JOE ELVIS ALWAY

Playwright • Director • Choreographer • Songwriter • Educator

 

Joe Elvis Alway is a playwright, director, choreographer, songwriter, educator, and community arts advocate with more than 40 years in the performing arts and over 33 years in education. Throughout a career spanning more than 500 productions, he has worked as an actor, dancer, director, producer, choreographer, mentor, and arts educator, helping performers of all ages discover their creative voice and artistic potential.

​

His work has included professional theater, educational theater, film, television, dance, songwriting, and community arts programming. As founder of the Multicultural Arts Foundation of St. Louis, Joe remains committed to fostering creativity, cultural understanding, educational opportunity, and artistic excellence through the performing arts.

 

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• 500+ Productions

• 40+ Years in Entertainment & Performing Arts

• 33+ Years in Education

• Founder, Multicultural Arts Foundation of St. Louis

• Founder, Cultural-Cross Film Doc

• Three-Time Teacher of the Year Nominee

• Seven-Time Teacher of the Month Recipient

• Award-Winning Director, Choreographer, Playwright & Foley Artist

• Director, Choreographer, Playwright, Songwriter, Educator, Speaker, and Mentor

 

CORE SKILLS

• Leadership

• Directing

• Choreography

• Playwriting

• Songwriting

• Public Speaking

• Mentorship

• Classroom Management

• Student Engagement

• Production Management

• Fundraising

• Program Development

• Talent Development

• Visual Arts

• Film & Documentary Production

• Costuming & Set Design

• Community Outreach

• Conflict Resolution & De-escalation

• First Aid / CPR

• Bilingual: English & Spanish

• Conversational Portuguese

 

FOUNDING & LEADERSHIP

 

Founder & CEO

Multicultural Arts Foundation of St. Louis

 

Founder

Cultural-Cross Film Doc

 

Former Founder

FAMA International Artist Agency, Los Angeles

 

Founder & Choreographer

Burnin' Boots Dancers (1987–2001)

 

Independent Performing Arts Contract Educator

Director • Choreographer • Theatre Arts Educator • Workshop Presenter

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Directed, choreographed, and produced theatrical productions and educational arts programs.

• Developed theater, dance, and visual arts curricula for students of diverse backgrounds.

• Created and led summer arts camps specializing in dance, playwriting, songwriting, directing, choreography, and theater arts.

• Guided students in writing, directing, designing, and producing original theatrical works.

• Managed budgets, logistics, production schedules, stage management, costume coordination, and set construction.

• Mentored emerging artists and future arts educators.

• Collaborated with schools, theaters, nonprofit organizations, and community partners.

• Fostered parent engagement, volunteer participation, and community involvement.

• Built arts programs designed to prepare students for performing arts high schools and collegiate arts programs.

 

EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

 

Formal Training

• University of Sound & Arts – Visual Arts – Los Angeles, California

• Actors Academy – Theatre & Dramatic Arts – Los Angeles & New York

• Anne Bogart Technique – Suzuki & Viewpoints – Los Angeles, California

• Falo Cruz Academy of Arts – Musical Theatre – Fajardo, Puerto Rico

• Luis Lizardi School of Dance – International Dance – Humacao, Puerto Rico

• Performing Arts School – New York, New York

 

Specialized Training

• Theology Education (Licensed Minister)

• Business Start-Up Development

• On-Camera Acting – Richard DeLancy & Joey Paul

• Commercial Acting – Scott Wissner

• Sitcom Performance – Angela Terry

• Voice Training – Lisa Popeil

• Stage Movement & Character Development – Corky Dominquez

• Accents & Dialects – Robert Easton

• Jazz & Interpretive Dance – Jillia Jazz School of Dance

• T.E.C.R.E.O. Educational Theatre Arts

 

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

 

Education

• Teacher of the Year Nominee (3 Times)

• Teacher of the Month (7 Awards)

• Above & Beyond Teaching Award

• 17 Certificates of Merit for Teaching, Mentorship, Outreach, Directing, Choreography, and Writing

 

Directing

• Award Winner:

  • Into the Woods

  • West Side Story

  • The House of Bernarda Alba

  • Fortune and Men’s Eyes

 

Choreography

• Award Winner:

  • Hairspray

  • Annie

  • The Wiz

  • West Side Story

  • Who's Afraid of a Little Broadway (Musical Review)

 

Writing

• Drama-Logue Award

  • Courage to Love

 

Performing Arts

• Foley Artist Award

  • My Name Is Earl

• Telemundo Young Artist Award

• Luis Lizardi School of Dance

  • Top Choreographer & Dancer

• Falo Cruz Academy

  • Full Scholarship Recipient

• COPANY Theatre Education

  • Best Overall Performer & Dancer

• Dancing With the St. Louis Stars

  • Judges’ Favorite Award

  • Crowd Favorite Award

• St. Louis Star Ball

  • First Place (3 Times)

  • Second Place

  • Third Place

• Dancing in the Loop

  • Third Place

 

SELECT DIRECTING & CHOREOGRAPHY CREDITS

SIX • Sweet Charity • Sister Act • The Wiz • Seussical • Dreamgirls • Bring It On • High School Musical • Copacabana • Hairspray • Chicago • Newsies • Beetlejuice • The House of Bernarda Alba • La Barca Sin Pescador... and many others.

 

SELECT PERFORMANCE & PRODUCTION CREDITS

A Chorus Line • Evita • Into the Woods • Chicago • RENT • Singin' in the Rain • FAME • The Wiz • • Godspell • Funny Girl • AIDA • Cabaret • Jesus Christ Superstar • Gypsy • Fiddler on the Roof • Guys and Dolls • Company • Little Shop of Horrors... and many others.

 

COMMUNITY IMPACT & ADVOCACY

• Founder of Bullied NO More

• Advocate for arts education and student success

• Mentor to young artists and emerging educators

• Organized school supply drives serving hundreds of students

• Developed sponsorship programs providing holiday gifts for foster youth

• Coordinated hygiene product and backpack drives for underserved families

• Created school and community celebration programs recognizing students, staff, and caregivers

• Advocate for educational access and support for students with learning differences, including dyslexia and dyscalculia

 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS & CLIENTS

• MICDS, Ladue, MO

• Social Justice Festival, STL, MO

• Social Justice, STL, MO

• Hazelwood School District, MO

• Confluence Academies, Saint Louis, MO

• Saint Joseph’s Academy, Saint Louis, MO

• Visitation Academy, Saint Louis, MO

• Brentwood School District, MO 

• Rockwood School District, MO

• Saint Louis Fringe Festival, STL, MO

• Webster University, MO

• Simply Ballroom, Brentwood, MO

• Majestic Dance Studio, Frontenac, MO

• Next Generation Theater Company, St Louis, MO

• St Louis Figure Skating Dance Company, St Louis, MO

• California Education Theater Association

• State Annual High School Theater Festival

• California Youth Theater, Hollywood, California

• Los Angeles Youth Contemporary Theater, Los Angeles

• Community Magnet Charter School, Bellaire, California

• Musical Theater Repertory Camp, Los Angeles

• Creative City Repertoire Company, Los Angeles

• Performing Arts Camp Bellagio Road, Los Angeles

• Migrant Educational Arts Program, Los Angeles

• Blue Ribbon Art & Science Charter School, Bel-Air, CA

• Milliken Junior High School, San Fernando Valley

• Jefferson High, Los Angeles

• No Child Left Behind Program, Los Angeles

• Cal State Northridge, Northridge University of California

• Los Angeles Center Theatre Group Educational Program,  Los Angeles

• LA Jefferson Middle School, Los Angeles

• CSUN College, Northridge

• Ivar Theater, Hollywood

• Canon Theatre, Beverly Hills

• Celebration Theater, Los Angeles

• Celebration Theater, Palm Springs

• Celebration Theater, San Diego

• Shubert Theatre, Los Angeles, CA

• Side Door Theater, West Hollywood

• Highways Performance Space, Santa Monica

• Teada Theater Company, Los Angeles

• California Educational Theatre Association, CA

• High School Festivals/Conferences, CA

• Hideaways, Las Vegas

• Geriatric Senior Life, Las Vegas

• Debbie Reynolds Hotel, Las Vegas

• California Thespian Festivals

• Los Angeles Unified School District

• La Giselle Dance Academy, Santa Clarita Valley

• Performing Arts Worship Advance Project,  Hollywood, CA

• Elizabeth Sorrando Theater Arts,  Puerto Rico

• Falo Cruz Actors Academy,  Puerto Rico

• Ana Roque High School,  Puerto Rico

• COPANY THEATRE and DANCE Company, Puerto Rico

• Destiny Theater Arts, Puerto Rico

 

EDUCATIONAL CERTIFICATIONS

• Boundary Invasion (Full Course)

• Child Abuse: Mandatory Reporting (Full Course, Missouri)

• Classroom Safety (Full Course)

• Concussion Awareness: Athletics (Full Course)

• Conflict Management: Managing the Angry Parent (Full Course)

• Conflict Management: Staff-to-Staff (Full Course)

• Coronavirus 103: Managing Stress and Anxiety (Full Course)

• Coronavirus 104: Transitioning to a Remote (Full Course)

• Coronavirus 105: Cleaning and Disinfecting (Full Course)

• Coronavirus Awareness (Full Course)

• De-Escalation Strategies (Full Course)

• Diversity Awareness: Staff-to-Staff (Full Course)

• Dyslexia Awareness (U.S. National)

• Dyslexia: Orton-Gillingham Approach (U.S. National)

• Dyslexia: Identification and Assessment for Informing Instruction (U.S. National)

• Dyslexia: The Davis Method (U.S. National)

• Email and Messaging Safety (Full Course)

• FERPA: Confidentiality of Records (Full Course)

• Sensitivity Awareness (Full Course)

• Sexual Harassment: Staff-to-Staff (Full Course)

• Sexual Harassment: Student Issues & Response (Full Course)

• Sport Supervision and Safety (Full Course)

• Stress Management (Full Course)

• Student Drug & Alcohol Abuse (Full Course)

• Student Mental Health: Awareness, Intervention, and Referral (Full Course)

• Students Experiencing Homelessness: Awareness and Understanding (Full Course)

• Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Athletes (Full Course)

• Youth Suicide: Awareness, Prevention, and Postvention (Full Course)

 

REFERENCES

Available Upon Request