This article was written by Gutsy Gals guest writer, Denise Berger.
In 1989, Kathryn Keats took a lead role in the musical, The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Theater on the Square in San Francisco. This would be her final performance for 20 years. Someone asked the stage manager if “that was Ellen Munger?” Replying that this was a case of mistaken identity, Kathryn slipped out the back door, and realized that earning a living and pursuing her passion in music would not be possible. That year, Kathryn won a Critic’s Circle Award for best female performance, but would not be there to claim it.
Kathryn Keats, born Ellen Christian Munger, was in a relationship that almost cost her life. During the 1980s, Ellen was a successful performer in New York City. She fell in love with the music director of an off-Broadway show. Together they began a fruitful collaboration writing music. But, the relationship became life threatening to Ellen after her partner succumbed to schizophrenia and began minding the voices he heard insisting he dismember her, leading him to torture her relentlessly. The love they had for one another turned dark, culminating in 54 days of captivity for Ellen. Her sister rescued her and an arduous jury trial began that was to change the legal system forever for victims of abuse. Her partner was given 6 months in a psychiatric ward, long enough for Ellen to go into hiding and, with the help of the Victim Witness Assistance Program, Ellen changed her identity to Kathryn Keats. Ellen Munger ceased to exist.
For 20 years after trying to perform under her new identity, but being discovered, Ellen abandoned her music and all ties to her past. She created a new past and packaged film in Los Angeles. She married a healthy man in the acting profession, Richard Conti, and had two beautiful children. It seemed like she was living an ordinary life but she was living a life in fear. Compounding the trauma of escaping domestic violence, unable to share the torturous experiences, flashbacks, or her constant fear of being found, Kathryn lived without a voice or expression of her musical abilities.
In 2006, Keats learned that the man who abused her had died. She was finally able to reveal the truth of her past. She captures the essence of liberation and longing, in a song called “Why Don’t You Pray.” Her then eight-year-old son, Lorenzo Conti, wrote the chorus. It is now a staple in The Kathryn Keats Show.
Kathryn Keats’ story has a happy ending. Today she devotes herself to educating others. In keynote speeches around the country, she spreads her message of hope and new beginnings, and she connects with her audiences with messages that celebrate the healthy power of love. To Kathryn, nothing is insurmountable and she preaches forgiveness as a path to reclaiming one’s life after an abusive relationship.
As a voice to victims of domestic violence, Keats is adamant that you can never be too old to do what you want. More keynote tips can be found here.
In addition, Kathryn leads an effort to reach our youth when they are most impressionable and teach them to qualify love, not violence. Says Keats, “As a country, we’ve seen national campaigns educate our youth about the risks of drug use and the importance of safe sex. We have spent a lot of time and money securing these very worthy programs. It is time we teach our youth how to identify a potentially harmful relationship before entering into it. We must give them the ability to ‘pre-qualify’ love. They need tools that will allow them to make choices about who they are letting into their hearts. We will begin the end of the cycle of domestic violence by beginning an educational program and from that we will see a great decline in domestic violence over the next 15 years. We will not continue to tolerate one in four women being beaten. We are going to make a change. And it is time we do.”
Kathryn Keats offers support to women who are reclaiming their lives. She is working with to develop programs for the YWCA chapters in southern California and is a champion for organizations such as Jeans for Justice. She has her own Community Outreach Program and is open to supporting any organization that wants to educate the world against domestic violence. She is vocal about her story to bring awareness. Kathryn was featured in Reader’s Digest in 2007 and she has developed a show based on her story representing the many who have loved, lost and hidden in order to stay alive. She hopes that this piece of theatre will inspire freedom.
And Kathryn has reclaimed music, playing such well-known venues as The Knitting Factory in Los Angeles and The Bitter End in New York City. She delights audiences with her uplifting performances. In 2007, she released her CD, After the Silence and is thrilled to be writing and recording an inspirational CD with multi Platinum Award winning producer, Narada Michael Walden. While love is in the air this February, let’s applaud Kathryn Keats and her work on behalf of victims of domestic abuse. Through her strength and fortitude, Kathryn shows us the power of a single voice. You can find Kathryn, her inspirational messages, her music and her CD for purchase at KathrynKeats.com.
