Reggie Kelly, award-winning choreographer, dancer and singer, has passed away. He was 62. The news was posted by friends late Sunday on social media, and confirmed by Bryan Kennard, director of the Bop Stop. Kelly was slated to perform there on Dec. 21.
鈥淗e was a consummate entertainer,鈥� Kennard said. 鈥淗e was someone who was definitely there to entertain and give life to a performance. He had a nice following.鈥�
Kennard said the December 21 date could shift to being a memorial concert.
Gabe Pollack, director of performing arts at the Cleveland Museum of Art, had been discussing a possible appearance at the museum for Kelly.
鈥淲hat stands out is that he was one of those guys who knows what he wants,鈥� Pollack said. 鈥淗e would go above and beyond to make sure his show was special. Besides being a perfectionist on the bandstand, he would bring extra lighting and rugs for the stage to set up a specific vibe for his show.鈥�
Kelly鈥檚 friend, Cleveland jazz vocalist , said she was still in shock over the loss on Tuesday morning.
"He would come around the clubs with me because he started to engage with the jazz world," she said. "He would sit in with me... we exchanged a lot of songs."
Wright was nurturing Kelly鈥檚 love of the Great American Songbook in recent years as he transitioned away from acting. The duo performed together several times. She also recalled his work with young people at summer theater workshops 鈥� something memorialized online in several social media posts.
Karamu House also remembered him in a post on Monday, writing, 鈥淲hether he was performing a Holiday concert at Bop Stop, Directing Black Nativity or Blues in the Night at Karamu, or performing in Five Guys Named Moe, he is well beloved and will be remembered and missed. We gained an ancestor.鈥�
Kelly鈥檚 career included performances with the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, Black Theatre Troupe in Phoenix, the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe in Sarasota, the Paul Robeson Theatre in Buffalo, Florida A&M and Howard University.
In 2000, he directed and starred in the well-received . Based on the fables of Harlem Renaissance folklorist Zora Neale Hurston, the production included Dennis Chandler in the role of Guitar Man.
鈥淚t was all about getting people to put their hearts and soul into it,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou could feel the love and that was what was so special about all of it.鈥�
Chandler and Kelly were interviewed by Ideastream鈥檚 Dee Perry in 2000 on 鈥淎round Noon鈥� about the play.
鈥淗e was not just a triple threat, he was a quadruple threat,鈥� Chandler said. 鈥淏eing able to dance, sing and act, that's only part of it. But he was a leader. He could bring you to a level that you had no idea that you could achieve.鈥�
Chandler鈥檚 wife, Liz, broke down when learning of Kelly鈥檚 passing, and said the couple had been planning to have him over during the holidays to see Dennis鈥� model trains. Liz recalled Kelly as a 鈥渂undle of talent.鈥�
鈥淚 watched him rehearse,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he energy, the vibes, the feng shui, the vibrations - I don't think anyone will ever be able top that.鈥�
