Work with Actors Theatre

Katie Peña-Van Zile (KVZ) is a Latina-Lachian playwright, producer, and teaching artist who firmly believes everyone has a story worth telling.KVZ's plays have been produced by schools and theatres around the world. She is the author of "The Sisters Grimm" and other plays for young audiences. She used to write educational puppet shows and loves writing stories that celebrate weird kids, big feelings, and the communities we build together. She is a Kentucky Governor's School for the Arts Creative Writing alum and recently returned, all grown up, as a guest teaching artist to inspire the next generation of storytellers. KVZ was a semifinalist for the Dramatists Guild Foundation's Catalyst Fellowship, and her play for grown-ups, *Felt*, was recently presented by The Disabled Playwrights Workshop at the University of Kentucky.By day, KVZ is the Line Producer at Actors Theatre of Louisville, where she works with the Learning and Creative Engagement team to bring theatre, playwriting, and puppetry experiences to students and community members across Kentucky. By summer, her favorite job is helping young playwrights discover that there is no "right" way to write a play, only the courage to put their imagination on the page.KVZ is proudly community college and state school educated (AA, Bluegrass Community and Technical College; BA, Theatre and Performing Arts Administration, Western Kentucky University). She found theatre later than most and loves reminding young artists that creativity has no timeline.She can't wait to see what stories you'll tell.