Department Chair & Professor
Office Location: ASC 256
(205) 902-8597
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Education:
- BFA, Stephens College
- MFA, University of Minnesota, Scenography
Our Department Chair holds an MFA in Scenography from the University of Minnesota and a BFA from Stephens College. He has been nominated for the Blaze Leadership Academy, the American Council on Education Leadership Academy for Department Chairs, the UAB Executive Leadership Program, and the International Council of Fine Arts Deans Fellows Program. His extensive professional credits include fourteen seasons with the Utah Shakespeare Festival (including USF's Tony Award-winning season), the Guthrie Theatre, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Opera Birmingham, the USA International Ballet Competition, the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, 7 Stages, Horizon Theatre Company, Actor's Express, Theatre in the Square, and The Alabama Ballet.
Through his professional affiliations, Kelly has had the privilege of designing lighting for recording artists Neil Sedaka, Marvin Hamlisch, Aaron Neville, Judy Collins, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Mathes, Roberta Flack, Act of Congress, and the Four Tops. He has served as the local Lighting/Production Director for Amy Grant, Ben Vereen, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, and Mikhael Baryshnikov.
Professor Allison has held faculty appointments at the University of Minnesota, the University of Wisconsin at LaCrosse, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Luther College, and Normandale College. He has also been a guest lecturer at The Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts and a guest lecturer/lighting designer at the American University in Cairo.
As much as he enjoys working in the exciting field of performing arts, his true passion is mentoring the next generation of artists, technicians, and managers. His students have won local, regional, and national awards.
Kelly is a member of the Region 4 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Selection Team and a Trustee for the Alabama School of Fine Arts.
Recent Courses:
- Theatre Cornerstone
- Theatre Capstone
- Stage Management
- Lighting Design
- Audio Design and Technology