Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Kat Yates (she/her) is an internationally award-winning queer Naarm/Melbourne-based director, dramaturg and intimacy coordinator. Focusing on new Australian writing, Kat works extensively alongside marginalised writers to tell unique, vulnerable and courageous stories. Known for her assured craft and thoughtful staging, she creates intimate productions that allow performers to shine. Her last four projects represent new voices and perspectives from Australia's LGBTIQA+, CALD, and d/Deaf & Disabled communities. Her directing credits include the Scotsman Fringe First Award winner NIUSIA (2025) Binge Fringe’s Queer Performer’s Award winner ALTAR (2025) Melbourne Fringe Access and Inclusion Award winner What If Island (2024), Cult (Melbourne Fringe 2023 & Midsumma, 2023), and Green Room nominated Memoir of a Tired Carer (Melbourne Fringe, 2022), Still Buried (VCA Masters Showcase 2022), Legends or the god killers Dirty Pennies Theatre Project (Zoom Development 2020). Her Intimacy Coordinator credits include The Last Sunday in June (Firerock Productions, 2025) The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Lightbox Productions, 2025), Young Frankenstein and In Transit (Lightbox Productions, 2024 and 2023) Romeo and Juliet (Grand Koala Productions, 2024), Carrie (2024, Out of the Wings Theatre), and Holding the Man (Taylor Made Productions, 2022 and 2023). Her previous Dramaturgy credits include the multi-award-winning show KINDER (Adelaide Fringe, 2025 and Melbourne Fringe, 2024), the musical development Girls are Hot by Flesh Coloured Panties (2020) and Spring Awakening (Chapel off Chapel, 2019). Kat holds a Bachelor of Performing Arts from Monash University and graduated with a Master of Directing for Performance from the VCA, University of Melbourne in 2022. She completed a directorial secondment with Sam Strong on MTC/Queensland Theatre’s Emerald City in 2020 and another with Sarah Giles on MTC's A Very Jewish Christmas Carol in 2023. Kat is a recipient of the Keith and Elisabeth Murdoch Travelling Fellowship for 2025. She will travel to the Schaubühne, Berlin in 2026 to undertake a directorial observation with Katie Mitchell on her production of Bluets by Maggie Nelson for the Festival International New Drama. She will make her London debut with NIUSIA in 2026 at Theatre 503. Alongside her practice as a director and dramaturg, Kat has six years of experience spanning arts administration, education, and events coordination — working across independent theatre, secondary schools, and major cultural institutions, including Arts Centre Melbourne.
Bluets by Maggie Nelson, Adapted by Margaret Perry First Performed at the Royal Court Theatre in London 2024
NIUSIA by Beth Paterson | Director & Co-Creator Ary Presentation · Freelance · 2023 – 2025 Co-created and directed across four seasons including Edinburgh and Adelaide Fringe 2025. Winner of the Scotsman Fringe First Outstanding Writing Award and Best Storytelling Award. ALTAR by Em Tambree | Director ExtraTerrestrial / Midsumma Festival · Freelance · 2024 – 2025 Directed across Midsumma 2024 and Edinburgh Fringe 2025. Winner of Binge Fringe's Queer Performer's Award. WHAT-IF ISLAND by Ilana Charnelle | Director Freelance · 2024 – 2025 Directed across Melbourne Fringe 2024 and Adelaide Fringe 2025. Winner of the Melbourne Fringe Access and Inclusion Award. MEMOIR OF A TIRED CARER by Oliver Bailey | Director Belle Hammond · Freelance · 2022 Directed this Green Room-nominated work for Melbourne Fringe 2022.
● Coordinate year-round arts engagement programs for schools and creative learning audiences across Arts Centre Melbourne, managing the full journey from initial enquiry through to program delivery. ● Manage booking processes, scheduling, and stakeholder communications using Tessitura and Momentus, maintaining accurate records across a large and complex program portfolio. ● Liaise with Victorian primary, secondary, and tertiary school teachers, performing artists, and internal teams across ticketing, visitor experience, marketing, and presenter services to ensure high-quality school visitations. ● Administer Creative Learning subsidy programs, supporting equitable access to arts experiences for students and educators. ● Contribute to program reporting, analysis, and evaluation to inform ongoing development of the Creative Learning offering. ● Champion access, equity, and inclusion principles across all aspects of program delivery and stakeholder engagement.
● Provided accurate knowledge of Arts Centre Melbourne, the precinct, and broader Melbourne events to artists, presenters, and visitors. ● Managed site access for presenters, artists, crew, and contractors. ● Oversaw onboarding, induction, and workplace health and safety systems.
● Delivered dramaturgy and directing workshops for Unit 3 and 4 Drama and Theatre Studies classes across multiple schools. ● Specialised in Theatre Studies Monologue Workshops and Dramaturgy Fundamentals, delivered both in person and remotely. ● Served as guest assessor for Theatre Studies Monologue Preparation. ● Co-wrote the script for Good News Lutheran School's production of Wondaland 2020.
● Provided executive assistance to three General Managers at a ministerial not-for-profit, managing communications across four inboxes handling approximately 250 emails per week. ● Administered diary management and meeting coordination with high-level stakeholders including Federal and State Education Ministers. ● Executed over 10 in-person events and 2 professional development training days, achieving over 80% positive feedback.g days with over 80% successful feedback