Life & Work with Emily Shackelford of Kansas City

Photo by Vaughan Harrison

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Shackelford

Hi Emily, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am a theater director, choreographer, performer and artist, currently serving as Artistic Associate with Music Theater Heritage. I’ve always been drawn to theater arts, because I love the conversation that happens between audience and art, when it is live and in the moment. I started my relationship with the Kansas City theater scene in 2009. I had just graduated from Stephens College in Columbia, MO, with a BFA in Theater Arts. My first professional acting job was at Music Theater Heritage, in the ensemble of their production of “Kiss Me Kate”, early in 2010. I began working steadily as an actor/singer/dancer at the many local theaters here in KC at the time; The Kansas City Repertory Theater, The Coterie, Unicorn, The Heartland Theater, Starlight, The Living Room, and of course, Music Theater Heritage. I’ve lived and worked as a theater artist in other cities as the years went on, but I have always had a soft spot for Kansas City. I’ve loved the years I have spent here, with this community that has always supported and inspired my growth as an artist. When Music Theater Heritage invited me to be apart of the team full time, as their Artistic Associate, I of course jumped at the chance. It’s an honor to have joined this company, that emboldens and celebrates Kansas City artists, and keeps theater and music alive and fresh and accessible in KC.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Taking on this role of Artistic Associate at Music Theater Heritage has been an exciting challenge for me! We produce six main stage theater productions a year, in addition to our Ruby Room Series and our Annual Gala Event: Bubbles and Broadway. I’ve been handling casting and artistic staffing for these main stage productions, as well as directing a couple shows each year. Switching from performing to producing and directing has expanded my perspective, and has confirmed a new passion for me: directing. I fall more in love with collaborative art with every production I direct.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Thanks to MTH, most of my artistic work in the last few years has been directing. I directed our main stage productions of “Gypsy” (2023), “It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” (2023), “Godspell” (2024), “A Spectacular Christmas” (2022), as well as the entertainment at our annual gala each year. I’m currently directing this years production “It’s a Wonderful Life…”, and coming up next, I’m directing the first show of our very exciting 2025 Season, “Little Women: The Musical” (2025). I love directing at MTH because we really foster creativity. We strive to innovate the most iconic musicals in our intimate theater spaces.

While I have worked most of my career primarily as a performer and theater maker, I have other artistic avenues outside of theater, and they definitely enhance my work as a director. I am a visual artist; I specialize in acrylic paintings. Most of my recent works involve a theme of water distortion. I love the opportunities for storytelling within these paintings. Another artistic avenue for me, is writing and producing original music. These outlets, solo and collaborative, creating paintings and making music, are impacting my development as a storyteller and theater director. What I am most proud of as an artist is my curiosity, and my bravery to believe in my ideas and follow them to fruition. That second thing used to be really hard for me.

You can see my visual artwork at emilyareti.com and you can hear my music under the artist name Areti. You can see the biggest art of all the art I help make, (biggest because it involves the most people to bring it to life!) at Music Theater Heritage. Come see “It’s A Wonderful Life” this holiday season, and then come back in February for “Little Women: The Musical”.

How do you think about luck?
I’m sure luck has played all the roles. I’m lucky I crossed paths with every artist I’ve ever known, and still know, and have had the privilege to work with, learn from, and be influenced by! And how lucky for me, to have my artistic home once again here in Kansas City, at Music Theater Heritage. I feel quite lucky and grateful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mthkc.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mththeater/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MTHTheater/
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/emilyareti/

“It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” at MTH (Photo by Cory Weaver)

“Porgy and Bess” at MTH (Photo by Cory Weaver)

“A Chorus Line” at MTH (Photo by Cory Weaver)

“Bubbles and Broadway” at MTH (Photo by Cory Weaver)

“Gypsy” at MTH (Photo by Cory Weaver)

“Godspell” at MTH (Photo by Cory Weaver)