Hometown: Great Neck, New York
Education: attended Moore College Of Art; and NYU
Select Credits: Food And Fadwa at NY Theatre Workshop; a site specific play by the genius Daniel Reitz called Fall Forward, which was done at a Church on Wall Street; and Waxing WEST by Saviana Stanescu, a brilliant political play that we did at La Mama and then toured both Romania and Sweden. Since relocating to NYC, I have performed in over 30 plays and 3 musicals.
Why theater?: You are in the moment, you get to live in the moment every night, you get to experience it all over and over….and it’s always a new challenge, a new opportunity to find yourself in the role. It thrills me.
Who do you play in Gertrude- The Cry?: I play Isola, the mother of Claudius, step mother of Gertrude, grandmother of Hamlet; she is a lusty devil of a woman
Tell us about Gertrude- The Cry: Ah, this play. Such brilliant words, such dramatic images, such a bunch of miscreants…delightful in their selfishness and single mindedness; the challenge is to find what you can love about these characters and I think we all do. So, while it is heavy material and very confrontational, I think these are people the audience can relate to.
What is it like being a part of Gertrude- The Cry?: Being in this play is like being part of a tsunami; big and bold and ever forward rushing, unrelenting, eating anything in the way. It’s a giant ride.
What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: THIS kind of theatre speaks to me; theatre that is smart and painful and asks the audience to have an experience rather than simply be entertained. And it is playwrights who inspire me. For me, it’s all about the words. I can read a play and rarely visualize it well as I read but I always hear the words and know when they sing to me
Any roles you’re dying to play?: The next one. I concentrate on original works, rarely see a play and wish that I had gotten the role.
What’s your favorite showtune?: Anything Sondheim or Kurt Weill. I am not a big musical theatre person, although I have recently done 3 musicals and LOVE doing them. I have a small vocal range but good pitch and can deliver a song. I auditioned for Madame Morrible and that would have been a fun job…oh, well.
If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Woody Allen, and that is the beginning of a very long list
Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I would play Me and it would be called "Onward She Goes Though The Hakken Kraks Howl", and anyone who knows the Dr. Seuss book will understand.
What show have you recommended to your friends?: Casa Valentina was the last show I recommended; gorgeous.
What’s the most played song on your iTunes?: Paul Simon's "Me and Julio"; just makes me so happy
What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: It used to be "Project Runway"….now "Louis CK"….and the new FX show "Married: by Andrew Gurland; funny, real, painful
What’s up next?: A quick trip to Boulder to see my sister; 2 days on an Indie film; 2 theatre auditions
For more on Kathryn, visit www.kathrynkates.com
