Kelley Amaya | Teaching Artist
Kelley (she/ her) holds a degree in Recreation, Parks & Tourism from the University of Florida at Gainesville, and began her career working with both children and adults in park-related programs. After relocating to Louisville, she became a committed stay-at-home parent. She devoted many volunteer hours to Stopher Elementary School’s spring musicals from 2009-14, creating the student stage crew program from scratch! Kelley has performed in The Faery’s Kiss with Mulligan Stew Players and assistant directed for Louisville Classical Academy. She’s been a fan of Drama by George’s programs since her children performed in drama club in their younger years. Now, Kelley is thrilled to bring her enthusiasm for the performing arts to a new generation. She can’t wait to see what her young thespians will accomplish!
Julie Dunn Crawford | Teaching Artist
Julie (she/ her) has worked with students of all ages for her entire adult life, and that includes homeschooling three kids of her own! She’s the owner of JDC Consulting, where she provides college admissions coaching. Julie has taught younger students through Global Game Changers, which helps elementary-age kids use their gifts and passions to make the world a better place. In the performing arts realm, she’s worked as a teaching artist, acted as an artist liaison for several organizations, and even “nannied” the child actors in a production of Annie. She holds a master’s degree in Higher Education from the University of Louisville. Julie, who lives with her college sweetheart/ husband Eric and five cats, is thrilled to be crafting theatre with young actors! She looks forward to seeing what she and her students will learn together.
Abby Ferree | Teaching Artist
Abby (she/ they) is a theatre artist originally from the Greater Louisville area who’s thrilled to return home after 10 years working in theatre across the US and internationally! They have a BFA in Acting from Northern Illinois University and an MFA in Advanced Theatre Practice from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. They have worked as a teaching artist in Mount Carroll, IL; Chicago, IL; Austin, TX; and London, UK. Selected theatre credits include This Is My Body (VAULT Festival London), This Is the Way to the Exit (Royal Central School of Speech and Drama), A League of Her Own (Bottle Alley and Just Friends, Austin), Viejo Loco (BYOT, Chicago), Three Sisters (Moscow Art Theatre School), and The Revolutionists (Northern Illinois University). In addition to teaching and acting, they also work as a theatre director, stage manager, and playwright. Most recently they served as the stage manager for Much Ado About Nothing (Three Witches Shakespeare). When not teaching and working as a theatre artist, you can find them in the woods or by some body of water! Abby is excited to be teaching with Drama by George because Louisville is the city where they were first inspired by incredible teachers to dive into the world of theatre. They hope to do the same for their own students.
George Halitzka | Artistic Director
George (he/ him) is a theatre educator, director, and writer — but first and foremost, he’s a storyteller. George has performed for more than 100,000 students in the Louisville area and beyond, often presenting content that he’s written and produced himself. He’s also taught drama workshops to thousands of students of all ages; favorite topics include comedy improv and playwriting. George’s plays have been published by Playscripts, Inc. and Christian Publishers. His works have been performed by schools and theatres more than 900 times around the world, from Canada to China. George loves good stories, his wife Julie, and Chicago deep-dish pizza (not necessarily in that order). Find out why he founded an educational theatre company here, or learn more about his experience as a theatre artist when you follow this link.
Julie Halitzka | Webmaster
Julie (she/ her) is a gifted artist and educator who’s passionate about kids, the arts, and technology. She holds an M.Div. in Worship from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, an M.S. from Walden University in Early Childhood Studies, and a B.S.S. from Cornell College. In her “day job,” Julie is the Jefferson Training Coach with Child Care Aware of Kentucky. She also serves as the Director of Worship at First Baptist Church of Middletown.