Arts Director at Franklin Academy, where he leads the Performing Arts signature program focusing on promoting neurodiversity through artistic expression. Matt holds a B.A. in Theatre Pedagogy and Performance from Sarah Lawrence College and is an alumnus of the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. 

Matt transformed the Franklin Academy Theatre Arts program, bringing to life beloved plays like A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Peter and the Starcatcher, and The Laramie Project to the Franklin Academy campus. He has also directed the spring musicals The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Cole Porter’s Anything Goes, which involved over 40% of the Franklin student population. His direction of Franklin Academy’s production The Other Room earned seven awards at the Connecticut Drama Association One-Act Festival, including Theatrical Excellence and Outstanding Ensemble. Matt also teaches the celebrated course “Creating Community Through Theatre Arts,” where he emphasizes the importance of ensemble building in connecting with the broader world. 

His expertise extends beyond Franklin Academy, as he also directs the Guilford Youth and Family Services Family Theatre, which provides arts access and musical production opportunities for local students through state and federal funding. He has also performed and contributed significantly to various theater companies, including the non-profit Madison Lyric Stage for 10 theatrical seasons, where he has taken on roles both on stage and behind the scenes. Additionally, Matt is a third-degree black belt in Cheezic Tang Soo Do, reflecting his dedication to personal discipline and mastery. His multifaceted background in education, performance, and martial arts makes him a valuable leader and mentor committed to fostering creativity and inclusion in the arts.