Kelly Carpenter
was born and raised in Washington, DC. From a very early age it was apparent that the stage was where Kelly belonged.
Acting in school plays and taking Drama lessons at the local YMCA the deal was sealed. At the age of 10 she began
her professional singing, dancing and acting career when she performed in Dennis the Menace at Maryland’s Olney
Theatre. Roles in Gypsy (National tour), and Meet Me in St. Louis (Norwegian Cruise Line) followed.
She spent her teen years performing in the Washington, DC area with groups such as The Kennedy Center’s Traveling
Young Players and the Young Americans of Washington. She played Alice in Alice in Wonderland, the Snake in One Bad
Apple, Anita in West Side Story, and Val in A Chorus Line. Studying voice with Richard Hartzell, she also attained
state recognition by winning first place in the Maryland State Music Teacher’s Association (MSMTA) competition in
both classical and popular voice numerous times.
While at college in Ohio, Kelly continued studying voice, dance and acting. She played BeeBee in subUrbia and
sang in Culinary Cabaret.
After moving to New York City in late 2000, she played in various shows and tours in and around the NYC area.
She also appeared with Galveston Island Outdoor Musicals in My Way: A Tribute to Frank Sinatra.
Immediately following, she spent four years traveling the world working for Celebrity and Holland America
Cruise Lines as lead singer in their Las Vegas and Broadway style production shows.
Returning full-time to New York City in early 2006, she joined "Soul Be It," a 13-piece funk and soul band that
plays the songs of Tower of Power, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chicago, and many more. Joining
the band forced her to leave her comfort zone, she met the challenge of performing new vocal stylings and
performance techniques in Long Island, Manhattan and Atlantic City. In the summer she returned to Washington,
DC to reprise the role of Val in A Chorus Line. This performance provided the rare opportunity of joining
ninety percent of the original cast nearly ten years later.
In the spring of 2007 she traveled to Louisville, KY to portray Janis Joplin in Beehive: The 60s Musical.
She performed at Radio City Music Hall in their 2007 Christmas Spectacular (the 75th Anniversary) as part
of a new singing ensemble and as Mrs. Claus.
In 2008 Kelly traveled to Pennsylvania to work at Allenberry Playhouse for their season and had the honor
of playing Sylvia in All Shook Up, Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing..., Muzzy in
Thoroughly Modern Millie,
and Patsy in Always…Patsy Cline. Immediately following the season she traveled back to NYC to start her
second year at Radio City Music Hall as Mrs. Claus!
In 2009 Kelly became a member of Actor’s Equity and jumped back in with both feet to “Soul Be It.”
She also returned to Radio City for a third year while simultaneously joining “The Jumpers Orchestra,”
a 50’s style Vegas Swing Band.
Now, in 2010 she is about to head to Phoenix, Arizona to reprise the role of Patsy in Always…Patsy Cline at
The Phoenix Theatre in downtown Phoenix.
In her free time she enjoys vacationing in the mountains of North Carolina with her English Mastiffs and SCUBA
diving anywhere she can.
