Welcome to KayRod Productions

In 2005, Performer Playwright, Rodney James and Kay Ellison-James founded KayRod Productions to tell the stories of their extraordinary/ordinary families and friends on the stage.  Rodney James began writing a story about his experiences in the R&B music industry, as way to promote his singing group, The Best Intentions. He and Kay used their own funding to stage KayRod’s 1^st theatrical production, “Diva on Tour”. With the success of that effort, the company has produced other original plays with local Bay Area actors and directors such as Achebe Hoskins. “Diva on Tour” was staged at Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts, Oakland, African American Art & Culture Complex, the Buriel Clay Theatre in San Francisco and the San Jose Convention and Cultural Facility. KayRod’s 2^nd full scale production, “No, Not My Son” premiered in San Francisco at Buriel Clay Theatre in 2008 and in January 2009 at Malonga Casquelourd. 

The Mission of the Organization is to develop, promote, sponsor, foster and facilitate inner-city theater and arts programs.  Our vision is to promote the craft of playwriting, acting, producing, set design and sound technology through concrete hands on theatrical productions.

As one of a few African American theater production companies in the Bay Area, KayRod Productions is preserving the rich tradition of Black Theater and exposing a diverse group of non traditional theater goers to a community theater experience