Kelli O'Hara

(1976 - )

Profession: Singer / Actress

Hometown: Elk City

Inducted: 2016

Kelli O’Hara in The Bridges of Madison County, 2014. Courtesy Oklahoma Hall of Fame Archives.
Kelli O’Hara in The Bridges of Madison County, 2014. Courtesy Oklahoma Hall of Fame Archives.

Kelli O'Hara is a Broadway, opera, and television star passionate about the arts who found her love for music performing in church and school. O'Hara attended Deer Creek High School and performed in the theater program. After high school, she attended Oklahoma City University, where she received her Bachelor's of Music in Vocal Performance and Opera in 1998.

Leaving Oklahoma for New York, O'Hara had her Broadway debut in the musical Jekyll and Hyde. This was the start of her long and successful career on Broadway. In 2015, she won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in The King and I. Later that year, she made her opera debut in The Merry Widow. In 2019, she received the Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theater award from the Drama League, honoring her achievements throughout her career. O'Hara also worked in television and film, and received an Emmy Award nomination for her performance in The Accidental Wolf.

Despite her award-winning career and national fame, O'Hara has never forgotten her roots. She is a prolific supporter of the arts in Oklahoma, raising funds for performing arts programs at Deer Creek High School and in Elk City, her early hometown. In 2021, she started the Kelli O'Hara Awards for high school musical theater productions to showcase the talented students of western Oklahoma.

Kelli O’Hara receiving her honorary Doctorate from Oklahoma City University in 2015. Courtesy Oklahoma Hall of Fame Archives.
Kelli O’Hara receiving her honorary Doctorate from Oklahoma City University in 2015. Courtesy Oklahoma Hall of Fame Archives.

Want to see more?

Click below to watch a clip of Kelli O'Hara's performance in The King & I.  


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