35 Years, 35 Faces: Kelly Ground by / Theatre Bay Area Staff

Who are you? Can you give a little bit of background about how you got to where you are today?

My name is Kelly Ground. I’m an AEA actress and singer as well as a Director and Educator. I'm also a member of SAG, AFTRA, AGVA and VASTA (Voice and Speech Trainers Association). I went to school at San Diego State where I majored in Acting and Theatre design and got my MFA (the hard way) at ACT. My thesis is somewhere in the library annals. I've worked regionally, in NYC, and overseas, but I'm really a home town gal. So I'm back home in Marin (Novato) where I grew up, and am enjoying the llamas and the farm along with doing theatre, directing and teaching. It's family that's my excuse to be here, but really... if I had anything to do with it I'd own a B& B with a fabulous garden/kitchen and an adjacent theatre. I'm currently teaching in the Theatre Department of Sonoma State University. But I have taught across the country at Cornell University and Ohio Northern University; locally at Contra Costa College, Cal State East Bay, ACT, MTC, AMTSJ; and now at a private studio up in Novato. I'm currently the chair of the Bay Area Advisory Committee of AEA and I also serve the membership of Actor’s Equity Association as a member of AEA’s National Council. I'm proud to say I'm the first councillor from the SF Bay area, but I hope not the last!

How did I get here? Practice...

What is your history with Theatre Bay Area?

I've been a member of Theatre Bay Area since...hm...a long “Callboard” time ago. I have taken spotlight seminars and taught them. I've also been on the CA$H Grant panel and assisted with the Theatre Bay Area Generals screening. I've participated in the Theatre Bay Area Generals so many times I can't remember as both a participant and a volunteer. I've also been a vendor at the Conference Expo for my teaching work. I'm sure I'm missing something but I have run the gauntlet of Theatre Bay Area in more ways than one.

You are being honored particularly for your participation in community and professional development. Please tell us about your association with that aspect of Theatre Bay Area.

Well I'm the vice chair and one of the original founding and remaining members of the Individual Services Committee (ISC) of Theatre Bay Area. The ISC has been an important step for Theatre Bay Area to hear a voice from individuals on theatre in the Bay Area, what they need to get out of Theatre Bay Area and how Theatre Bay Area can serve them.
When the discussion first began there was no forum for individual members to really participate. It was almost entirely focused around the member companies’ needs even though the individuals made up a great part of Theatre Bay Area's membership. I'm happy that Theatre Bay Area took the step to have the Town Hall forums for individuals, from which this committee was formed. As a freelancer it was so important to be able to have programs that focused on our goals and needs. I'm happy to say the ISC has come a long way. Our chair is a full member of the board, individuals can now attend the Annual Conference and, most recently, we were a huge participatory element of developing the ATLAS Grant Program. We've tried some things that have stuck, and others that perhaps weren't right, and we'll be on to new things. It's an ever-evolving process. The committee has been joined by a new batch of participants who have joined us "old timers" and who are very excited to jump in with some pretty cool energy. There are new things to explore, and some to revisit and renew. We hope in the coming months to see where we can go and serve the ever-changing status of the individuals with Theatre Bay Area.

P.S.: We welcome your participation and feedback! Rock on!

Why is theatre important? What do you think your role is keeping it a vital part of civilization? How does Theatre Bay Area help?

I'm one of those folks who always did theatre. That feeling of importance on a personal front is pretty indescribable. Theatre is so important to grow and foster communities. It's an interactive art form and has such capabilities of bringing people together, to explore and to share. But as much as I appreciate and participate in the national conversation, I truly believe we need to look in our own backyards again, and do a better job of fostering and appreciating the local artist. Not just because of the economy but globalization has practically killed our artists locally, as well as our communities’ direct connection to their local artists; we seem invisible.

My role and passion, I guess, is to assist in fostering and supporting our own artistic communities and opportunities. Most especially for women (like myself) who seem to be both the Minority Majority and Silent Majority, and more specifically with the AEA actresses here. Like much of our state infrastructure, we’ve communally allowed the foundation and the building blocks to crumble under the weight of big ideas and the glossy look outward. There are folks below that are quite valuable to invest in artistically. Time to look again in our own backyard, to look inside of the house and yard, instead of insisting we take the train to New York City. We have folks here to create the next big thing, and women in our community who need a voice that is supported and nurtured.

We have professionals, like myself, who have chosen to make homes here in the Bay Area and who may choose to work out of town from time to time. Some, again like myself, have been out there in NY, and the U.S. and simply love it here in the Bay Area. Others don't wish to leave, why should they? This doesn't make us lesser artists, but we seem to be undervalued and hidden from the public and that's where Theatre Bay Area assists with their programming. I'm hopeful that the next conference can take that risk and focus on women in theatre to bring that dialog out into the forefront.

Theatre Bay Area serves all of us in that way with the Individual Service Committee (ISC), and it's primed to do more; it looks to see where the holes are and looks to fill them. Theatre Bay Area promotes a theatre community and those community relationships.

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