Kelley Jordan began her work in theater over 30 years ago and has since worked with several academic, community, semi-professional, and professional organizations on almost 100 productions - from script-in-hand short plays to staged readings and from black box productions to main stage musicals.

As a child of professional thespians, Kelley was a legacy to the world of theater - working in the scene shop for her first production, Dark of the Moon, at the young age of 6 and appearing on-stage for the first time at the age of 7 - a quite notable role of “Smallest Blind Girl” in a production of The Miracle Worker. She continued her work in educational and community theater throughout her formative years.

Kelley received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Birmingham-Southern College. Though she only dabbled in theater during her time at BSC, the courses in which she was enrolled for her major (finance, accounting, marketing, management, etcetera) have proved useful as she continues her work in professional theater.

Kelley went on to obtain a Master’s of Fine Arts degree with a focus in Directing from Southern Illinois University. There, she directed numerous productions, including short plays, scenes, new plays, staged readings, and full-length season productions. Additionally, she oversaw SIU's Stage Management program where she served as Graduate Head of Stage Management, supervising and training undergraduate and graduate stage managers, as well as Instructor of Record for the Stage Management course and lab (400 level courses). Additionally, Kelley served as Assistant Production Manager, where she helped coordinate schedules, budgets, and personnel on all department productions (averaging 4-8 a semester) as well as assisting the maintenance, safety, and rental liaisons to the department. Her additional assistantships included Head of Properties & Rentals. Kelley graduated with a 4.0 GPA and with 63 credits hours of study, including courses in directing, stage management, dramaturgy, critical theory, collaboration, playwriting, design, and new plays.

Upon completion of her MFA, Kelley joined the theater community in Atlanta, Georgia, where she continues to work as a director, stage manager, intimacy coordinator, and educator with various universities and companies all over the city. Kelley is currently working with Agnes Scott College as professor of public speaking, acting, and design as well as serving as a guest director or production stage manager for all theater and dance departmental productions. Kelley is also an Artist in Residence with Authenticity Theatre as director and intimacy director.

Recent production credits include:

• Joined Authenticity Theatre as director of Reconstruction and Molting as part of Authentic 10 Showcases, as well as directing full productions of The Glass Menagerie, Tiny Beautiful Things, and Circle Mirror Transformation. She also served as intimacy coordinator for The Flick and Between Riverside and Crazy.

• Worked with Agnes Scott College as a guest artist, serving as director for the 2025 season staged reading of Artemisia as well as production stage manager for their productions of Short Play Festival, Love, Sondheim, The Heidi Chronicles, and a brand new children’s theater production titled Million Bazillion: The Musical.

• Served as Stage Manager for dance productions, including Spring Forward with Agnes Scott College in 2025 and 2026, and Graduation Ball & Contemporary Pieces with Dance Foundry in 2024.

• Joined Round Barn Theatre in 2022 as director for their fall production of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap.

• Spent the summer of 2022 working with Sumter Theatre Workshop to re-up this community organization after a seven year hiatus and also served as director for their comeback performance of Always…Patsy Cline.

• Led an Introduction to Stage Management workshop for the students and faculty of The University of West Alabama Department of Theater.

• A production with her alma mater, Southern Illinois University, serving as assistant director and production stage manager for the Department of Theater’s 2022 Big Muddy New Play Festival on the featured production of The Curious Case of Agatha Christie.

Other notable production credits include:

• Directing "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," "Antigone," "The Bear," "Boy Gets Girl." the world premiere of "800 Days of Solitude: A Conjuring," as well as several world premieres of short plays and full length staged readings.

• Stage Managing “The Arsonists,” "Beyond the Horizon," "Greater Tuna," and "Smoke on the Mountain."

• Performing in lead roles, including "You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown" (Lucy), "Oliver!" (Nancy), and "The Wedding Singer" (Julia). Please see her curriculum vitae or production history for further production credits. 

Kelley has also previously received over a decade of vocal training. She has performed in multiple concerts in Carnegie Hall, including the world premiere of “Mass of the Children” by renowned composer and conductor John Rutter. Kelley also competed as a finalist in a preliminary round of the American Idol franchise. 

Kelley currently works and resides in Atlanta, but is available for contract work anywhere - either inside the metro area or across the globe - as scheduling allows. Please contact her here to discuss employment.