Ron Kellum

Ron Kellum is an American performer, producer, director, and choreographer born Ronald Dexter Kellum on February 1, 1965, in Amarillo, Texas. He grew up in Denver, Colorado, where he began performing in theater at age 12. His parents, Willie Kellum and Mary Kellum (née Osby), were business owners who also provided him with a foundation in spirituality through the church. Kellum graduated from Manual High School in Denver in 1983.

Kellum built his early career on the Broadway stage, appearing in productions between 1993 and 1999. In 1994, he joined the original revival cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Minskoff Theatre. He was also cast in the Broadway production of Chicago in 1998, and his Broadway credits further include Fosse and Dreamgirls. That same year, he took on the roles of Sergeant Fogarty and The Doctor in the first national tour of Chicago, a run that continued through 2000. Beyond Broadway, Kellum appeared in Fame in 1994 and Beauty and the Beast at the Shubert Theater in Los Angeles in 1996, as well as productions of Smokey Joe's Cafe, Hello, Dolly!, and The Wiz in 2006.

Kellum transitioned into directing and choreography in 2005, when he helmed a production of Once on This Island at Fullerton Civic Light Opera in Fullerton, California. In 2008, he directed and choreographed Dreamgirls at the San Diego Musical Theatre, a production that received the Outstanding Resident Musical award at the Seventh Annual Craig Noel Awards for Theatrical Excellence. That same year, he directed and choreographed Five Guys Named Moe starring Leslie Odom Jr., and returned to that production in 2011 at the Red Mountain Theatre Company in Birmingham, Alabama. Kellum directed Rent in 2010 at Lewis Family Playhouse in Rancho Cucamonga, California, and again in 2012 at the San Diego Musical Theatre. He directed Chicago at Oklahoma University and the San Diego Musical Theatre in 2012, and at the Sacramento Music Circus in 2013. Also in 2013, he directed The Wedding Singer at the Red Mountain Theatre in Birmingham and A Chorus Line at both the San Diego Musical Theatre and Rancho Cucamonga Performing Arts. In 2012, he co-directed and choreographed The Color Purple at the Red Mountain Theatre Company. In 2017, Kellum directed Jesus Christ Superstar at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora, Illinois, with the production running from April 19 through May 28 and featuring an all-Black cast.

In 2010, Kellum served as choreographer for the motion picture Iron Man 2, choreographing the scene featuring the Ironette Dancers in the film starring Robert Downey Jr. He has also served as co-producer and co-director of the NFL Pro Bowl Halftime Show in Hawaii and Orlando, and as co-executive director for the NFL Pro Bowl Cheerleaders from 2000 through 2020. He additionally co-produced the NFL United Way Thanksgiving Day Halftime Show.

In 2015, Kellum became the first African American artistic director for Cirque du Soleil. He served as artistic director for Koozå from 2015 through 2016 and for Volta from 2018 through 2020, with the latter production ending early due to cancellations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2010, Kellum appeared on season 17 of the CBS reality competition The Amazing Race alongside his best friend Tony Stovall. Despite securing seats on the first flight to London, the pair became lost while attempting to locate Stonehenge and were the first team eliminated from the competition. Kellum resides in Los Angeles.