SHORT BIOGRAPHY

— Nearly 20 years as an independent arts and entertainment (especially film and theater!) publicist — 25 years in the media industry with the early years being spent as an arts and entertainment journalist: editor, critic, and feature writer

— Current clients include: Dallas VideoFest; Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas DFW; Lone Star Film Festival (Fort Worth); Black & Gold Films; Class Clown Pictures; Ricki Derek’s Annual Christmas Show

Key to Success: As a former journalist, I know what people in the media are looking for in the stories they are assigned to cover.

CORE PROFICIENCIES Media Relations

Media Roundtables Master

Theatrical, Film and Arts Festivals PR

Editor

Brainstorming

Event PR

Historic Researcher

Strategic Social Media Relations Coordinator

Non-Profit and Philanthropy PR

Publicity Stunts

Publicity for Celebrities and Newcomers Alike

Red Carpet Coordination

Community Relations

Kelly J. Kitchens

 

 

 

   

   

   

607  Goodwin  Drive  Richardson,  Texas  7081  

   

214-684-1378      

kelly@kellykitchenspr.com      

http://www.kellykitchenspr.com      

 

RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE MEDIA RELATIONS/PUBLICITY – April 1995 – Present The elevator speech of my job description: I’m the liaison between my clients and journalists of all sorts: traditional media and new media alike.

THEATER and LIVE PERFORMANCE PUBLICITY I have worked on many shows over the last 20 years with various theater companies/comedy troupes/performers in Dallas:

! Kitchen Dog Theater ! WingSpan Theatre ! New York Dinner Theater ! 4 Out of 5 Doctors ! Upstaged Comedy House ! Stone Street Theater ! WaterTower Theatre ! Numbsville Productions:

o Night OH! Cabaret o Ricki Derek Big Band Christmas and Sinatra Shows

! The Brehms Band ! The Cary Richards Big Band ! Denise Lee

FESTIVAL PUBLICITY As the Director of Press & Publicity for countless Festivals in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, my job has been to work with theater companies, filmmakers and artists to get coverage for as many as I could.

! Festival of Independent Theatres – 9-13 theater companies – 1999-2001 ! Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival – 225 artists – 2000-2001 ! The 500 Inc.’s ArtFest – 170 artists – 1999-2002 ! Dallas International Film Festival – 1-180 filmmakers – 2005, 2007-2014 ! Dallas VideoFest – 130 filmmakers – 1998-2000, 2012-2014 ! Lone Star Film Festival – 60 filmmakers – 2013-2014

 

CELEBRITY and RED CARPET PUBLICITY Dealing with celebrities and their people take a special touch. I’ve worked with many different people over the years:

! Carol Channing – Broadway Series ! Martin Mull – Dallas VideoFest ! Paul Reubens – Dallas VideoFest ! George Schlatter – Dallas VideoFest ! Harry Shearer – Dallas VideoFest ! Mickey Rooney – Dallas International Film Festival ! Cecilia Peck – Dallas International Film Festival ! Laura Linney – Dallas International Film Festival ! Gabourey Sidibe – Dallas International Film Festival ! Mary Elizabeth Winstead – Dallas International Film Festival ! William Friedkin – Dallas International Film Festival ! Sherry Lansing – Dallas International Film Festival ! Glenn Morshower – Dallas International Film Festival ! Angie Bolling – Dallas International Film Festival ! Peter Weller – Dallas International Film Festival ! Larry Hagman – Dallas International Film Festival ! Peter Fonda – Dallas International Film Festival ! Lyle Lovett – Lone Star Film Festival ! Edie Adams – Dallas VideoFest ! Stephen Tobolowsky – Angelika Film Center ! Nick Frost & Simon Pegg – Alamo Drafthouse ! Debbie Reynolds – Women in Film.Dallas ! Erin Moran & Eddie Mecca – Class Clown Pictures ! Stephen Root – Dallas International Film Festival

 

HISTORIC RESEARCH, EVENTS & PUBLICITY My personal love of 20th Century history led me to many historical projects over the years.

! Inwood Theater’s 50th Anniversary Celebration – 1997 ! Lakewood Theater’s 60th Anniversary Celebration – 1998 ! Denver’s Mayan & Esquire Theaters’ 75th Anniversary Celebration – 2005 ! BEFORE THE CURTAIN RISES – Interstate Theater Chain documentary ! Texas Theater’s 85th Anniversary Celebration - 2006

EDITOR/JOURNALIST/CRITIC

PUBLICATIONS

The Met

North Texas

December 1993 – April 1995

Editor – Film and Calendar, Writer – Arts, Theater, Music

Arts and entertainment weekly guide of North Texas from 1994-2000

I was one of the founding editors for this arts and entertainment weekly magazine in Dallas. Anyone with anything entertainment-wise in North Texas had to go through me to get in the paper.  

The Student Voice

Denton and Dallas, TX

1992-1993

Bi-weekly student rag that started at SMU and expanded to UNT at which time, I became the arts/music/theater writer in 1992. The Student Voice became The Met in April 1994 where I was the first editor hired by the publisher.  

 

EDUCATION

1986-1991

University of North Texas, Denton, Texas

Bachelor of Arts – Journalism and English 1989

The American College of Switzerland, Leysin, Switzerland Capstone Seminar Course for Classic Learning Core – Honors Program

MEMBERSHIP AND VOLUNTEER WORK

Volunteering puts life in perspective in so many ways. I think volunteering on a regular basis is so important for full life satisfaction.

Springcreek Church – publicist

Women in Film. Dallas – member; past board member; publicist

Dallas Producers Association – member; publicist

Good Samaritans – food pantry volunteer

Press Club of Dallas – member

Dallas Classic Film Club – member

International Leadership of Texas High School – PTO member