Matthew LaBanca

Matthew grew up in Danbury, CT, to a traditional Italian family. The son of two teachers, he graduated summa cum laude from University of CT, where he majored in voice and music education. A move to NYC led to leading roles in several US tours (Crazy for You, Joseph...Dreamcoat, Anything Goes), paving the way to his Broadway debut in the original company of Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein, where Matthew covered the title role. During previews in NY, he stepped into the part for multiple shows, performing the role to acclaim. Variety's Army Archerd hailed Matthew as "wonderful", and mom brought homemade meatballs to the stage door to celebrate.

Matthew also appeared on Broadway in the 2009 company of White Christmas, and the 2019 Tony Award winning production of A Christmas Carol. His self-penned solo show, Good Enough, appeared Off Broadway at the United Solo Festival, winning the festival's Best Musical Award in 2014. In 2016, he was nominated for a BroadwayWorld.com Best Actor award for his turn as Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show.

Matthew has worked on TV shows including Comedy Central's Broad City, MTV's Made, and Live from Lincoln Center, and as a recurring co-star on the second season of the Apple+ TV hit, Severance.

Matthew now makes homemade macaroni for his husband, rising screenwriter M. Rowan Meyer. The two were married in August, 2021, on the happiest day of Matthew's life. Check out Rowan's bio on imdb to see if he says the same thing.

In a parallel career path, Matthew all but donned Mr. Rogers' sweater and sneakers, and began work as an elementary music teacher and church music director. Matthew’s wedding caught the eyes of the Diocese of Brooklyn, his employer, whose stance on same-sex marriage led to his termination from that teaching job, an explanation YouTube video that went viral, a national media firestorm (The New York Times, et al, picked up the story) , and, ultimately, a dramatized version of this story, his solo show, Communion. Matthew’s story was also made into a documentary under the auspices of The School of Visual Arts in NYC, as a masters student’s thesis.

Matthew continues to work as an actor and public-school teacher in NYC.