Matthew Bryan Walsh with his signature glasses standing against an old brick wall, with his body partially illuminated and casting a large shadow. Photographed by Jarod-Connor Moss at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Matthew Bryan Walsh is a theatrical lighting designer and multidisciplinary artist whose work is defined by a "musician’s sensibility." A recent BFA graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato, Walsh is quickly earning a reputation as one of the Twin Cities’ most compelling young design voices, having received the 2025 ETC Emerging Designer Award and 1st place in regional design at the 2026 ACTF Region V festival.

Before completing his degree, Walsh established an extensive professional footprint across the Twin Cities. His designs have been seen at The Southern Theater, Open Eye Theatre, Rarig Center, Phoenix Theater, and the Hanifl Performing Arts Center, among others. His collaborative work spans companies like Jackdonkey Productions, Children’s Performing Arts, and Northern Starz Center for the Performing Arts, showcasing a versatile ability to scale his "high-fashion theatricality" across diverse venues.

Walsh’s process is a deliberate intersection of theater and broader popular culture. A self-taught pianist, arranger, and composer, he is fluent in sheet music across many styles and writes for a wide range of instrumentation. He approaches light as a rhythmic element, seeking the emotional "key" of every scene through a composer's lens. His design vocabulary is equally informed by the sharp silhouettes of runway fashion, the mechanics of modern iconography, and the architecture of the celebrity machine.

Beyond the lighting console, Walsh is a devotee of theatrical history and a dedicated preserver of cult musicals. Whether he is arranging a new score or analyzing fashion photography, his goal remains the same: a collaborative devotion to the text achieved through clarity, contrast, and a signature visual composure.

Matthew Bryan Walsh stands in a spotlight on a dark theater stage, facing a small wooden table with curved legs. There are empty seats and stairs in the background. He is in the midst of lighting focus for The Birds by Conor McPherson.
Matthew Bryan Walsh with his signature glasses, wearing a black sweater and pants, sitting on a bench in a room with beige textured walls, holding a certificate for the ETC Emerging Designer Award and smiling at the camera.
Three young people in a dance studio with exposed brick walls and large mirrors. Matthew Bryan Walsh sitting on the floor next to a laptop, Jarod is standing near the mirror, and Julia is standing near the window. All are casually dressed.
Five people dressed in formal attire standing together in front of a brick wall. They are smiling and posing for the photo at an indoor event. Matthew Bryan Walsh is among them. This is the opening night for Jarod and Julia: Live at The Southern.
Matthew Bryan Walsh is giving a presentation on a black display board at an indoor event, with three people listening and engaging in the discussion. He is dressed in his signature black outfit with glasses.