Arts After 5 executive director to return to the theater

Ke’Lee Pernell’s life always has revolved around performing arts.

She grew up singing and acting in her church’s choirs and plays in Ohio. She participated in every theater and choir performance she could at school. 

She pursued music in college at Wright State University in Ohio and started a thriving career in performing arts. 

To give back to her community, she became the executive director of Arts After 5, a theater program established in 2015 in response to community residents wanting to see the expansion of after-school activities for children living in east Winter Garden. 

But all her involvement in the performing arts in the Orlando theater community came to a halt Dec. 27, when she passed out walking down the aisle at her best friend’s wedding. 

At 44 years old, Pernell suffered a brain aneurysm and stroke and now is focused on making her return to the theater as Arts After 5 conducts auditions Thursday, June 5 and Thursday, June 12, to bring “Moana Jr.” to the stage on Aug. 2. 

A brief intermission

The hustle and bustle of the holidays was not slowing Pernell down last year. 

She constantly was on the go doing holiday shows, traveling and had to go to Ohio for her friend’s bachelorette and bridal shower in the weeks leading up to Christmas. 

Pernell said she attributed the migraine she had for three weeks to the stress of her busy life. 

She thought she just needed to make it to the week after Christmas, when she would be in Ohio celebrating her best friend at her wedding. 

Courtesy photo

But on Dec. 27, she not only had a headache but also neck pain and other symptoms. Pernell decided to power through it. 

Walking down the aisle as the maid of honor, Pernell passed out. 

When she regained consciousness, Pernell said she needed to go back to the hotel and rest, but her friend’s mother was adamant about her going to the hospital. 

Reluctantly, Pernell went to Ohio State University Hospital.

Pernell learned there was some bleeding on her brain. She was told she had a brain aneurysm that ruptured, and she needed emergency surgery. 

“I remember saying when they were putting me under for surgery, ‘I’m supposed to be going home in the morning. I have a 14-year-old son. I need to live. I need to live. I need to get back home to him. I’m a single mom. I’m not prepared,’” she said. “There’s nothing that can prepare you, but I didn’t even have time to process it. They were putting the mask on and saying you’re going under now. That was scary.”

After the surgery, Pernell found out she suffered a stroke. The left side of her body wasn’t functioning. Her left eye was completely shut. The left side of her mouth was drooping.

But she was alive. 

The doctors said if she hadn’t gone to the hospital and instead stayed at the hotel, she would have died. 

She was OK. Her son was OK. So her next thought was: 

What about work?

Pernell is self employed and was involved in multiple organizations. She wasn’t sure what she would do since she had to stay in the hospital for 14 to 21 days followed by rehabilitation. 

After 20 days, Pernell finally was able to return home to Florida and start outpatient rehabilitation. 

Pernell’s family, friends and people throughout the Orlando theater community who have worked with Pernell on theater productions, concerts and more came together to raise money to support Pernell in her recovery. 

“I feel very blessed to be home and by all the support I received,” she said. “I was shocked, amazed and grateful for the outpouring of love, support and donations I have received since January.”

She had a second brain surgery in March. She said the surgery and her stay in the hospital in December and January were to keep her alive, but the medical issues remained. 

“They could not promise that all this wouldn’t happen again or that I wouldn’t suffer another stroke,” Pernell said. “So I had another brain surgery.”

Pernell now is trying to wrap her head around her new normal as she continues to have mobility issues. On her good days, Pernell only uses a cane to walk, but on her rougher days, she depends on a rollator. 

But no matter what she has to do, she is determined to return to the theater.

“When I’m having a little bit more of a struggle, I’m on a rollator, but I can roll pretty fast and pretty far at this point,” Pernell said. “If that’s what I need to do, that’s what I’ll do.”

File photo

How far she'll go

Pernell went from working at five different organizations and buzzing around to different jobs every day to spending hours every day at occupational, physical, speech and pelvic therapy. 

Every new move or action Pernell is able to do since her aneurysm and stroke she sees as a win. 

Throughout the past six months music has continued to bring her joy, peace and comfort as she’s recovered. 

She had only been able to see the children from Arts After 5 through messages, so when Pernell hosted an audition workshop for the nonprofit’s upcoming production of “Moana Jr.,” Thursday, May 29, it was a tearful reunion.

“My other programs I directed like Orlando Family Stage or Theater at St. Luke’s or (Orlando) Shakes, I knew they were going to be fine, but my Arts After 5 kids, leaving them without access to me or an instructor — that hurt me more than any of the other ones,” Pernell said of having to step away to recover. “It hit a little bit closer to home.”

The children in Arts After 5 had demonstrated an interest in performing “Moana Jr.” so Pernell already knew it was going to be the musical they would perform this summer. 

With the help of a scenic designer and set builder from Theatre at St. Luke’s, a choreographer from Orlando Family Stage and others in the theater community who have stepped up to volunteer, Pernell said she’s thrilled to get started on bringing “Moana Jr.” to life. 

“I’m used to being a one-man band,” Pernell said. “There have been years that I’ve pieced things together with cardboard and tape. To have other people that we’ve forged relationships with and to see them come into fruition to help these kids is so impactful. It means so much to me. I’m a person who doesn’t ask for things, so I usually won’t ask for things for myself, but for them, I’ll ask and the answer has been, ‘Yes, yes, yes, how can I help?’ It has meant the world.”

Pernell said it means everything to her to be able to have a summer theater program for her Arts After 5 kids. 

“It’s seeing the progress from day one through the end,” she said. “Theater is not perfect. We’re not trying to make perfect performers, but we’re trying to make good humans and empower them to know their worth; empower them to know they are worthy; that they should be on stage, they can shine; and there are places and opportunities for them and people who want to offer them access to programming or activities they haven’t been able to experience before.”

Seeing her theater kids, whether they’re on stage or working backstage, develop confidence and realize their capabilities brings her joy. 

“We usually go through a journey, but by the end, the win is the smiles on each and every one of their faces when they’re taking that curtain call,” she said. 

Although it remains to be seen whether Pernell will be able to go back to all she was involved with full time before her aneurysm ruptured, she said she will never give up Arts After 5. 

“This reminds me of God’s faithfulness to me, honestly,” Pernell said. “There is a purpose, there is a reason. I didn’t have to be here, so if I’m here, then I need to fulfill whatever that purpose is, and I think a big part of that is whatever I can do in these kids’ lives.”