Melissa Owens Kaley
Melissa Owens Kaley is an internationally active theatre scholar and Chair of Theatre & Dance at Converse University. Now in her ninth year as Chair, she guides the curriculum for the Theatre and Musical Theatre programs and teaches performance studio, costume design, and global travel-study courses.
Her creative scholarship focuses on interdisciplinary collaboration, inclusive pedagogy, and the psychophysical Michael Chekhov technique. This commitment to academic innovation recently culminated in securing a prestigious 2026 NEH Visiting Scholars Program Grant for her co-taught course, ‘Philosophy & Theatre in Dungeons & Dragons’, bringing world-class industry designers into direct dialogue with Converse undergraduates.
Scholarly & Research Activity
Professor Owens Kaley has worked professionally for over 35 years as a theatre actor, educator, director, and designer. A proud member of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), her representative career acting roles include Elizabeth in The Crucible, Lina Lamont in Singin’ in the Rain, and Marguerite in The Scarlet Pimpernel at Virginia’s historic Barter Theatre, where she spent five years as a resident company member. As Converse’s resident Costume Designer, she has designed or built the costumes for over 65 mainstage productions, treating the stage as an essential creative laboratory for hands-on student mentoring.
An award-winning teacher, Professor Owens Kaley received the 2021 Cato Award for Faculty Excellence from Converse University and the Phi Kappa Phi “Love of Learning” National Award for post-baccalaureate research. Her teaching and creative direction have also been recognized with two Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) Awards for Excellence in Directing and Excellence in Playwriting for her original adaptation of Lady Gregory’s The Dragon. Her Theatre Converse directing credits focus on rich storytelling and creative casting, including The Tempest, Cats, Dancing at Lughnasa, and a progressive, all-female staging of the musical 1776.
Dedicated to developing the individual artist’s voice while joyfully collaborating in a supportive, inclusive creative ensemble, Professor Owens Kaley is a national leader in the Michael Chekhov Acting technique. She serves as the President of the Board and a Lead Teacher for the Great Lakes Michael Chekhov Consortium (GLMCC). She maintains active research ties with the Michael Chekhov Association (MICHA) and global training networks—highlighted by her appointment as a Visiting Teaching Scholar and Artist in Residence at the University of Glasgow, Scotland—and regularly presents masterclasses at major national conferences including ATHE and SETC.
“I invite you to be eternally curious about the interconnections of our bodies and our imaginations, and how our ability to recognize and manipulate these circumstances can have a profound effect on our abilities as actors to transform ourselves, our characters, and our audiences.” — Professor Melissa Owens Kaley