corey bradberry (he/him) is a Texas-born, Atlanta-reared, Chicago-based director, producer, writer, and performer. He is a Kennedy Center National Directing Fellow, and a grant recipient from Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), the Illinois Arts Council, IDEA Capital, the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, the University of Southern Mississippi, and the City of Atlanta’s Office of Cultural Affairs.
Prior to his graduate directing studies at University of Southern Mississippi, Corey was the Executive Director of Atlanta’s The Collective Project Inc., which created original theatre work for the Atlanta community, by Atlanta artists; centered out of the then-blossoming Goat Farm Arts Center, where he created original theatre for thousands of new audience members, including theatre installations for Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore and Scoutmob’s legendary thousand-person Halloween parties. For his time spent developing new local work, Corey was awarded the City of Atlanta’s Emerging Artist Award for Theatre.
In Chicago, Corey pioneered local outdoor drama with Oil Lamp’s award-winning production of Donald Marguiles’ SHIPWRECKED! AN ENTERTAINMENT, and was the Production Manager for A Red Orchid Theatre’s Jeff award-winning production of Jen Moore’s THE MOORS, which was the first professional production to mount in the post-COVID Chicago theatre scene.
Corey is also an active director, teacher, writer, and performer in Chicago’s sketch comedy scene; where he directs and teaches with The Second City. Through its Training Center, Corey is a rare comedian who has reached scores of students instructing through its Conservatory/Grad Revue, Writing, Improvisation, and Acting programs.
From 2019-2024, Corey was the Producing Artistic Director with startup A Theater in the Dark, which produced in-the-dark theatre experiences as well as online audio plays, reaching listeners in 23 countries and over 40 U.S. states. Corey pioneered innovative production methods during the COVID-era and received recognition from the City of Chicago and the Illinois Arts Council for his contribution to post-COVID theatre making.
Corey has Assistant Directing major projects with Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre, Theatrical Outfit, and the Kennedy Center MFA Playwrights Workshop.
Teaching Positions: The Second City Training Center, Kennesaw State University, University of Southern Mississippi, the Alliance Theatre, Stagedoor Manor, the Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre, and Atlanta Children's Theatre.
Associate Member of the Stage Directors & Choreographers Society (SDC)
Education
Master of Fine Arts, Directing (Theatre)--University of Southern Mississippi
Bachelor of Arts, Theatre & Performance Studies (Performance Concentration)--Kennesaw State University
Additional Training
Second City Training Center (Chicago), Alliance Theatre, Kennedy Center M.F.A. Playwright's Workshop, Kennedy Center Summer Directing Intensive, Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival National Festival, Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre.
Setting up the shot with Director of Photography Blake Studwell (Right) on short film Honor the Governor’s Honor
Yup, that’s me on the table, lying on a bed of glass, having a cinder block smashed on my stomach by a sledgehammer.
“Still Waitin’ on That Train”: singing the blues as “Johnny Rash” at The Annoyance
”Women and children first”: the last surviving husband aboard the Titanic, in a sketch by Kim Florian (standing).