Katherine Krzys

Katherine Krzys, archivist, actress, director, author, and theatre for youth historian, began her archival career during her first year of graduate school when she was assigned a research assistantship to transfer the finding aids for the recently established (1979) Child Drama Collection (CDC) from typewriter generated text to computers. At the time there were about 125 books and 100 linear feet of archival collections. Under Krzys’ 32-year curatorial leadership the CDC has grown to become the largest repository in the world documenting the international history of theatre for youth back to the 16th century. 

Krzys was employed as the first paid employee of AATE (American Alliance of Theatre & Education) from 1990-1994, working half-time for AATE and the CDC during those years.  When her schedule allows, she  enjoys collaborating on new productions as an actress and director, and once directed a large musical, Jubilee 2000, that toured the Southwest, including a performance at the Anaheim Convention Center. Her awards include the AATE 1998 Barbara Salisbury Wills Alliance Award, the AATE 2007 Lin Wright Special Recognition Award, and twelve Presidential Citations from AATE, on whose board she has served for over 10 years as an ad hoc advisor. In addition, ASU Libraries received a CTFA Medallion in 1994 that recognized its contribution in creating the CDC. In August 2016 she received the Campton Bell Lifetime Achievement Award from AATE, and the Medallion of Honor from the Children's Theatre Foundation of America.