Life Happens — But So Does Fate

As Kate entered adulthood, she stepped away from the stage and focused on building a stable life. She pursued a career in dental assisting, started a family, and now lives in Philadelphia with her fiancé and their two boys. Like many artists, she never stopped loving musicals — she just tucked that passion into a quieter corner of her life. But as fate would have it, her passion wasn’t ready to stay quiet forever. One day, she stumbled across an audition notice for a mainstage show called Frankenstein Rocks — a rock musical Written and Directed by Brian Albert and cast by members of the Riddlesbrood Touring Theater Company. On a whim, Kate auditioned. She landed a small part… and everything changed. She was welcomed into the Riddlesbrood fold, and soon became an integral part of the troupe — not just as a performer, but as someone whose strengths in communication, coordination, and care made her indispensable behind the scenes.

Company Manager: The Person Behind the Performers

As Company Manager, Kate’s main responsibility is to coordinate the troupe’s network of freelance performers. Because Riddlesbrood operates as a touring company — with shows across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New York — managing a cast means juggling dozens of calendars, travel plans, and performance commitments. This is not a simple administrative task. It’s a job that requires empathy, intuition, and the ability to herd cats while keeping everyone smiling.

Kate manages:

The coordination and booking of independent actors for shows.

Tracking availability, preferences, and prior commitments.

Communicating rehearsal schedules, performance details, and expectations.

Maintaining a positive, inclusive relationship with every member of the cast.

Her talent lies in more than just organization — it’s in her personal touch. She treats each performer like a valued collaborator. She listens, adapts, and finds ways to accommodate the human side of scheduling chaos. Actors who’ve worked with her consistently describe her as the person who “keeps everything together.” Without her, the gears of the machine might still turn — but they’d grind a lot louder!

Vendor Manager: The Festival Builder

Kate’s second major role is as Vendor Manager for Riddlesbrood’s two flagship outdoor festivals: Fantasy Adventure Fest and Dickens Fest. These large-scale events are more than just performances — they’re immersive environments where costumes, food, games, and vendors create an entire fantasy world. Kate is in charge of organizing and coordinating all the vendor logistics, including:

Explaining the registration process and collecting forms and payments.

Assigning booth locations and ensuring fair access to resources.

Communicating expectations clearly and answering vendor questions.

Fielding complaints and handling any surprises!

If you've ever attended a Riddlesbrood festival and admired the colorful market tents, food stalls, and fantasy merchandise booths — Kate had her hand in every inch of it. Vendors love working with her because she’s clear, kind, and responsive. She has the unique ability to manage dozens of people in a high-stress environment without losing her cool — a gift in any context, but especially crucial during festival weekends when timelines are tight and tensions can run high.

Actress: The Joy of the Stage

Even as her administrative responsibilities have grown, Kate has never lost her love of performance. Since her debut in a mainstage show, she has taken on a wide variety of roles with Riddlesbrood, including standout performances in Wizard of Oz, Houdini’s Who Dunnit, Sherlock Holmes, A Christmas Carol, Alice in Wonderland and The Roaring Funnies. Each role showcases her natural stage presence and her ability to blend sincerity with theatrical flair. But it’s in comedy that Kate may shine brightest. Her portrayal of the “Crazy Cat Lady” — an over-the-top, delightfully eccentric character — has become an audience favorite and a personal highlight for her. With sharp comedic timing and fearless physicality, Kate brought the role to life in a way that was both hilarious and heartwarming. Her performances are also enriched by her deep behind-the-scenes understanding of what makes a production succeed. She knows how to read a room, time a joke, support a scene partner, and keep the energy flowing from rehearsal to curtain call. For Kate, acting is more than a role — it’s a return to self. Each time she steps onto the stage, she reconnects with that young girl who sang show tunes around the house, dreamed of Broadway, and believed in the magic of theater. And in her case, that belief hasn't just endured — it’s transformed her life and the lives of those who watch her perform.

Mother, Manager, and Magic Maker

What makes Kate’s story even more impressive is that she does all of this — the booking, the festivals, the performances — while raising two children and building a life in Philadelphia. She is a full-time mom and a full-time contributor to Riddlesbrood’s success. It’s a delicate balancing act, and one she handles with humility and humor. Kate is the embodiment of the idea that it’s never too late to return to your passion. That artistry and motherhood can coexist. That the person you were meant to be is always waiting for an invitation to step back into the light.

Why She’s Essential

Kate Brubaker is not just a team member — she is a force multiplier. Every area she touches becomes more organized, and more human. She is the warm voice on the other end of the phone when a vendor has a last-minute question. She’s the friendly email that helps a performer navigate a tricky week. She’s the actor who knows her lines, helps her castmates, and brings life to the stage. She didn’t come to Riddlesbrood seeking the spotlight. She came seeking connection — to art, to people, to a part of herself she thought she’d left behind. In doing so, she became a shining example of what makes this company special. She’s one of us. And she’s one of our best.

A Standing Ovation

As we continue to grow and evolve at Riddlesbrood, we pause to shine a well-deserved spotlight on the woman who does so much, so well, so quietly: Kate Brubaker. So next time you’re at a show or festival, look for Kate. She might be helping a performer find a prop, answering a vendor question, or stepping onto the stage herself — always smiling, always solving, always creating magic. Take a moment to say hello. She’ll appreciate it. And we think you’ll walk away smiling too.