Jelani Kee
(Crooks)
Jelani is excited to making his professional Portland debut telling this classic story. A graduate of Central Washington University, Jelani has a BFA in Musical Theater and Minors in Dance and Dance Performance.
Originally hailing from Vancouver, WA, Jelani got his theater career started in the Seattle area working at various venues like ArtsWest, Village Theater, and 5th Avenue Theater. Some of his favorite past performances include “Hair”, “In The Heights”, “You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown”, “Dreamgirls”, and “The Wiz”.
Jelani is also a proud member of the local drag community. Throughout the year you can see him as Ash Reigns Mercury. Not only does he entertain but he uses his dress to give back. As a former Imperial Prince of the ISCRE and current Mr. Gay Vancouver, Jelani works closely with the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Raintree Empire to raise money for queer organization.
Theater has always been a great escape, but it has also brought community. Jelani is thrilled to be joining the Portland Theatre Community, and he is extremely excited to join Life In Arts Productions as they continue their fairly new journey in creating safe spaces for a wide variety of creation and storytelling.
“I want God, I want poetry,
— Aldous Huxley
I want danger, I want freedom,
I want goodness, I want sin.”
LIFE IN ARTS PRODUCTIONS 