Kelly Albright: When Life Changes the Script

Kelly Albright is a Las Vegas real estate broker, performer, wife, and mom of three whose life has been shaped by creativity, resilience, and family. A BYU Musical Theatre graduate, Kelly toured and performed professionally before meeting her real-life Prince Charming, Brandon Albright, while starring together in the musical Cinderella.

Today, she is the Broker/Owner of Vision Realty Group in Las Vegas, helping families navigate life’s big transitions while balancing motherhood, business, and community involvement.

After facing breast cancer twice, Kelly gained a deeper perspective on strength, faith, vulnerability, and what it truly means to leave a legacy. She shares her story hoping to encourage other women to keep showing up with courage through every season of life.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to Lipstick and Legacy, a podcast where your story matters and your journey has purpose. Together we lift and inspire our communities one story at a time. Welcome, Kelly.

SPEAKER_01 0:09

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 0:10

So nice to have you, Kelly. Thank you for coming today. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

SPEAKER_01 0:16

Sure. I am born and raised here in Las Vegas. I come from a family of three girls, no brothers. Um, and I have three children of my own. I've been married 20 years to my sweetheart. I'm a real estate broker. Okay. I own a brokerage, and that's me in a nutshell.

SPEAKER_00 0:40

You've lived such a beautiful blend of creativity and motherhood and business and resilience. Did you always, like as a little girl, did you like look at your life and your this is what I want to be when I grew up? This is the life I want. Did you build that or how does it look differently?

SPEAKER_01 0:56

It looks a lot different. Um, I thought I was gonna be a Broadway star. So um, so yeah, I went to the Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts, did shows like crazy, uh, studied music dance theater at BYU, worked at Disney, um, did a national tour of a Broadway show.

SPEAKER_00 1:19

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 1:19

And then I just felt like I was floating, like floating in a bad way, um, not like floating on air. But I I was living out of a suitcase, I didn't have stability, and so I came- But you were also super young, right?

SPEAKER_00 1:37

Like at that time, like it was a good time to do that kind of thing.

SPEAKER_01 1:41

I was 24. Okay. I did so much, and I'm I have no regrets. Traveled, but I decided I needed to have a place to stay and a foundation, and then I met my husband, and it's just awesome.

SPEAKER_00 1:56

So growing up, it said you said you wanted to be a Broadway star. How did that come about in you? What was um your first experience as a as a child with performing? I mean, we live in Las Vegas, it's a city of lights, there's lots of opportunity here. Where did that spark from?

SPEAKER_01 2:11

Well, I grew up watching movie musicals, that's all we watched. Um, my parents had a vocal.

SPEAKER_00 2:18

What was your favorite one?

SPEAKER_01 2:19

Oh, geez. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, probably. I mean that's a classic.

SPEAKER_00 2:24

We watch um Sound of Music almost every Sunday. Oh I don't know why, Steven fast forwards to Edelweiss, like every yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:33

Oh, Sound of Music, I mean that's a great classic.

SPEAKER_00 2:36

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 2:36

Um, and then my aunt managed the Pantages Theater in LA in Hollywood.

SPEAKER_00 2:42

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 2:42

So we went all the time to see Broadway shows. Um, my parents are singers, my mom's really into Broadway, and I did my first show, which is The Music Man, and that's the tour I was on, the Broadway tour. Okay. But I did um that in seventh grade, I think, and then it just Are both your sisters musical as well? Um my middle sister sings the mean bon Jovi. Uh but and then my oldest sister is like a virtuoso on the piano and gorgeous voice.

SPEAKER_00 3:17

Um, but so it's just really natural for you. Yeah, I think it's funny when we're little girls, we have this picture of what our life is going to look like. I always wanted to drive a um classic car, teach aerobics, and have a bunch of kids. Okay. And so I kind of did that, not in that order, and it all fell apart. But that was what like it's funny how we envision these things. And like for you early on, you got to do those things that you dreamed of. You wanted to be the Broadway star, and it sounds like you got to live that. And that's that's incredible that you got to do that. Was there a Broadway show that, like, when you saw it on stage, you were just like, wow, as a child, it just really triggered something in you.

SPEAKER_01 3:54

I mean, there are a lot of shows. Um, probably, oh geez, that wasn't when I was a kid, but um, well, Joseph and the amazing technicolor dream coat. I remember that one. I saw at the Pantagesous with Sam Harris, and I was like, I'm gonna be the narrator one day. And I was. You were? I did the manifested that, yes. Yes. Um, my husband was Joseph in that show. So I know.

SPEAKER_00 4:23

Oh, okay. Um, tell me a little bit about your time on the road. What did that look like for you? Some of the best parts and the worst parts about that.

SPEAKER_01 4:33

Okay, so I got the best seat on the bus. I got the biggest floor space, and I bought a big giant dog bed and put it on the floor. And I was the only one who could like sleep on the bus because I was just rolled up in a ball.

SPEAKER_00 4:51

But um, and you just always chose that's whether you were like, This is my switch.

SPEAKER_01 4:56

I was assigned, okay. I got lucky, but um, so anyway, and then uh it was a new hotel every day, every other day. Getting up super early in the morning, but then putting on a beautiful show for you know wonderful people. Um I was the third leg, which means the third year of the tour, so we went to smaller towns. So we got to meet um a lot of just small town people and got to travel the US.

SPEAKER_00 5:31

One thing I really admire about people in shows and show business is how they manage to keep it fresh, like every performance. So when I walk into a Broadway show, I feel like it's the first time it's being performed and it's just for me. Yeah. When you were young and performing, how did you keep it fresh like that? What's kind of the secret behind that?

SPEAKER_01 5:50

Well, I mean, I'm not gonna lie, sometimes you get complacent and tired, but it's just having fun, you know? And um, I am really method, I like putting myself into the character and the backstory and all that. So I guess finding something new with your character every single show, you know, just kind of tapping into a new part of you.

SPEAKER_00 6:15

So it says here that you met your husband um at an audition. Can you tell me a little bit about that?

SPEAKER_01 6:24

Yes, this is kind of um a nauseating story, as in like it's lovey dovey, but I um met my husband um at an audition. I was cast as Cinderella and we were looking for a Prince Charming, and um he walked in and I was like, holy cow, this guy is awesome! And then he opened his mouth and sang. I was like, oh geez. And then um, and then he uh it was a kissing scene, and I was like, you don't have to kiss me, that's awkward. And then we got to the kissing part and he laid it on me. So I kissed him the first time that I met him. Um goals, right? It was um, it was pretty amazing, pretty hot.

SPEAKER_00 7:14

Yeah. Did you know like like this is the guy, or did that take a minute?

SPEAKER_01 7:19

Um, I didn't know it at the audition, but we were engaged before the show was over. So we dated like I don't know, a month or something.

SPEAKER_00 7:31

Oh wow, yeah. It does actually sound very movie-esque and very magical. Oh, for sure. And I'm sure the chemistry on stage for your characters, you must have got rave reviews.

SPEAKER_01 7:41

Yes, yes, it felt like they were in love. Yeah, and um, we still get people who remember seeing the show and oh, I remember you met your husband, and yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:52

Yeah, well, what's more picturesque than Prince Charming and Cinderella like meeting on set? It's that's actually a really beautiful story.

SPEAKER_01 8:00

I always joke that um Heavenly Father God like brought me to him and put me in like the exact show and moment I had to be there. And like, this is your Prince Charming, Kelly. See him in front of you. This is the guy. So he had to make it very clear that that he was the one.

SPEAKER_00 8:22

It's interesting how things like that happen. We just went, my husband and I went to an air supply concert. Oh, they're like, okay, old school. Yeah, and they met at an audition too. And there was one seat left in Australia at an audition, and one of the members of that c of that group sat next to, they sat next to each other. Wow. And one's like, I want to sing, and the other one's like, I want to write. And they became Urs of Play. And it's just interesting how God puts us in these places. Yeah, of all the people in the world, those two people sat next to each other and created music that has been karaoked in the Philippines for hundreds of years, I don't know, decades, right?

unknown 9:01

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 9:02

I love those stories. I really do. So fast forward a little bit. So you had this amazing career going. Um, it sounds as though you could have been a performer for probably your life, maybe, you know, professionally. You chose to get married and settle down. So, what did that look like? I know your husband had aspirations as well in music and theater.

SPEAKER_01 9:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:27

What did that look like for you guys as a young married couple?

SPEAKER_01 9:30

So again, I feel like um I just my life just fell into place where it was supposed to be. I was supposed to do a show at Tuacon, and I decided to stay home because my brother-in-law was getting um, it was a real estate investor, so he's like, I'll put you through real estate school. And then um, anyway, so I he put me through real estate school and I was doing deals right away. Then I met my husband, and then I was doing really well, and he hadn't really gotten a chance. He's younger than me, so he didn't really get a chance to um perform. So it that was the opportunity for him. You know, before we had children, before we had kids, while I was being successful with my business, so he uh was a guest entertainer on cruise ships, uh, he was in a Frankie Valley tribute show. Um so he traveled a lot, Australia, New Zealand. I mean, and I joined him because I could work remotely.

SPEAKER_00 10:37

Oh wow. Yeah, it's those were some nice opportunities. Was that hard for you, kind of sitting back and watching him do it, or were you performing as well, or like what was that like?

SPEAKER_01 10:46

Well, we did shows still in between as a couple, but um no, it it made me happy to see him happy, and I knew that if he didn't get to do that, there may be some resentment that I got to do it and he didn't have the opportunity.

SPEAKER_00 11:08

And you know, I just it it did, it it fulfilled me as well. I interviewed somebody the other day and he was talking that about the difference between your talents and your passion. Yeah, and he's like, I was passionate about golf, but like that wasn't gonna pay the bills, right? So I found something I was I was talented at that I was able to like move forward with, and so it's awesome that you gave him that space to kind of fulfill that part, you know, of his life. It is hard to make it as a career, as a lifelong career. So that's really great. Um, so when did you start having children? What was that like?

SPEAKER_01 11:47

So we again, I feel like it was meant to be the the timeline. Um we had infertility issues or problems, which a lot of women do, and it's you know very hard.

SPEAKER_00 12:00

But um And you were anti you're never anticipating that, right?

SPEAKER_01 12:04

No, we we tried for six years. So yeah, we were we were almost doing IVF, we had it set up, and then I tried acupuncture and Chinese herbs, and I got pregnant really right away. Yeah, I'm like okay. Um but and then we got pregnant, had a baby, and six weeks later I was pregnant again. So my kids are Irish twins, my first two. They're 10 and a half months apart. About as close as you can, well, as close as you can get. Um, and then my little girl, my sweet little Eden, is um a year and a half younger. So they're three under three. They're like a little tornado too when they're all together. Yeah, exactly. So that was chaotic, but a lot of a lot of fun because we had waited so long.

SPEAKER_00 12:58

Was there a time that when you started having children, you're successful real estate, you're still performing, you start having children and you have them boom, boom, boom. Was there a time that you felt like I just can't do it all? Or what or did it come fairly easy to you?

SPEAKER_01 13:14

Oh no, yeah. There were moments of I I just can't do this, but I had to because I was well, my husband uh started law school after we had kids. So I had to be the mom and I had to be the worker, and um uh a lot of mom guilt comes with that too, you know, like I'm not giving enough to my kids or to my family. Um, we did have a nanny because I had to work and he was in law school. Um, but she was wonderful, she was a wonderful um part of our family. She still is a part of our family. But um yeah, so it's I remember that feeling.

SPEAKER_00 13:58

I had little, I had I was pregnant with my fourth child when I graduated college. Yeah, and I remember thinking how much time those little kids had spent in like daycare with somebody else. And you do have guilt, but also I'm so grateful I invested in an education because later on it it became very useful in my life.

SPEAKER_01 14:16

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 14:16

So it is what it is, yeah. They do okay. The kids, the kids are okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:21

They're resilient, they are resilient.

SPEAKER_00 14:24

Let's see. Um, you have faced breast cancer not once but twice. Can you take us back to the moment you heard those words? Where at were you with your children? Like how old were they? Where was your husband in his education or career, and where were you at?

SPEAKER_01 14:42

So uh my first diagnosis happened during COVID. So um we were in our golden night room because we love the golden nights, and um, I got a call um directly from my doctor, uh my OB, and he um told me I had breast cancer. And at first you're like, well, I don't even know what that means, you know? It just didn't sink in. Yeah. But also, I had had some health problems a couple years prior to that. And it was it was just like, hey, I've done this, I've been through health issues, and I know I can do it again, and I just have to I was just ready to get it done.

SPEAKER_00 15:33

You know, I did you have symptoms or what what was was there anything that really kind of like something's not going on, something might be going on, or was it just like totally out of the blue for you?

SPEAKER_01 15:43

Um it happened so fast. I I was dealing with anxiety, and I used to um just out of nowhere take a breath and go, and I felt something under my fingers. And um, I was like, there's there's something there. My sister came over and we're like shining lights and trying to see it. But um, I'm really close to my OB, like you know, he's worked with our whole family, and um, I texted him and said, I think there's a lump, and he had me in the next day. I did my um mammogram, nothing came up. I did my ultrasound, and that's where something came up. And then we did the biopsy and um it just happened so fast, and you know, you can do radiation or mastectomy. I was 39, so I chose the mastectomy route and the reconstruction um because I was just young and didn't want to think about it and deal with it again, even though I did you did get it again, so which is very rare. I like to think of myself as the special one person.

SPEAKER_00 16:55

You're so special.

SPEAKER_01 16:57

You got cancer twice. Twice.

SPEAKER_00 16:59

Um my goodness. So how you had a young family at this time. You probably weren't feeling well when you're having radiation, or did you have chemo?

SPEAKER_01 17:09

I didn't have we caught it early enough. Okay. So the mastectomy was enough. So, and I hate to say it, it was just like, okay, this is what's next, this is what next. I feel like I had it easy with cancer. Um, I know that's weird to say, but a lot of people go through so much more than what I did. So I feel really blessed.

SPEAKER_00 17:35

So because you caught it early, it saved you from a lot of other issues that could have come along with that. Yeah. What was your like husband's reaction to this? Was he like, oh, we've we have been through things like this before, we're gonna be fine, or was he did it kind of like blindside him a little bit? Like, because it really puts things in perspective sometimes.

SPEAKER_01 17:54

Yeah, well so I had six back surgeries in four months in 2018. I um was septic, I was in the ICU for 10 days. Um they uh one of my surgeries um they had me film a goodbye um a goodbye video to my kids. Um so that was really hard. Like not knowing if I was gonna make it and not know and my husband felt the same, like he could lose me. So um that's why I say cancer. I get that it wasn't the hardest because we had gone through it, but it also made me prepared for cancer, right?

SPEAKER_00 18:44

Prepared you, but what was the stem of those early surgeries with your back? Like, where did that start?

SPEAKER_01 18:49

Um, I uh just had a herniated disc, and so it started off as the microdisectomy, which is a outpatient, easy peasy. I was cast as Fiona in Shrek, and I was told that I'd be tap dancing within a month or two, and anyway, it did not go well. Um, so two days later I had my revision, and then um I had a spinal fluid leak. I had uh about this this um big of a tear in my dura. So it was a gushing spinal fluid.

SPEAKER_00 19:27

Was this like a it just it just happened, or was it like the surgeon, or was it just your body, like, or was it all the things combined?

SPEAKER_01 19:35

It was all the things. Um I do think that there were um complications with the surgery. Um there were bone fragments left in my back. Um so and that's I don't know if that caused the um tear in the dirt. So you don't really even know. I don't know. And then I got um uh staff and went septic um and was in the ICU and that was two surgeries. And then I had a PIC line and the the medicine didn't work, so I it my disc was gone. I got disguitis because the PIC line I had um to to put you know medicine in twice a day, and um it didn't work, so I ended up carrying a backpack like with a pick line for like six weeks, but that was my fusion. That's when I had a fusion.

SPEAKER_00 20:35

Oh my goodness. So what did your household look like this? I mean, it yeah, now that you're talking about like I can see how this prepared you for the cancer, it's like this was really bad and this is bad, but this was actually worse. Like with three little kids, husband, work, what did your household look like? How did you guys get through it?

SPEAKER_01 20:56

Well, they were four, five, and six. I have a picture of them like all in my hospital bed. Um my family, all my family lives here, um, and my husband's family, and everybody just rallied, you know, and I felt so blessed and so loved. Um and we just were in fight mode, all of us, not just me, but like my husband, my family. Somebody was with me every night in the hospital. Um and yeah, you kind of spoke about it.

SPEAKER_00 21:34

You said you had to make a video that basically said, if I don't come out of this, that sounds like a really dark moment. Was there another time that was equally that dark or difficult for you that you remember? And how did you get through it?

SPEAKER_01 21:50

Yeah. Um I've I s uh have depression, so ups and downs, you know, and I've had some very low lows. Um so I don't know. I think I I I uh always joke with my mom that we I hit the jackpot on um the jeans and got like all the stuff. Yeah. Um it makes me very uh it's an exciting life I guess. But um so I've been low, low um but again you just have to persevere and you have to believe and have faith and I got through it. I I mean yeah so many of these things have turned me into who I am and who our my family is you know that um I see them as a blessing now those trials um because I know I can get through anything.

SPEAKER_00 22:54

We kind of went over the darkest or the those dark feelings and I think mental health you know we do talk a lot at about it a lot more nowadays. Oh for sure and I feel like we do talk about it but it's really hard to like master how to to help somebody you know and it's true you just kind of have to get through it and I think all of our lives and families' lives have been touched by mental health issues in in some way whether it's your children or your friends um what was a really bright moment for you like that you just remember like okay I can I got this because of this thing that happened is there something that you remember I don't know if it was one moment um I just my family you know just that's my bright moments I guess is just watching my kids grow up and being there being able to be there and nurture their talents they're all so talented but in different ways and just it's really fulfilling to see their personalities grow and their talents grow it's it's just really amazing. So you had all these back issues then you have cancer then you have mastectomy and then cancer and another mastectomy right so what okay so how long between okay I'm good to cancer again like how long was that what was that time period?

SPEAKER_01 24:23

Okay so five years actually almost to the day like I got diagnosed um in March 2020 and then March 2025. Wow yeah so and with cancer when you get to the five year mark you're supposed to be like cancer free yeah so um yeah so I I was supposed to be through it and all the doctors thought oh it's it's nothing just we'll just watch it and I just had a feeling no I I need a biopsy so and that's how we found so what it so they had to do another mastectomy yes so what happened is I feel like my OB was inspired because usually you don't need to get imaging after you've had a mastectomy but my OB um ordered an MRI just to make sure and um it came back abnormal and then um I couldn't do just a needle biopsy because I have no breast tissue but my first this is maybe TMI but my first mastectomy was nipple sparing.

SPEAKER_00 25:42

Right.

SPEAKER_01 25:43

So I still had right those and that's where the cancer came back.

SPEAKER_00 25:47

And that's an option I know a lot of women will just go completely mastectomy complete because because of that possibility. Yeah it's very low possibility but like very low um but yeah again I I just don't have luck with like the medicals if it's gonna happen it's gonna happen to you I feel like that about other things in my life sometimes so what did that look like again was it just another blow for you or were you like well I've already been through all this I'm gonna be fine or did you just always have that I feel like you have this very like steady it's okay we're gonna get through it yeah you know it was just like okay what's the next step?

SPEAKER_01 26:35

What do I do? Okay here's the plan. I wasn't I wasn't fearful I'd already had so many surgeries I mean I have had 12 major surgeries since 2018 so um that was six on my back and six wow here. So um I don't know I I think I'm really good at surgery. You do get you're well practiced. I think I'm a pro.

SPEAKER_00 27:02

You're well practiced that's for sure.

SPEAKER_01 27:05

Wow how did your faith carry you through those hardest days I just we're spiritual we believe in a heavenly father and um I did feel like I was being watched over I felt like that my whole life really um he saved me when I had my back surgeries I that could have gone you know I could not be here and then catching the first cancer so fast and catching the second so fast you know um I just felt washed over and I felt like there was divine intervention to keep me here for my family.

SPEAKER_00 27:57

I love that how because of these experiences how does that help you serving your community doing things for others how has that changed you well there's a couple things we like to do.

SPEAKER_01 28:14

We we sing for charities all you know a lot. So we like to serve that way to help um build nonprofit and you know the nonprofit organizations whether that be cancer um autism we have that in our family uh whether that be um yeah performing companies or you know so we do that a lot and then um another way we like to serve is uh we do a huge Christmas light display and uh we do a scavenger hunt and we give free hot chocolate away every night. I've actually seen it I think it's been on the news before yeah so um and just offering that and creating something beautiful for the community and um being part of uh family traditions you know is yeah I think a lot of times people feel like Vegas oh there's no tradition there's no community and I think I've had a couple interviews today where I'm like wow we have so much community and so and so much deep tradition here actually what um how did you connect with like other cancer patients what has that looked like have you have you felt empowered or have you empowered somebody through your experience yeah I mean a lot of people have um gotten diagnosed friends um a lot of people had been diagnosed before me that I did wasn't aware of um we do have a breast cancer section of our Christmas display and so there's breast cancer survivors or people going through breast cancer that come um to our display and take pictures we have a breast cancer angel choir and a breast cancer tree and um yeah so uh and then social media there's uh there's some great um organizations here for breast cancer there's a breast cancer center that is nonprofit and they give away um mastectomy kits and wigs for people going through chemo and it's a it's a really it is a big community here a lot of people have had that breast cancer I know so many people have some sort of cancers and it's it's almost like an epidemic it feels like I mean there's just so many I interviewed a girl the other day and she had ovarian cancer at 16 this really rare ovarian cancer and it's like what what are we doing that causes oh yeah you know this kind of stuff I you know I don't know but looking back what would you tell your younger self my younger self like your like 16 year old Kelly um I would say well I think I am kind but be grateful um be kind oh that sounds like the Cinderella movie but um that's my favorite quote too have courage and be kind I mean that's like embodies mm my life yeah so just perseverance um getting through trials with grace and kindness and um gratefulness.

SPEAKER_00 31:35

That's beautiful what do you hope people feel after hearing your story today?

SPEAKER_01 31:41

What's something you hope somebody could take away from it I I hope they take away hope you know I hope they take away strength and knowing that you can go through hard things and come out on top and come out a better person. I ask everybody this on my show what do you want your legacy to be I want my legacy to be my family and I hope that I'm teaching them to go for their dreams you know to I hope they don't see me as yeah mom always had these health issues and went through trials. I hope they see it as you can get through anything and be courageous and have faith and be kind to people and be and serve others.

SPEAKER_00 32:46

So I hope people see me as that and I hope my kids take that away Kelly you're kind of in the middle of your life right now with your children and raising them what does the next like 10-15 years look like to you because I want to come back to you in 10 or 15 years and see where we're at.

SPEAKER_01 33:08

So this is just a little fun thing where what do you what do you picture your life being like oh well in 10 to 15 years I could have grandchildren for sure um my oldest son is an amazing electric guitar player. I could see him like touring and playing in bands in town um my daughter is an amazing vocalist and actress I could see her performing and on Broadway but she also really wants to be a mom too she'll be a great mom.

SPEAKER_00 33:43

And then I think you've really shown her you can do both.

SPEAKER_01 33:46

I I hope so um and then my middle child is a little on the spectrum but he he sews and he's creative and he 3D prints and he makes plushies and patterns and just sees things in a different creative way. And I didn't teach him how to sew. He learned on his own he uses a sewing machine if it breaks I'm like I I don't know fix it. So and he's self-taught and he is incredible. You have really um built this community I hope that you're still performing as well can you just tell me a little bit about what that looks like are you still in um plays are you what are you doing with that we just finished um a show called Dear Evan Hansen which is a very it it's not musical theater it's it's a story it's a story about mental health it's a story about suicide it's a story about um being lonely um it's there's so many things to take away from that that um you can find light in darkness and um that was very it was just a very amazing experience and um we were a family the cast was a family and um anyway so so we just got done with that and we're taking some family time now.

SPEAKER_00 35:22

Yeah but it sounds like it will be part of your life forever. Oh for sure and I see you guys performing I see you at the Golden Knights games on the Jumbotron a lot which is really unfair I don't know how you get that but it's awesome. So thank you Kelly for coming and sharing your story. I really appreciate how you build and inspire and I can't wait to see what the rest of your life looks like.

SPEAKER_01 35:42

Oh thank you so much. Thanks for having me.