New to the Philly area, Holly grew up as a DC-based musical theatre performer. She stars in many plays and musicals across the DMV, most recently as Rapunzel in Creative Cauldron’s Into the Woods Spring 2022. Some of her other favorite roles include The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at Imagination Stage, Phoebe D’ysquith in A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder (RCP), Magnolia Hawks in Showboat (Toby’s DT), and Olive Ostrovksy in 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (MCP). You can read more about her professional acting at www.hollyckelly.com 

 While pursuing her passion for theatre, she shares a passion for arts education. In addition to teaching private beginning piano lessons with Blue Feather, Holly also taught 5th/6th Grade Drama at The Flint Hill School in Vienna, VA. Additionally, Holly served as a Fairfax County Public Schools substitute teacher, exclusively with music and theatre classes across the county. Holly has been at the helm at many educational theater performances including:

Green Hedges School’s School House Rock Live! Jr.

Flint Hill School’s 10-Minute Musicals

W.T. Woodson HS Working the Musical (Virtual)

Flint Hill School’s Where the Sidewalk Ends (Virtual)

Flint Hill School’s The Phantom Tollbooth

Green Hedges School’s The Music Man Jr.

Herndon HS Summer Grand’s Beauty and the Beast

Nextstop Theater Adventures’ The Jungle Book

Nextstop Theater Adventures’ The Music Man Jr.

Oakton HS Performing Arts’ The Addams Family

Oakton HS Performing Arts’ Merrily We Roll Along

Oakton HS Performing Arts’ Catch Me If You Can

Oakton HS Performing Arts’ Titanic

Oakton HS Performing Arts’ Les Miserables

Oakton HS Performing Arts’ The Phantom of the Opera

Holly proudly holds a B.A. with Honors in Vocal Performance and Theatre Arts from Dickinson College, and received voice, acting, dance, directing, and composition training from some of Broadways’ best through the National Music Theatre Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. She also recently completed the Overtures Institute, a Musical Theatre intensive at the Tony-Award Winning Signature Theatre in Shirlington, VA, where she was awarded the Andrew A. Isen Prize for Excellence in Musical Theater.

Rich has had a passion for music since he was a young child, singing far too loudly and proudly in church attracting the attention of choir directors who immediately had him singing in choirs around the Philadelphia Area, including the Archdiocese Boy Choir of Philadelphia. It was in this choir, directed by Mr. Tom Windfelder, that his love and appreciation for music blossomed, and where he performed in his first musical.  Musical theater soon became Rich’s primary avocation performing, directing and designing throughout high school and college all the while studying to be a Water Resources Engineer.

Rich is now a Professional Engineer, designing dams, ponds, wetlands, and streams throughout the Mid-Atlantic. He is actively involved in the DC area theater community, directing, performing and designing at such theaters as Reston Community Players, The Arlington Players, Nextstop Theatre and Monumental Theatre Company.

Rich also directed TAP’s WATCH award-winning production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, including “Best Musical”, “Best Ensemble,” and “Best Director.”

Rich believes that a strong and early music education was essential in his development into a well rounded person, and frankly, a more creative engineer. There are direct connections between the creative problem solving involved in musical theater, and his day job as engineer. 

He strongly believes that a music education is not simply for those wishing to pursue a career in performing.  Music education should be a fun, safe and positive experience to learn music, explore creativity and reach your highest potential.

Rich is a graduate of the University of Virginia, where he studied Civil Engineering. Wahoowa!