Kat Yates is an award-winning queer Naarm/Melbourne-based director, dramaturg and intimacy coordinator with an enthusiasm for dangerous ideas inside safe theatre practices. She has worked in multiple theatrical mediums: plays, cabaret and musical theatre. She vigorously practices guiding rehearsal rooms with emotionally intelligent leadership that develops the artist, the audience, and the arts industry.

Her directing credits include ALTAR ( Midsumma, 2024) RAV / Melbourne Fringe Market-Ready winner NIUSIA (Motely Bauhaus, Melbourne Fringe 2023 and La Mama Explorations, 2023) Cult (Melbourne Fringe 2023, Midsumma, 2023), Green Room nominated Memoir of a Tired Carer (Melbourne Fringe, 2022) Still Buried (VCA Masters Showcase 2022), Legends or the god killers (Dirty Pennies Development 2020), Holloway: a New Musical (MUST, 2018). She Assisted Directed Animal Farm (TheBloomshed, 2021). 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 holds a Bachelor of Performing Arts from Monash University, a Certificate IV in Business from Swinburne University and recently graduated with a Masters of Directing for Performance from the VCA, University of Melbourne in 2022.

She was the Intimacy Coordinator on Romeo and Juliet (Grand Koala Productions, 2024), Carrie (2024, Out of the Wings Theatre), Young Frankenstein (Lightbox Productions, 2024) and Holding the Man (Taylor Made Productions, 2022 and 2023). Kat is a recipient of the Geelong Arts Centre Creative Engine Artist Residency 2023 and has undertaken a residency with The Round in Whitehorse City Council and another with the Clocktower Centre in 2024.

She is currently directing Flies on What If Island by Ilana Charnelle for the Melbourne Fringe 2024. Next year, she will make her international debut with NIUSA and ALTER for the Edinburgh Fringe 2025.