Kevin O’Brien (U/S Daniel “Danny” Murphy) Actor, arts administrator, director, management and actor coach, journalist and teacher, Kevin is celebrating his 50th year as a member of the Chicago arts community. He is grateful to be a company member of Shannon O’Neill’s touching May the Road Rise Up.

Beginning his career at the original Ivanhoe Theater, he made his professional debut in George Keathley’s production of The Member of the Wedding, in which the late Ethel Waters recreated her celebrated Broadway performance as Bernice Sadie Brown for the final time. ln 1976, Kevin was the child’s actor coach for Goodman Theatre’s bicentennial touring production of Ray Bradbury’s Dandelion Wine. Recently returning to his passion as an actor, Kevin portrayed the Archbishop of Canterbury and King Charles Vl of France in Kevin Theis’ production of Henry V at Oak Park Festival Theatre, where he appeared with Factory company members Matt Engle and Wm. Bullion. He also appears in independent filmmaker Mike Crame/s award-winning films Dear Mr. Fydrich and Teenage Ghost Punk. Other favorite roles include The Dauphin in The Lark, Adolphus Cusins in Major Barbara, Victor Velasco in Barefoot in the Park, and Pantelone in A Servant of Two Masters.

As the Art Institute of Chicago’s Director of Special Events from 1977-1985, Kevin was a key leader in pioneering new earned income generating programming for major “blockbuster” loan and touring exhibitions. These innovative programs dramatically altered the traditional approach to museum exhibition programming nationwide. Kevin also supervised or co-produced more than 1,000 museum events, including exhibition openings, School of the Art Institute fashion shows, and museum fundraising events, as well as concerts by Philip Glass, the Vermeer Quartet, The Fine Arts Quartet, classical guitarist Liona Boyd, and spoken word productions featuring American actors William Windom, Roscoe Lee Brown, Anthony Zerbe, and Stratford Festival of Canada star Nicholas Pennell. He has also held management/leadership positions with the Goodman Theatre, Ivanhoe Theater, Ravinia Festival, St. Nicholas Theatre Company, Oak Park Festival Theatre, ShawChicago Theater Company and Music Theater Workshop.

A highlight of his career was serving as personal assistant to the legendary Burr Tillstrom and Fran Allison during syndication video tapings of the Peabody award-winning Kukla, Fran & Ollie television show.
Currently, Kevin serves as an adjunct professor in Columbia College Chicago’s Business and Entrepreneurship Department, where he teaches Leadership, Introduction to Management and Business Writing.