Matthew has a distinguished background in theatre and arts leadership, Matthew currently serves as Head of Theatres (Contemporary and Commissioning) at Lowry in Salford. His journey in musical theatre began at the Royal Academy of Music, where he trained before embarking on a successful career as a performer in West End and touring productions. Transitioning to directing, he served as a resident and associate director before shifting his focus to arts management in 2012.
Over the past decade at Lowry, Matthew has played a pivotal role in commissioning and programming innovative new musicals, including Police Cops the Musical, The Good Enough Mums Club, The Children’s Inquiry, and 42 Balloons. He has also spearheaded the commissioning of new family co-productions such as Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book, The Koala Who Could, and A Squash and a Squeeze.
In 2017, Matthew launched the REWRITES platform at Lowry, an initiative dedicated to supporting emerging musical theatre creators. REWRITES has since evolved into a nationwide partnership with Birmingham Hippodrome, MAST Mayflower Studios, and Norwich Theatre, championing talents like Spitlip (Operation Mincemeat), The Letter Room, Silent Uproar, Sheep Soup, Finn Anderson, and Lewis Cornay.
Matthew’s leadership credentials extend beyond musical theatre; he was part of the inaugural cohort of Clore Leadership’s Leading Systemic Change programme and is an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM).