Actor, Singer, Director

Whether it's acting, singing, or producing, Katie Gilchrist thoroughly enjoys the vibrant and flourishing Kansas City artistic community. Opportunites with Actors Theatre, Kansas City, The Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre, The Unicorn, The Living Room, Studio 116 at UMKC, Crosstown Station, Off-Center Theatre and others keep Katie busy and fulfilled here in her home town.

Katie began her career here by earning a BA with honors from Saint Mary College, studying English, Theatre and Music. She was later accepted into the Graduate Acting Program at UMKC, earning her MFA in Acting and Directing in 2003.

While studying for her Master's, Katie appeared in her first professionally credited performance in A Little Princess at the nationally renowned Coterie Theatre. She also appeared there in the Young Playwrights Festival, and 101 Dalmatians. Soon after graduate school, Katie landed a role in Lobby Hero at the Unicorn Theatre as a proud new member of the Actor's Equity Association.

Having earned her Equity status, Katie sojourned to New York City where she appeared in the New York Fringe Festival production of Trash. She there discovered that quality roles, talented peers and enthusiastic audiences were not to be found solely in New York City. This realization and the desire to be an actor working instead of struggling brought her happily back home.

Now working or having worked with nearly every major theatre in town, Katie continues to appear in stage roles, musical performances and ensembles, and even as a co-founder of Bee's Knees Burlesque where she performs and produces collaboration- and community-focused shows. Katie hopes these wonderful opportunities and artistic experiences continue for many years.