Odyssey of the Stars

UM’s College of Visual and Performing Arts is proud to recognize Casey Kriley during its 18th annual scholarship event: Odyssey of the Stars – A Celebration of Artistic Journeys.

The 2018 performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 3, in the George and Jane Dennison Theatre. Odyssey of the Stars pays tribute to UM performing and visual arts alumni and tells the story of their artistic journeys. The event also showcases UM students and faculty from the Schools of Art, Media Arts, Music and Theatre & Dance.

Kriley (BFA in acting, ’93) was raised at UM. Her family moved to Missoula in 1974 after her father, James Kriley, was hired to teach in the drama department. She and her sisters, Meegan and Colleen, spent their childhoods exploring the theater school while their dad directed theatrical productions. The drama/dance faculty and staff took the girls under their wings, and at age 7 Kriley had her theatrical debut as Tiny Tim in “A Christmas Carol.”

 While Kriley attended Hellgate High School, her mother, Mary Kay Kriley, began teaching math and finance at UM, and her father became the dean of the School of Fine Arts. After high school, Kriley decided to follow her father’s career path and pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drama at UM.

During her senior year of college, Kriley took a directing class from her father and was inspired to earn a master’s degree in writing and directing from the California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles. Afterward, Kriley worked in LA as a waitress, writer and freelance assistant director and producer. In 2001, she was hired as a segment producer at a new production company called Magical Elves. Sixteen years later, Kriley is still there serving as vice president and head of current programming. 

During her tenure at the company, she has worked as a creative executive producer on shows that included “Project Runway,” “Project Greenlight,” “Top Chef,” “Top Chef Junior,” “All In With Cam Newton,” “The Real L Word,” “Cleveland Hustles” and “Time of Death.” Kriley has received an Emmy award and 13 Emmy nominations, three GLAAD nominations, six Producers Guild nominations, a Peabody Award and an IDA Documentary Award. She attributes her success to her time spent learning at UM in Montana.

Odyssey of the Stars supports the College of Visual and Performing Arts Scholarship Fund, which has funded scholarships for more than 700 students. For more information visit http://www.umt.edu/umarts/odyssey.