Matthew R. Kerns is in his fifth year as Chair of the Theatre Program at The Chicago Academy for the Arts.  As an actor Matt has been seen in productions around Chicago of WORKING, 2-2-Tango, The Misanthrope, Everything Sexy, Balls; Five one-act plays by Alan Ball, and his original one man show A Quest for the Altar.  His directing credits include: The world premiere production of All Tied Up In Love, Arsenic & Old Lace, The Laramie Project, Tartuffe, Brighten Beach Memoirs, Little Shop of Horrors, Company, Pippin, and this fall Michael Frayn's Noises Off.  Additionally, Matthew is a adjunct instructor of Communication at Loyola University, sits on the board of the theatre company Will Act for Food, and is a director in residence at the BackStage Theatre Company.