Kelli Morgan McHugh is a gender affirming voice educator and teaching artist specializing in music theatre and opera/music theatre crossover. Kelli graduated from Berry College with a degree in Music Education and Theatre before earning her master’s in Vocal Performance from Northwestern University, where she worked with world-famous baritone Sherrill Milnes. Performance credits include: Persuasion (Elizabeth Elliot) and The Sound of Music (Elsa) at Chicago Chamber Opera, Sugar (Dolores) and Boys from Syracuse (Seeress) at Drury Lane Oakbrook; Aladdin at Marriott Lincolnshire; It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (Doris Walker), Knute Rockne, All-American (Margaurete - world premiere), La Cage aux Folles (Angelique), Scrooge (Mary), and Hello Dolly! at Theatre at the Centre; Jerry Springer, the Opera (Andrea) at Bailiwick Repertory Theatre; Three Musketeers and Seussical at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre; Frogs at Pegasus Players; Snow White (Snow White), and Seussical (Mayzie la Bird) at Emerald City Theatre; and Fiorello! at Timeline Theatre Company. An alumna and former faculty member of Sherrill Milnes’ V.O.I.C.E.xperience program, Kelli was invited to perform in masterclasses with notable figures including Tony Randall, Samuel Ramey, Tito Cappobianco, and Fabrizio Milano. Kelli’s proudest professional experience is performing with the USO touring group OnStage, with whom she completed two tours entertaining United States troops stationed in Egypt, Turkey, Italy, France, and Spain. Kelli’s research, study, and training of gender affirming voice is ongoing, in a pursuit to create a safe space for artists to cultivate their authentic voice.
Education
MM, Voice and Opera Performance, Northwestern University
BA, Music Education and Theatre, Berry College
Courses
Theatre 350: Intermediate Voice
Theatre 351: Advanced Voice
Theatre 151: Class Voice for Music Theatre
Theatre 250: Specialty Topics in Music Theatre: Queer Singing: TTNB Vocal Pedagogy