Ile Haggins

Ile Haggins is a native of Ohio, where she earned her BA in theatre at Otterbein University. There she began her professional career as a props designer and director of theatre for children of all ages. After moving to Kansas City in the mid 80’s Ile became frustrated with the limited opportunities for black artists in the professional theatre community; so, she turned to community and avant-garde theatres throughout the Greater Kansas City area. Ile also partnered with two close friends to produce their own works. Together these women wrote modern day morality musicals, which Ile also directed. Over the years Ile has performed in, stage managed, written, produced and directed (which is where her true passion lies) dozens of plays and musicals. Her directorial work has been applauded by audiences across the city; including KC Fringe Festival, The Barn Players, Whim Productions, Theatre in the Park (and TIP-Indoors), the Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City, Kansas City Actors Theatre (KCAT), and KC Melting Pot Theatre (KCMPT).

Ile first joined KCMPT in 2019, when she directed Look What the Fire Did, an original work by Lewis Morrow. Ile was honored to be a part of the first season of all-female directors for any theatre in the Greater KC area (2021-22) when she directed Begetters (by Lewis Morrow) for KCMPT.  She is extremely proud to be a part of another first for Kansas City theatres- a triad of all female leadership.

Ile is also an MSW, LCSW. She is a Teaching Professor of social work in the School of Education, Social Work, and Psychological Sciences at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.