Eli is a Director and Choreographer who enjoys both plays and musicals. Originally from Hartwell, Georgia, Eli’s love for theatre began when he was in Fairytale Courtroom at his local community theatre. He went on to perform in several shows, with his most memorable being Lumiere in Beauty in the Beast, because he got to play the singing and dancing candlestick again ten years later at Auburn Area Community Theatre.

Eli studied at LaGrange College, where he earned a BA in Musical Theatre Performance. Not only did he have several performance opportunities, Eli also had his directorial debut with The American Century by Murphy Guyer while at LaGrange. After college, Eli earned a spot as the Associate Props Master at Memphis’ Playhouse on the Square. He provided props for several shows, and he won two regional theatre awards for his work on Memphis, the Musical and The Book of Will. Eli loves all aspects of theatre and feels lucky to have worked in both performance and properties management/design, but the itch to direct is ever-present.

Before moving to NYC, Eli calls Auburn, Alabama “home.” His direction career blossomed here with opportunities to teach theatre and direct shows in the local middle school and community theaters. Eli has directed several productions for the after-school drama club, including The Little Mermaid, Jr., which he earned the rights for through the Disney on Broadway Program of Excellence award thanks to Disney Theatrical Group, the Educational Theatre Association, and Music Theatre International. At Opelika Community Theatre, Eli served as the assistant director/choreographer for RENT in May 2025, and he also performed as Mark Cohen (top photo). At Auburn Area Community Theatre, Eli co-directed Almost, Maine and is currently directing and choreographing Company, which premieres on July 18, 2025.