 Cates worked at several regional theaters such as the Lucille Lortel White Barn Theatre, North Bay Opera, the Playhouse on the Green, Merry-Go-Round Playhouse and at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Conference.As a singer, she has appeared at numerous NYC clubs and theatres including the Duplex, the Producer's Club, Joe's Pub, Don't Tell Mama, XL, the Triad, and Therapy.In 2003, Cates starred in the off-Broadway production "Boobs!