Kate Elman-Wilcott

Kate Elman-Wilcott is a playwright, director, facilitator and artistic director. She's the founder of InterAction Theatre Company Inc. (InterAction School of Performing Arts), a cornerstone of children's education and theatre in New Brunswick.

Kate has a Bachelor of Arts degree, with honours, in Applied Theatre from Dalhousie University, where she later worked as an instructor. Kate worked as a teaching assistant in the Theatre department from 1995 to 1997 and as an instructor for acting classes from 1998 to 2000. Her career as an educator in the field of Theatre began in 1994 at Neptune Theatre in Halifax, working as both Acting Director of Education and Administrator for the theatre school. She taught weekly classes to over 500 children and adults, along with creating initiatives and collaborating with the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia for Craft and Design and the Discover Centre, among others.

Kate has worked with companies like Mulgrave Road Theatre, The Chester Playhouse, Theatre on the Edge, Halifax Fringe Festival and was a founding member and director of Zuppa Circus Theatre.

She founded InterAction in 2002 and acts as artistic director and director of the theatre department. Here, she offers weekly classes to over 200 children and prepares them for one main stage play every year. She also produces/directs up to three collaborative productions per season. In its 12 years in operation, InterAction has cemented itself as a mainstay in the community. Its reach extends far beyond the walls of the theatre school, with Kate founding the Community Arts Education Studio in 2006. This program offers free professionally-led opportunities for creative development to area schools.

Complementary to her work with InterAction, Kate works regularly with corporate sponsors, government leaders and industry professionals. A community leader, Kate is a former member of the Saint John Community Arts Board and board for Performing Arts NB.

She is passionate about theatre as a means of creative expression and personal development. She enjoys working collaboratively with artists of all disciplines and has been instrumental in creating meaningful theatre and artistic education for youth in New Brunswick, leaving them with enduring passion for theatre arts.