About the Director - BroadwayBabiesandKids

Katie Kerwin, Performing Arts Founder & Director

From First Steps on Stage to Pre-Professional Musical Theatre Training

Katie Kerwin-Gielniak

Katie Kerwin is a lifelong performing artist and educator whose career has been devoted to cultivating the next generation of performers. A Bay Area native, Katie earned her B.F.A. from New York University Tisch School of the Arts where she trained in musical theatre at the renowned CAP21 Conservatory. She is also a proud member of Actors' Equity Association, the professional union representing stage actors and performers.

Katie’s professional career spans more than 30 years performing, teaching, directing, and choreographing. Her work has taken her to stages across the country, including the TONY Award–winning Broadway production of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, where she appears on the 2006 Broadway cast recording. In addition to performing, Katie served as assistant to the Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer at the Show Palace Dinner Theatre in Florida, further developing her expertise in musical theatre production and performance.

While her performing career was thriving, Katie discovered her true passion in teaching and mentorship. Over the past three decades, she has worked with performers of all ages, developing a reputation for her ability to combine strong technical training with an encouraging, student-centered approach. Her expertise spans classical vocal training, musical theatre and contemporary vocal performance, Theatre Jazz, Broadway and contemporary tap technique, and dance education.

Driven by her belief that the performing arts have the power to shape confident, creative individuals, Katie founded Broadway Babies and Kids, a program dedicated to introducing young performers to the joy and discipline of musical theatre. Through this program and its associated leadership initiatives, thousands of students have taken their first steps on stage while building confidence, creativity, and community.

Over time, Katie began to notice something remarkable: many of her students were not only passionate about performing they were developing extraordinary talent and dedication. While Broadway Babies and Kids provided a strong foundation, some students were ready for a deeper level of training that mirrored the rigor and expectations of professional and collegiate conservatories.

To meet the needs of these dedicated young artists, Katie founded American Musical Theatre Conservatory (www.americanmtc.com). The conservatory was created to provide serious performers with focused, pre-professional musical theatre training in acting, voice, and dance; helping students develop the discipline, artistry, and versatility required of today’s “triple-threat” performers.

Today, Katie’s work continues to impact performers across generations. Through Broadway Babies and Kids and the American Musical Theatre Conservatory, she has built a pathway where students can grow from their very first experience on stage to rigorous, conservatory-level training. Her programs are grounded in the belief that excellence in the arts is not only about performance, but about developing confident, resilient, and creative individuals prepared to pursue their dreams both on and off the stage.