Thunderchat with Heather Kelley

Thunder River Theatre Company

presents

Thunderchat

with

Heather Kelley

Join us for Thunderchat with Dr. Heather Kelley, moderated by Hattie Rensberry. Scholar, artist, educator, and theatre-maker, Heather explores the fascinating intersection of theatre, spirituality, and the supernatural. Heather brings a wealth of performance experience and academic expertise to her research into theatre ghostlore and haunted stages. From reported hauntings in historic American theatres to the ghosts that linger in our collective imagination, this conversation promises to explore the spooky, surprising, and sometimes unexplainable side of the theatrical world. Don’t miss this intriguing evening of theatre, storytelling, and things that go bump in the night.

Sunday, November 22

6:00 pm 

Dr. Heather Kelley (she/her) is a scholartist and adjunct faculty member at the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Northern Colorado. She holds an M.F.A. in Acting from Florida State University/Asolo Conservatory and a Ph.D. in Theatre & Performance Studies from CU Boulder. Prior to moving to Colorado, Heather taught acting at Kean University in New Jersey, where she also served as the Director of Audience Services for Premiere Stages, the Equity theatre in residence at Kean. She is a former company member of the New York Neo-Futurists and Mad Dog Theatre Company and performed for many seasons with South Brooklyn Shakespeare Company in New York. Heather’s current research focuses on intersections between theatre and spirituality, with a focus on theatre ghostlore and depictions of the supernatural on stage and on screen. Her dissertation, “Spectating Spirits: Three American Theatres and Their Ghosts,” examined the reported hauntings of the Alley Theatre (Houston, TX), Eugene O’Neill Theater Center (Waterford, CT), and Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré (New Orleans, LA).

Recent Creative Activity

• Daisy Violet the Bitch Beast King at Feather Fall Theatre Company (Dramaturg)
• Let the Right One In at CU Boulder (Director)
• Celebration, Florida at Square Product Theatre (Actor)

Recent Publications

• “On Welcoming Ghosts Into Your Classroom.” Theatre History Studies 46 (forthcoming).
• “Cryonics and Zombie Bar Crawls: Performing Colorado’s Frozen Dead Guy Days.” Theatre Annual 79 (forthcoming).
• “Hope Springs Eternal: Performing Grief, History, and Resilience in Boulder’s Columbia Cemetery.” Performance, Religion & Spirituality 7, no. 1 (2026).