MATTHEW DECKER is an award-winning theatre director, teaching artist, and arts administrator.  He was raised in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania and is the co-founder with Erin Reilly of Theatre Horizon, located in Norristown, Pennsylvania.  Theatre Horizon is in its 14th season, and has become one of Philadelphia's most acclaimed and accomplished theatre companies.  Matthew has directed over 20 productions with the company including Samuel D. Hunter’s The Few, Rick Elice's Peter and the Starcatcher, William Finn’s A New Brain, Kenneth Lonergan’s Lobby Hero, Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the Woods, Annie Baker’s Circle Mirror Transformation, Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik’s Spring Awakening, David Lindsay-Abaire’s Kimberly Akimbo, and Rachel Sheinkin and William Finn’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

For eight seasons Matthew served as the Associate Artistic Director at Arden Theatre Company in Philadelphia where he directed Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret, Annie Baker’s John, John Glore’s adaptation of The Stinky Cheese Man, Gale Childs Daly’s adaptation of Great Expectations, Michael Hollinger’s Incorruptible and Greg Banks’ adaptations of The Jungle Book (world premiere), Pinocchio and Robin Hood.  Other credits include the world premiere of Robert Kaplowitz and Kittson O’Neill’s musical Minors at Lantern Theater Company, Rounding Third at Cardinal Stage, a concert production of Sondheim’s Company at 11th Hour, Green Day’s American Idiot at the University of the Arts, and developmental readings of Jeremy Gable’s D-PAD and MJ Kaufman’s Whisper’s Gone with Interact Theatre Company, Douglas Williams’ SHIP with Bristol Riverside Theater, and Alex Bechtel’s Cheer Up, Dostoevsky.

In addition to his artistic duties at the Arden, Matthew also oversaw Arden Drama School, which featured theatre education for grades K-12 and the Arden For All outreach program for grades 3-5.  He curated the artistic talent for Arden First Fridays and founded the Arden Cabaret Series, a quarterly series featuring original content by Philadelphia's leading musical theater artists.  Matthew is passionate about New Work, and during his time at the Arden he line produced and help develop world premieres by Laura Eason, Michael Hollinger & Rob Maggio, Greg Banks, Curt Columbus, Alex Bechtel & Tony Lawton, and Jordan Harrison.

Matthew is a three-time Barrymore Award winning director, and his production of Into the Woods at Theatre Horizon was recognized with the 2015 Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical Barrymore Award. He is a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts where he studied at the Atlantic Theatre Company, and served as a Senior Lecturer of Musical Theatre at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.