About Kelly

Hi! My name is Kelly Reader. After living in NY for 10+ years, I decided to move to Chicago! I am so excited to dive into the theatre scene here. I'm excited to dive into the theatre scene here and I am currently studying Improv at the Annoyance Theatre.

​I was born and raised in a small town in South Jersey. My love of the arts started when I was little. My parents enrolled me in Dance class and my favorite style was tap. When I was a freshman in high school, I auditioned for the school musical and was cast as featured dancer Lorraine Flemming in 42nd Street. This was a formative moment in realizing I could pursue a career in theatre. I went on to perform in all of the musicals including Anything Goes (Ensemble), West Side Story (Somewhere Soloist) and Crazy for You (Patricia Fodor/Ensemble) as well as A Midsummer's Night Dream (Thisbe/Flute). In addition to performing in shows, I also was in Chamber Choir, a member of the Dance Team and performed in several Concerts including Project Dance. Outside of the Arts I was also in the Ambassadors Club and a member of the Spanish National Honors Society.
After high school I took a leap of faith and moved to New York City to attend Pace University as a BFA Acting Major where I met Steven McCasland who directed me in several student projects including Alice Unwrapped (Alice), Crossing Brooklyn (Kevin) and Antigone (Sentry). I also performed in the mainstage production of A Christmas Carol.

After college I continued to work with McCasland outside of Pace with his theatre company Beautiful Soup. I played Louise in Liliom and also performed in 2 shows, 28 Marchant Avenue (Pat Kennedy) and Neat and Tidy (Amanda/Natalie), as part of Beautiful Soup's 5 Plays in Repertory featuring plays by McCasland. I was honored to be part of 2 shows at 54 Below/Feinstein's directed by McCasland and music directed by James Horan. I was in the ensemble of Onward Victoria starring several Original Broadway cast members including Jill Eikenberry and Bring Back Birdie as Alice.

I have also performed in several cabarets at the Laurie Beechman Theatre and Don't Tell Mama's. in 2015 I made my debut with the Heights Players in Anything Goes (Ensemble) directed by Michael Kidney. I returned the Heights Players a few months later in Hello Dolly (Featured Singer) and recently played a Follies Girl in Crazy for You.. I played the title role in Ginny by Anna Fox at the Samuel French Off Off Broadway Festival. 
I proudly became Sag- After eligible after appearing in the web series These Three Girls as the Sandwich girl. Kelly is proudly Sag Eligible after filming her part in this series! I made my TV debut playing Mary in an episode of Diabolical on ID TV. 

When not performing in shows I enjoys spending time with friends and I am currently teaching myself the ukulele. I am a lover of all things Disney! I recently started baking cupcakes! Check out my cupcake blog at www.broadwaycupcakes.wordpress.com