Josephine Kearns

Josephine "Josie" Kearns[1] is an American dramaturg, theatre creative, and gender consultant. She is best known for her work on Cats: The Jellicle Ball, which premiered on Broadway in 2026.

Early life and education

Kearnes graduated from Roycemore School in 2001, where she was her class's senior speaker.[2] She attended the George Washington University, where she received a bachelor's degree in theatre in 2004.[3]

Career

In 2019, Kearns consulted on a production of Guys and Dolls at the Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts at Northwestern University as part of Chicago Theatre Week.[4][5] She has worked with the MCC Theater, Playwrights Horizon, Delaware Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare, Seattle Rep, Fifth Avenue Theatre, East West Players, and Royal Manitoba.[1] In 2022, Kearns co-curated the inaugural Breaking the Binary Theatre Festival.[6]

In 2024, Kearnes, alongside Bill Rauch and Omari Wiles, adapted Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats as a drag ball. Cats: The Jellicle Ball premiered off-Broadway at the Perelman Center, before transferring to Broadway in 2026 and winning three Tony awards.[7][8][9]

Outside of her work in theatre, Kearns served as a Gender Program Coordinator at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago. She also was a research specialist for TransFocus, a consulting firm focused on gender diversity work, and conducts gender inclusivity trainings for schools, hospitals, businesses, nonprofits, and theatres.[2]

Awards and distinctions

In 2020, she was named a 'person to watch' by American Theatre Magazine.[10][11] In 2023, Kearns was named as the Roycemore School's Distinguished Alumna and spoke at their graduation ceremony.[2]

According to Andrea Prestinario, co-founder of Ring of Keys, Kearns is the only theatre creative in the United States with gender consulting as her primary focus.[11]

Personal life

Kearns is polyamorous. She has a wife and two kids.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 "Josie Kearns (Dramaturg)". Playbill. Archived from the original on 2026-06-03. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  2. 1 2 3 "2023 Distinguished Alum, Josie Kearns '01". Roycemore School. 2023-06-16. Archived from the original on 2026-06-03. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  3. ↑ "National Mentoring Summit 2019: Fellows in the Spotlight". MENTOR. 2018-10-22. Archived from the original on 2026-06-09. Retrieved 2026-06-09.
  4. ↑ The Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts at Northwestern University (2019-01-17). GUYS AND DOLLS Video Interview. Archived from the original on 2026-06-03. Retrieved 2026-06-03 – via YouTube.
  5. ↑ Kulke, Stephanie (2019-01-18). "Wirtz Center's 'Guys and Dolls' opens Feb. 15 with a modern look at gender". Northwestern Now. Archived from the original on 2026-06-03. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  6. ↑ "2022". Breaking the Binary Theatre. Archived from the original on 2026-06-09. Retrieved 2026-06-09.
  7. ↑ "Cats: The Jellicle Ball". Tony Awards. 2026-06-07. Archived from the original on 2026-06-09. Retrieved 2026-06-09.
  8. ↑ Alan Seales (2024-07-05). "Ep174 - Josephine Kearns, Dramaturg & Gender Consultant in PAC's "CATS: The Jellicle Ball"". The Wrong Cat Died (Podcast). Broadway Podcast Network. Archived from the original on 2026-06-09. Retrieved 2026-06-08.
  9. ↑ "Working in the Theatre: Adaptation & Collaboration". The American Theatre Wing. 2026-05-27. Archived from the original on 2026-06-09. Retrieved 2026-06-09.
  10. ↑ "Josephine Kearns - Gender Consultant". Perelman Performing Arts Center. Archived from the original on 2026-06-03. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  11. 1 2 "19 Theatre Workers You Should Know". American Theatre Magazine. 2020-09-23. Archived from the original on 2026-06-03. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  12. ↑ Ryan (2016-09-22). "Poly Pocket: Building Intentional Community and Relationship Anarchy". Autostraddle. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
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