“A Day in The Life” with actor and writer, Katherine Gauthier

Katherine Gauthier wastes no time skimming the surface of small talk. Many people who meet Kat for the first time find that they’ve revealed themselves to her. She wants to know what makes you feel alive, the fears you harbour and your secret dreams.

If you are ever in trouble, Kat is the friend you want in your corner. Her response to any issue is an immediate “What are we going to do about this?” She puts herself in the problem right beside you and you are reminded without a doubt that you are not alone. She will never miss a big moment in your life and it means a hell of a lot to her when you show up to one of hers.

Kat is a person who feels profoundly. She walks a beautiful line of deep sensitivity and remarkable resilience, dashed with a wicked sense of humour. And this is reflected in her artistry.

From Soulpepper to Shaw, Kat has graced many of Canada’s stages winning well-deserved acting awards but you’ll find she is happiest in the rehearsal hall – spending ‘just one more day’ deepening a scene. Kat has an enviable talent but it’s hard to hold it against her when she is easily one of the hardest working people in the room.

Kat’s work as a creator marches head-on into complicated, risky and challenging subject matter with delicacy, integrity and deep care. It stays with you long after you’ve left it – an idea, a turn of phrase, a moment – coming back to haunt you and unravel a paradigm in your thinking. It’s a tall order for storytelling and she meets it every time.

When Kat isn’t starring on stage, or on camera, or writing or directing a project, is she sleeping? No, she has insomnia. Instead, you might hear her voice as a crisis responder if you call the distress center in the middle of the night or see the effects of her work in recovery centers and CAMH where she’s taught drama therapy.

If you get the chance to know Kat, I highly recommend you do. She’s a gift to have in your life.”

-Written by Mikaela Davies – actor, director, coach and friend

Katherine Gauthier
After hearing from that one “expert” in that one podcast that one time about how to conquer insomnia, I try to start most of my days getting outside right away and into the sun to set that circadian rhythm RIGHT (where my bad sleepers at?). As I am currently working in Niagara-On-The-Lake, there is no shortage of beautiful places to walk, hike or go for a swim. I know it’s as clichéd as it gets, but Nature really does heal.
Katherine Gauthier
Once I’ve gotten my requisite Vitamin D, I head to my Niagara apartment, make myself breakfast and matcha latte, and get working on the amassed e-mails and meetings about the various projects I have on the go. Here I am on the set of Myles Yaksich’s feature film Albatross. Myles Yaksich is a force; with one of the most beautiful aesthetics I have seen.
Another recent project I have been working on is Check Ta Chatte, written and directed by not only one of my favourite artists to collaborate with but also one of my favourite humans: Marie-Claire Marcotte, who is set to direct her first feature next year! Having friends who are way cooler than me is one of my points of pride.
Probably the project that is taking the most of my time at the moment is the post-production of my short film Age of Consent. Co-directing the film was one of the most intense creative experiences of my life and I could not have done it without a dream team of people— pictured here are two of them, Margaret Lamarre, my muse for the film; and Peter Hinton-Davis, one of Canada’s great talents and one of my most cherished collaborators.
Before I know it, it’s time to head to the theatre for my first performance of the day: Doctor’s Dilemma by Bernard Shaw. After a long warm-up (essentially rolling around on the floor and making very high-pitched annoying siren sounds— sorry neighbours!) and quick hair and makeup, I am ready to go. Here I am playing a very pregnant Minnie (an irony not lost on this endometriosis-suffering sister).
Once the matinee is up, I usually head home and eat a huge meal (read: chips, popcorn, burger, drag race). When I’m lucky, I get caught up in a moment of inspiration and write. I find that my muse shows up in the most inopportune times— mid-conversation, in the shower, at the grocery store, at a concert, but most often at 4 am when I can’t sleep. But the question remains: are you even writing if you don’t have an elaborate wall of post-it notes?
Katherine Gauthier
Before you know it, I have to head back to the theatre for my evening performance of Just To Get Married by Cicely Hamilton. One of the greatest gifts of working in the theatre is the remarkable humans you meet along the way. Here I am with two of my castmates whom I am endlessly learning from—Sophia Walker and Monica Parks. Shout out to the Shaw Festival wig team for these three very different wigs.
Katherine Gauthier
I’m usually out of the theatre by 11 pm, and time for me to either grab a quick post-show meal/drink or head back on the road to Toronto to my city pals, partner and plants in my box in the sky.

***

What ‘hood are you in?

Right smack downtown in the garment district.

What do you do?

I tell stories— most often in the theatre, film and sometimes rather awkwardly over wine. I work as an actor, writer and infrequently, director.

What are you currently working on?

I’m currently working on a couple of theatre projects. As a playwright, I am gearing up for the world premiere of my play Meeting developed with the intrepid Coal Mine Theatre; working on the first draft of a new experimental play entitled Twelve Angry Women (butonlysixbecausethatisallwecouldafford), and finishing up research and exploration for a piece exploring our complicated relationship with death.

As an actor, I am currently performing in two plays at the Shaw Festival; Just To Get Married directed by the effortlessly-cool Severn Thompson and Doctor’s Dilemma directed by the lionhearted Diana Donnelly. I am also rehearsing with the radically excellent Christopher Manousos on their reimagined take on Shaw’s Overruled.

In film, I am finishing up post-production on a short film that I wrote and co-directed with my partner-in-crime Ben Sanders entitled Age of Consent.

Where can we find your work?

You can catch me on stage at the Shaw Festival and depending on when you’re reading this, Age of Consent the short film that I wrote and directed may be available… but I’m not sure if I’m allowed to talk about that. So if you follow me on Instagram, I can let you know.
 

 

About Demian Vernieri 583 Articles
Demian is an Argentinian retired musician, avid gamer and editor for the Montréal Guardian, Toronto Guardian, Calgary Guardian and Vancouver Guardian websites.