Kate Leslie

Kate Leslie is a versatile playwright, director, and teaching artist hailing from Chicago. Her journey in education began in Oxford, Mississippi, teaching drama to middle school students before transitioning to teaching drama to elementary students in the Evanston/Skokie school district. Kate played a pivotal role in the Education department at Emerald City Theatre for nearly five years. Known for her works catering to young audiences, Kate has penned plays like Mother Goose's Garden and Zip, Zoom, Bloom!, showcasing her talent not only in writing scripts but also composing original music. She has lent her expertise as a teaching artist to esteemed Chicago theater companies such as Northlight Theatre, American Blues Theatre, Brain Surgeon Theatre, Chicago Children’s Theatre, and Emerald City Theatre. Encouraging students to explore the art of playwriting is a key passion for Kate. Her creative prowess garnered recognition with her play Ashes to Dust as a National finalist for the Gary Garrison Award at KCACTF in 2019 and The Love Code receiving the National Partners of the American Theatre Playwriting Award in 2020. Kate holds a rich educational background, pursuing studies at Oxford High School, earning a B.A. in Theatre Arts and Education from The University of the South, and further honing her skills with a Master of Fine Arts in Playwriting at Hollins University. Kate Leslie's dedication to empowering young minds through theater and her remarkable achievements in playwriting render her a prominent figure in the Chicago arts scene.