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.
Cristina DelVescovo | Teaching Artist
Cristina Delvescovo (she/ her) has been an instructor, choreographer, stage manager, and costume designer in Louisville since 2021. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Family and Child Sciences from Florida State University and has been involved in a number of youth shows including Big Bad, Hoka Poka, Annie, It’s Possible, Amazing Grace, and most recently The Outsiders at Grace James Academy of Excellence. She has a passion for musical theater and empowering young people to use the arts as a way to express themselves. When she is not working within the arts, Cristina loves gardening, spending time with her family and dogs, and playing video games! She is beyond excited to be working with Drama by George as a teaching artist this year, continuing to impact local youth in a positive light and bring a love of the arts to a younger generation.
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.
Peyton Robbins | Teaching Artist
Peyton (they/ them) graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 2024 as an actor majoring in Theatre Performance and Theatre for Youth and Communities. They came to Louisville to work as an intern with Kentucky Shakespeare and decided to stay after falling in love with the city. They’ve always had a passion for education and theatre. Now, Peyton is excited to have the opportunity to combine those two things!