CATE RICHARD

About Cate Richard

Actor • Writer • Director

Biography

Cate Richard is a Canadian actor, writer, and director whose artistic career spans over a decade. Based in Collingwood, Halifax, and Toronto, Richard began performing at age four and has since built a multidisciplinary foundation in theatre, musical performance, movement, and film. She will continue her professional training at Dalhousie University’s Fountain School of Performing Arts beginning in fall 2026.

Portrait of a young woman with long, wavy brown hair wearing a navy blue top, posing against a white background.
Young woman wearing a tiara and sash, standing in front of a glittery purple curtain, celebrating a pageant or beauty contest.

A moment from Richard’s direction and performance in Doll Parts

Directing & Writing

Richard’s directing career began in high school and has grown into a central part of her artistic identity. Her original play Doll Parts , which she wrote, directed, stage‑managed, and acted in, won multiple awards at the NTS Dramafest, including:

  • Best Director

  • Excellence in Writing

  • Best Set Design

  • Outstanding Production

The play is set against the backdrop of the Sunnyside Youth Pageant where perfection is mandatory and silence is rewarded, Doll Parts follows four contestants (Samantha, Vanessa, Norah and Bea) as they navigate the machinery of performance and competition within a tradition not built for the girls competing, but for the men who watch them. As tensions start to rise, each contestant must figure out what it means to be seen, and what it costs to speak out.