Today we’d like to introduce you to Joe Elvis Alway.
Hi Joe Elvis, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I dove my start in the arts pretty early, not because I came from a prestigious background or had a clear plan, but because I needed it. And the arts choose me. Storytelling, music, movement, those were how I understood the world. At first, I was simply performing. Then I began to write. That led to directing, teaching, and eventually creating spaces for other people to share their stories too.
For over thirty years, I’ve worn many hats: playwright, songwriter, choreographer, director, educator. I’ve developed original theater and musicals, worked on community-based projects, the kind of work that exists at the intersection of faith, culture, and personal experience. I’m drawn to stories that often go unnoticed. I want audiences to recognize themselves on stage, truthfully and with respect.
Eventually, I founded the Multicultural Arts. My aim was straightforward: to make the arts accessible to everyone, especially young people and communities who don’t always have those opportunities. Performance was important, but education soon became just as meaningful. Teaching, mentoring, and using the arts as a path to healing and growth shifted my perspective on what success means.
Now, I’m still writing stories, but with greater purpose. Whether I’m producing large-scale shows, writing devotionals, leading ministries, or collaborating with artists from diverse backgrounds, I return to the same goal: create work that is genuine, inclusive, and transformative. My journey wasn’t linear. But every turn, every hardship, and every moment of joy has shaped me into the artist and leader I am today.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road was never easy. I doubt it was meant to be.
Some of the hardest times came when I chose to stand up for others. Supporting fellow artists and small businesses, giving space to voices that didn’t always belong, those decisions carried a cost. Suddenly, the invitations stopped coming. Doors closed without warning. It turns out, when you speak out, some people no longer see you. But your view of what matters gets sharper.
There were seasons of sleepless nights, and long periods of waiting. Moments when I had to let faith be louder than fear, when purpose outweighed comfort. But every step taught me something I needed to know. Every door that closed pushed me forward.
Faith taught me what leadership is, it isn’t about getting a seat at the table. It’s about making space for others. When the table disappeared, I learned to build my own. And somewhere in that struggle, I realized the hard parts weren’t just obstacles. They were what shaped my path.
Through the struggles and obstacles along the way, I’ve been sustained by a close-knit community of friends who support one another not only in everyday life, but in heart, friendship, art, community, and faith. That shared foundation has carried me through both challenge and growth.
And Bart Baker, my partner in every sense, has been my anchor. He doesn’t just have my back; he pushes me to become a better person, father, and artist. Bart’s a force. He’s an accomplished author, playwright, and screenwriter who continues to leave his mark on film, TV, and literature.
Right now, his novel Honeymoon With Harry is in production as a dramedy for Amazon MGM Studios. Kevin Costner and Jake Gyllenhaal star, Dan Fogelman wrote the script, Jennifer Salke’s one of the producers, and it’s helmed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, the team behind Paradise, This Is Us, and Crazy, Stupid, Love.
In 2024 and 2025, Bart had two more films produced under the Terry McMillan Presents banner. His, Hers & Ours, which he wrote, stars Taye Diggs, Lesley-Ann Brandt, and Aimee Garcia and premiered on Lifetime. Forever, starring and executive produced by Taye Diggs and Meagan Good, also premiered on Lifetime with the same team. Bart’s got more projects in the works, there’s plenty more coming. I am very proud of him.
For me, it’s never just about the next project. Building platforms, not just productions, is what matters. I’m committed to mentoring new artists and creating work that serves the community, far beyond the stage. Decades of teaching theater arts have taught me that creativity builds confidence, discipline, and healing. It’s not just about better performances.
What sets me apart? My leadership style. For me, art and purpose are tied together, and faith runs through everything I do. I lead by collaborating. If the table isn’t there, I build it myself. The impact matters more than any spotlight. I bring people together, people of all ages, backgrounds, and disciplines, because I believe in work that changes both the artist and the audience. Entertainment’s great, but real, lasting change is what I’m after.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My work lives where storytelling, community, and transformation intersect. Everything I make is shaped by my lived experience, my roots, and a deep sense of spirituality. I want my art to feel honest and deeply human. Through musical theater, movement, faith, and narrative, I share stories that reflect us at our brightest, our most vulnerable, and our strongest.
I focus on voices that often go unheard: young people, artists from underserved communities, and anyone whose life is marked by faith, perseverance, and resilience. Whether I’m developing a new musical, writing a monologue, or teaching in a classroom, my goal is always to create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and empowered to share their own stories.
That vision comes through in the projects I’m working on now. This spring, WITNESS, a full-scale musical portraying Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection through the eyes of those who witnessed it, will run March 26–29, 2026, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Manchester, Missouri. WITNESS was conceived in Los Angeles, Ca, in 2004 as a monologue-driven piece by Bart Baker and Joe Elvis Alway, and has since grown into a full musical, blending musical theater with Middle Eastern rhythms, gospel, soul and contemporary storytelling. At its heart, it remains about testimony, humanity, and hope. We chose to stage WITNESS the week before Easter so other churches and communities could come together, experience the show, and use it as a way to connect and reach out. For more details, visit www.goodshepherdlutheran.com and www.jealway.biz.
After learning the history of Saint Louis’s Gaslight Square I began to write a new theatrical production, ‘Nightfall on Gaslight Square.’ This is a jazz-blues musical that comes alive as dusk falls in St. Louis, and the old Gaslight Square begins to glow. The neighborhood becomes an electrifying hub music, laughter, poetry, and possibility. The show honors dreamers and risk-takers through blues, swinging rhythms, humor, and personal stories. Gaslight Square is more than a place, it’s a feeling, a moment, a living pulse of art.
540 Southern Blvd sits right inside a busy bodega and salon in the Bronx, my old neighborhood. I wrote this show for my son, Emmanuel, who’s chasing his dream to be an actor. When you step into 540 Southern Blvd, you catch the pulse of the whole neighborhood, music, jokes, and a lot of heart. There’s Malvin, Jose, Doña Irene, Don Tito, Don Luis, Carmen, María, and Rita, who’s just ten but already sees everything through her phone’s camera. They deal with love, gossip, and the ups and downs of daily life, right up until ICE takes Valeria and everything flips upside down. The show is packed with salsa, merengue, reggaetón, and laughs. It’s really about how a community fights to stay together, and how love, especially when it pours out as music and dance, always stands strong.
Another project that returns to the stage is, ‘We Are the Whole Cast’, brings two women to the stage, each portraying multiple characters. It explores identity, culture, and belonging while keeping the conversation going about visibility, representation, and voice.
Looking ahead, Multicultural Arts, will offer an eight-week performing arts program for all ages at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. It’s a space founded on welcome, creativity, and belonging. More information will be available soon. I am blessed to continue working with youth in diffrent schools around Saint Louis, such as MICDS with the production ‘Beetlejuice,’ and Hazelwood East with their spring production and ANNIE in the summer with Multicultural Arts.
For me, it’s never just about producing a show. Building platforms is more important than building projects. I’m deeply committed to mentoring new artists and creating work that serves the community, not just the stage. I’ve taught theater arts for decades, using creativity to foster confidence, discipline, and healing, not just improved performances.
What truly sets me apart is the way I lead. Art and purpose are inseparable for me; faith is woven into all I do. I lead alongside others, not above them. If there’s no seat at the table, I bring a chair. Impact matters more than recognition. I gather people, across ages, cultures, and disciplines, because I believe in work that transforms both artists and audiences. Entertainment is important, but genuine, meaningful change matters most.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Here’s what I keep coming back to: staying true to love matters more than seeking approval. That’s the real lesson.
I used to believe that success meant getting access, being acknowledged, or having the right people say I belonged. Over time, I realized that true direction, whether you call it God, love, or just a sense of purpose, doesn’t always take you somewhere easy. It leads you somewhere genuine. Once I stopped judging my worth by who accepted me, and started paying attention to that deeper calling, my work changed. It became more honest. It started to matter more.
What I’ve learned is that leadership, at its heart, is about love. It’s service. It’s advocacy. It’s holding onto your values, even if that means fading into the background for a while. Sometimes you have to stand alone. Sometimes you have to build entirely new spaces, because the old ones don’t fit anymore.
From here on, I want my work to reflect that commitment, to create art that is truthful, centers humanity, and speaks to love, unity, compassion, togetherness, and a faith that brings people together, even in our differences. The journey isn’t over. In fact, it feels like I’m finally stepping into the most focused and meaningful chapter so far.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jealway.biz
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JEAlway
