Arts Critic Sandy Katz at 80
Traveling Sandy Was an ATCA Member
By: Charles Giuliano - Jan 13, 2021
Sandy Katz, a theatre critic and travel writer from Charleston, Carolina, busted out with charisma and personality.
Dubbed “Traveling Sandy” her bags were always packed for any destination. Her relatively understated husband, Gerry, ran interference. He was ever ready to take pictures to illustrate her articles for newspapers and magazines.
In 2012 we were new to American Theatre Critics Association when we joined the annual meeting in Chicago. There was a tented reception and our New York friend and cultural ambassador, Fast Eddy, was introducing us to his very best friends in the whole world. In frequent e mails he refers to us as possums.
But Sandy might better be described as a rascal. There was always a twinkle in her eye particularly when interacting with a leading man, on or off stage. Gerry made a point of never seeming to notice.
We became great friends, and being of the same age, often shared symptoms. From when I met her she got around with a cane. But she and Gerry never missed a lively ATCA conference. They were a part of the gang of possums that Fast Eddy would herd together to sit at a table or go out to a restaurant.
She always had travel tips from her many global jaunts.
That was slowing down but she sent me some to repost to this site. She also sent along the occasional review from the Charleston theatre scene. Back in the day, she had regular gigs in the media. That morphed into doing freelance work.
Her writing style was quirky, personal, and adventurous. You got a vivid sense of how she interacted with destinations she visited. Sandy always seemed eager to go that extra mile to bring flavor to her stories.
In one we posted it was a hoot to see her decked out in a colorful, traditional kimono.
Here is a link to one of her stories Sandy at Sardis.
Thanks for the good times. You always put a smile on my face but none was ever bigger than yours.