Kathy A. Perkins

Kathy A. Perkins is Professor of Theatre at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a professional lighting designer whose career centers on documenting Black women's contributions to American theatre since 1981.

Her research focuses on:

• African American Theatre and Women in Theatre
• Theatre Lighting Design from a historical perspective
• African Diaspora Performance traditions
• Oral history methodologies for preserving theatrical legacies

She specifically investigates the 'invisibility' of Black women behind the scenes as designers, producers, and directors.

Professor Perkins has edited six anthologies spotlighting women from Africa and the African Diaspora. Her interview projects with pioneers like Dr. Barbara Ann Teer (founder of Harlem's National Black Theatre) and director Glenda Dickerson are archived in the Routledge Performance Archive, demonstrating her commitment to preserving marginalized theatrical histories through primary source documentation.