Next Hannibal Arts Council Coffee Talk Conversation to feature professional theatre artist from Hannibal

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Hannibal Arts Council continues its popular Coffee Talk Conversation Series in April. The next program, titled “Life in the Theatre”, will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 30, at the Hannibal Arts Council, 105 S. Main. The program is free and open to the public. Program partners are Wade Stables P.C. and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.

The speaker for April is Erin Kelley. A Hannibalian since 2019, Kelley was formerly based in St. Louis, Chicago and New York and has been a professional theatre artist for over 35 years. Kelley will talk about the life of a working theatre professional including education, discipline, craft, artistic processes and what it takes to achieve longevity in a highly competitive business with no job security.

She will discuss how the pandemic has affected live theatre and how these challenges inspired her to write her current solo show, “Margaret: The Incredible Molly Brown,” which she performs for American Cruise Lines (among other bookings) and which she will perform at the Hannibal Arts Council on May 21.

Originally from Tulsa, Okla., Kelley is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation/Shawnee. She holds a bachelor’s degree in theatre arts from Stephens College in Columbia and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA.

Her acting credits include theatre, television, and film. Her first solo show, “Portrait of My People,” about growing up in her Native family and culture, is a Kevin Kline Award nominee. While based in St. Louis, Kelley co-founded and for seven years was managing artistic director of the award-winning Avalon Theatre Company. She launched her solo show theatre company, Gilded Age Stage, in 2021 in Hannibal. 

The Coffee Talk Conversation Series is designed to be relaxed, informal and informative.  Through the series, the Hannibal Arts Council will present community members speaking on various topics, including travel, history, health, food, well-being and art. The series is designed on the premise that everyone has a story and a wide variety of interests and is willing to share with an audience.