FRANCIS KELLY began his acting career at the age of 5, when his excellent reading skills garnered him the coveted role of “the Ringmaster” in his kindergarten class’s circus play.  He grew up performing in school and community theatre productions in the New Jersey suburbs of New York City, and while in college, he began his professional career doing a summer of stock theatre at the New London Barn Playhouse.

His New York credits include the NYMF Production of Smoking Bloomberg at the Theatre at St. Clement’s, where he portrayed “the Honorable Michael Bloomberg” (as well as various other characters), Triumph of Love: In Concert at Lincoln Center, Minnie’s Boys at Jewish Repertory Theatre, and the Drama Desk nominated New York premiere of George Orwell’s Animal Farm at the Connelly Theater.  Last summer, he played the role of “Pompey” in the Hipgnosis Theatre Company’s inaugural production of Measure for Measure at The Clemente Solo Velez Cultural Center.  Most recently, he appeared as “Jesus” in The Greatest Holiday Musical. . . EVER!, an evening of original holiday music, presented by Lively Arts Productions at Don’t Tell Mama.

Francis has worked with various regional theaters including Mill Mountain Playhouse in Virginia, The Fulton Opera House in Pennsylvania and the Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, New York.  He appeared in Smokey Joe’s Café at the Westchester Broadway Theatre, and in Forever Plaid at both Greenbrier Valley Theatre and the Idaho Shakespeare Festival.

As a company member of the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, he appeared as “Jack” in their record breaking runs of A Child’s Christmas in Wales, and as “the White Rabbit” and “the Dormouse” in their world premiere of Wonderland, Brian B. Crowe’s psychological investigation of Lewis Carroll and his stories.  He has also worked extensively with Inside Broadway on their educational programs, including their presentations of Kiss Me, Kate, Smokey Joe’s Café, All Kinds of People, and Irving Berlin’s Land That I Love, which toured to schools throughout the boroughs of New York City as part of the New York Times’ World Trade Center relief efforts.

With Wanderlust Theatre Company, he has had the unique experience of performing in numerous cities in Central America.  He appeared in Too Darn Hot:  A Cole Porter Revue in Suchitoto, El Salvador, Love Walked In: A Gershwin Celebration at El Instituto Guatemalteco Americano in Guatemala City, and JAZZ - Sweet and Hot! presented for The International Paiz Festival of Culture in Antigua, Guatemala.

Francis is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame.