MTA: What got you hooked on musical theatre?
Kathleen: I was eleven and my mother insisted I do some sort of activity over the summer. She found a camp called "Junior Broadway" that was being put on by a local theatre company whose production of a musical version of The Diary Of Anne Frank we had just seen. The show we put on was a western musical called "Wagon Wheels West" and I was cast as one of the outlaw cowboys (my first of two cowboys I've played so far). I even had a rather big solo singing part, though before this, I'd never sung in front of anyone, much less in a play.
MTA: What is your favorite past performing experience?
Kathleen: Playing Tuptim in The King and I. I hadn't done a real show other than in school for a while and was given the audition notice, expecting to get a role in the chorus. When I found out that I had a call-back for Tuptim, and then eventually got the part, I was more than thrilled. I got along great with the entire cast and crew and completely immersed myself in the role. I saw a lot of myself in the character and learned so much from my cast-mates as far as acting and singing (and also finally developed proper posture :D). It really was an experience I will never forget.
MTA: What is your "dream role"?
Kathleen: Currently, it's probably Cunegonde in Candide. I've set a goal for myself as a soprano to completely nail her song: "Glitter and Be Gay", and it would be nice to do so in front of an audience.
MTA: Who has been your biggest supporter of your growth as a performer?
Kathleen: My father, who sings and play guitar. He would always find all-ages karaoke places to take me when I was younger, and take me to open-mic nights to play guitar for me. He's always encouraged my gift, and shares a love of musicals and operetta.
MTA: Is there anything that really bugs you about performing or the performance industry?
Kathleen: Diva-ism. There's a lot of cattiness backstage that I've noticed with a lot of actors I've worked with. Egos are over-inflated and nerves are high strung, and that can cause some people to become really nasty behind others' backs. Also, the stereotyping of certain groups like technicians, actors, costumers, stage management, etc. I've come to notice it more being on the production side of things, but different groups all have opinions on others and they're usually negative and mostly untrue.
MTA: What do you do when you aren't performing?
Kathleen: I'm in my final year of Theatre Arts in Costume Cutting and Construction at Red Deer College. We're taught sewing techniques and pattern drafting, and make all of the costumes for the acting students' productions at the college.
MTA: Have you done any professional (paid) performance work?
Kathleen: I was in a production of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" with the aforementioned theatre company that I took classes with (not too long after I started there). After that show closed, the director started up a travelling performance troupe of children and teenagers that went around to schools and senior centres to promote the theatre, performing a revue of songs and scenes. I was then cast in a production of "Nell and the Wild Goose", but sadly, the company went bankrupt before we went into rehearsal.
MTA: Who would you really love to work with?
Kathleen: Stephen Sondheim is my hero. He writes such beautiful music.. I could die happy if I were cast in an original production of his and had the chance to get instruction from him. |
