Kathryn Frady
STAGE DIRECTOR
Critically acclaimed stage director Kathryn Frady has worked throughout the United States, Europe, and South Africa. As Executive Artistic Director of Marble City Opera, Kathryn has produced and directed more than 35 new productions and world-premieres. She won "Most Memorable Opera in Knoxville" for productions in 2014, 2017, and 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023. As a leading pioneer in producing opera in alternative spaces, Kathryn's recent production of Gallantry was praised by Arts Knoxville, who wrote, “Kudos to Stage Director Kathryn Frady for an accomplishment that reminded the audience what theatre is all about.” Kathryn was also named among the "10 Women who make a Difference in Knoxville" by the Knoxville Mercury newspaper. In 2019, A Step Ahead Foundation recognized Kathryn as a Trailblazer in her field.
A passionate advocate of new works, Kathryn directed the world premiere of Larry Delinger's Shadowlight, which Arts Knoxville called "A Stunning Celebration of the Art and Life of Beauford Delaney" in a "marvelously immersive" production. Other credits include productions of Dido and Aeneas at Baldwin Wallace University, Beneath Suspicion at Marble City Opera, Cold Sassy Tree at Amarillo Opera, Tosca at North Carolina Opera, Barber of Seville and L’elisir d’amore for Wichita Grand Opera, Barber of Seville for Knoxville Opera, H.M.S. Pinafore for The Living Opera, and new opera works at Cleveland Opera Theater. International credits include work on Carmen for Opera Africa in Pretoria and Johannesburg, Amelia Lost with the Opera in the City Festival in London; and L’elisir d’amore for the Centre for Opera Studies in Sulmona, Italy.
Recent directing debuts include Hansel & Gretel at Mobile Opera, Die Fledermaus at Opera Huntsville, Glory Denied at Cleveland Institute of Music, Tosca at Gulfshore Opera, Carmen at Varna International, Jack and the Beanstalk with Opéra Louisiane's Young People's Opera Program, and the world premiere of The Doctor and The Devils by Jason Overall at Marble City Opera. Upcoming credits include Hansel & Gretel at Wichita Grand Opera.
Kathryn has a BM and MM in Vocal Performance from the University of North Texas.
