M O L L Y M A T T A I N I
About
Molly Mattaini is a scholar who studies Ability-Inclusive Sensory Theatre, a genre within TYA which creates theatrical experiences for young people who are neurodiverse, particularly children on the autism spectrum. Her research focuses on how Ability-Inclusive Sensory Theatre creates an artistic version of autistic space. She holds a PhD from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies with a Specialization in Theatre for Youth and a doctoral minor in Special Education.
She is also a working teaching artist who is passionate about creating inclusive drama education spaces.
As part of her commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, Molly co-founded the Anti-Racist Teaching Artist Collective at Children's Theatre of Madison, where she also sits on the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committee. She is also a member of the Anti-Racism/Anti-Ableism committee at Pink Umbrella Theatre.
Molly received her MA in Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2018 and her BA from Loyola University Chicago in Theatre in 2014. She has been teaching students of all ages and abilities for over 10 years. She is a lover of regional theater and has worked with companies such as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Ashland, OR), Children's Theatre Company (Minneapolis, MN), Chicago Children's Theatre, Light Opera Works (Evanston, IL), Park Square Theater (St. Paul, MN), and Steppingstone Theatre for Youth Development (St. Paul, MN) in the past.
In her free time, Molly enjoys going on walks, reading mystery novels, and singing along to musicals in the car.
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