KelseyCelek.com

Hello again, Midwest.  It’s been awhile.

I’ve returned from my adventures with the Missoula Children’s Theatre.  I did the math and I visited 20 states this summer – if you include our in-between travels – and worked with nearly 400 kids.  (I can’t be sure, but I think I sang “Friday’s Seaside Resort” a minimum of 450 times.)  What an adventure!  It was a little sad to bid farewell to Robinson Crusoe and the little red truck that took us across the country, but it feels good to be home.

So what’s next for me?  I’ve got some planning to do as these last days of summer wind down – more details to come soon.  But in the meantime, I of course have a few projects to keep me busy:

First, I’m stepping into the role of Shelby in The Spitfire Grill in Beavercreek.  I had my first rehearsal tonight and had a wonderful time.  It’s a lovely show and a great cast!  I’m very much looking forward to opening on Sept. 17th!  More info available here.

Second, Alex Horton and I are up to our old tricks…that’s right, Fear Clinic is returning to the Dayton area very soon.  We’re doing a reading as part of the Litehouse Series with our friends at Encore Theatre Company.  No specific dates yet, but we know it’ll be after the first of the year.  Details to come soon!  Alex and I are also hard at work on a new show as well…let’s just say it’s a little different from Fear Clinic…

So I’ll have lots to work on as I settle back into Midwestern life.  Here we go!

This week Noah and I are in Dublin, Georgia, hula-ing it up in Robinson Crusoe with another great group of kids.  We’ve got shows this Friday at 7pm and Saturday at 10am in Theatre Dublin.

Here’s a fun article from last week’s stop in Mount Airy, North Carolina.  It includes fun interviews with the kids, Noah, and me too!

We’re having a great time.  Next week we’re in Fort Stewart, Georgia, and we’re really looking forward to it!

Exciting news: The Dayton City Paper just named me this season’s Best Leading Actress in a Musical for The Light in the Piazza!  The show racked up quite a list of nods, including Best Musical, Best Direction (Joe Deer), and Best Supporting Actor and Actress (Blaine Boyd and Sarah Agar).  Read the full list here.

Ah, to be in Florence again...

I’m thrilled, obviously.  Seeing so many people from the Piazza cast and crew receive recognition just proves what a special experience it was to work on that show.  Lots of Wright State folk received shout-outs for their work this season, including The Pajama Game and Hello, Dolly.  Guess I’ve been running with a good crowd, eh?  Congratulations to everyone…it’s been a good year for theatre in Dayton!

Still on the road to Alabama.  While you’re waiting for more delicious updates of my adventures across America, tide yourself over with this vidja of last week’s production of Fear Clinic, the musical I wrote with composer Alex Horton.  This is the opening number, entitled “Who I Am”.

Enjoy!

So my tour partner Noah Weary and I have finished our training in Missoula, Montana, and we are on the road!  First stop is Oneonta, Alabama, so we have quite a drive ahead of us.  Neither one of us has ever been this far west, so we’re really enjoying the beauty of this part of the country.  Looking forward to starting rehearsals on Monday!

So for anyone who’s chillin’ in Dayton this week, please please please go see Fear Clinic in the Jubilee Theatre!  It’s the first production of the new musical by me and composer Alex Horton.  We’ve been workshopping it all year, so we’re really excited to see all that work fully realized.  We’ve got a wonderful cast led by director Chris Feil and choreographers Zach Boone and Lauren Morgan.  Plus wait until you hear the BAND – they’re fantastic!

Shows are Monday and Tuesday at 8pm.  Admission is free, but get there early to get a good seat!

Sadly, I will not be there, as I’m currently in rehearsals for Robinson Crusoe with the Missoula Children’s Theatre!  I’m having a great time in Montana.  I can’t believe that by this time next week I’ll be at my first tour stop.  Until then I’m having fun and learning a lot.

Today my classmates and I performed a concert where we all did scenes from our dream roles.  I did Kate Monster from Avenue Q and had so much fun!  It gave me a pretty good excuse to watch Muppet Show clips on youtube.

Here’s a video of me performing “Mix Tape” with my buddy Will Hutcheson as Princeton.

More to come!

Summertime is here!  Today was my last day of classes at Wright State University.  (At long last, that sparkly degree is MINE!)  A bittersweet end, most certainly.  A lot has happened in the course of four years, and I feel very prepared for the next adventure…

Which will be a summer touring with the Missoula Children’s Theatre.  My tour partner Noah Weary and I will be all over the country performing in Robinson Crusoe with local students.  For tour schedule, check here.  Very excited to start working for MCT.  Interestingly enough, my very first play EVER was with Missoula (I was Mexican Jumping Bean #2 in Jack and the Beanstalk…and I was good!) so having my first job out of school with them brings everything full circle.  I can’t wait!

Hey y’all -

Don’t forget to come see me as Susan in [title of show] this weekend in the Jubilee Theatre!  The performances are Saturday only – at 3pm and 8pm.  Admission is free but seats are limited so come early!

I’ve had so much fun rockin’ it with my buddies Chris Feil, Alex Horton, Will Hutcheson, and Laura LaCara.  It’s kinda crazy to do a show about friends who write musicals with friends who write musicals.  Trippy.

More info is available at wsutos.wordpress.com. We’ve been making youtube funsies too, so check those out.  Word.

So this weekend was the Student Playwright Festival.  Over the course of a few days, there were nine new plays by student writers.  It was a really exciting weekend!

I was really pleased with the way both of my pieces turned out.  In particular, it was really exciting to revisit Same Time, Next Country – for more than 24 hours this time!  This year’s festival included the SPF Awards (which we named the Spiffys) and Same Time, Next Country took the awards for Best Play, Best Actor (JJ Parkey) and Best Actress (Laura LaCara).  We also won for Most Awkward Moment (for when they wake up in Scotland) and oddly, I might be most excited for that one.

This Saturday I’ll be back in the Jubilee Theatre playing Susan in [title of show]!  Performances at 3pm and 8pm.  One day only – Dreamgirls style!