Kathryn Keats
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MULTI-DISCIPLINARY ARTIST
DRAMA CRITIC'S CIRCLE AWARD WINNING ARTIST AND AWARD WINNING PLAYWRIGHT, LYRICIST, PERFORMANCE ARTIST, COMPOSER AND PRODUCER.
"Her deep, shocking and winning true story, brilliant performance and original music are unforgettable." ~Marga Gomez
Kathryn is a Drama Critics' Circle Award-winning artist, playwright, performance artist, creative director, and producer living in Brooklyn, NY. Her solo beat musical The Hummingbird—a raw and deeply personal exploration of compassion, survival, and healing—was developed in residency at Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s Ground Floor and commissioned by The Marsh Theatre in San Francisco. Her latest work, Roofing, written by her late son Andrew J.J. Conti and co-written with Keats and Dr. Senadhi Parakrama, is a serio-comedic play about nine people in recovery. After a ten-
week workshop, it premiered to sold-out audiences in California in 2024 and is currently in development for an Off-Broadway run. Keats also co-developed the award-winning dramatic play 180 Days – To Die To Live with Marsh founder and Artistic Director Stephanie Weisman. Born Ellen Christian Munger, Keats was an emerging musical theatre performer when her life was upended. Her former collaborator, suffering from untreated schizophrenia and addiction, held her captive for 54 days. This experience led to a precedent-setting trial in Oakland, California. With the help of the Victim Witness Assistance Program, she changed her identity and lived anonymously for over two decades. In 2005, after her abuser's death, she reclaimed her voice and returned to the public stage under her
new name. Today, Keats uses her art to amplify stories of recovery, resilience, and renewal. She is a featured speaker and performer for organizations including Reimagine, Arts Heal, Sam Lamott’s Hello Humans, the YWCA, the Center for Domestic Peace, and many others. Her story and work have been featured in Reader’s Digest, The San Francisco Chronicle, and BroadwayWorld, and praised by industry icons including Narada Michael Walden and Pete Sears. She has performed at renowned venues such as Yoshi’s Jazz Club (Oakland), The Knitting Factory (Los Angeles), The Bitter End (NYC), and the Great American Music Hall (San Francisco). Keats is a board member of the Sonoma Foundation for Behavioral Health (SFBH) and contributes to the development of original productions through the SFBH Andrew Conti Workshop, inspiring people in recovery to tell their stories through performance. Kathryn Keats is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA, AEA, BMI, and TRU.
