* = I’ve been known to call my crowded Monday morning commuter train into NYC “Monticello” from time to time. One does what one must to distract the mind from the smell of sweaty seatmates…
“Tell us about yourself. We have precious little information…”
I’m a freelance musical theater actor, writer & puppeteer currently living in Hackensack, NJ… but I originally hail from the Capital District of Upstate NY (Albany-ish… juuust outside of there). I graduated from Russell Sage College with a BS in Musical Theater (which some people find redundant?) When I’m not in ‘actor’ mode, I’m also a classic rock fanatic and ardent supporter of Sky Blue FC in the National Women’s Soccer League.
How familiar were you with 1776 before joining this cast?
Well, I count 1776 as one of my top five favorite musicals of all time, so that probably says quite a bit right off the bat! My father- the Revolutionary War/American History buff- sat me down to watch the William Daniels movie version when I was about twelve years old and I was hooked from the first downbeat. There’s something incredibly special about the balance this show strikes between honoring the legacy of these historic, iconic figures… while still showing Adams, Franklin, Jefferson, (et al) as real, flawed, warts-and-all human beings.
(I also remember thinking, even as a pre-teen that, given the chance, I would love to play… pretty much any of the “boy roles”! Well, guess what, 12 year old Kay? Dreams do come true!)
How much (or little) do you know about your colony/state?
Uhhmm… myyy… high school honors choir once competed in a national event at Virginia Beach? Does that count? Oh! And the state bird is the Cardinal! Old Dominion! “Virginia is for lovers!”
… okay, okay. I mean, I do have a friend who works as a reenactor at Colonial Williamsburg and is having the time of her life. Clearly, I’m due a visit…
As your colony’s stance on the question of Independency is well known… let us instead pose another, highly divisive question: Pumpkin Spice- Yea or Nay?
*ponderous Jeffersonian pose* *pause of deep consideration*
“I suppose… the Tree of Liberty must be refreshed, from time to time, with the Pumpkin Spice Latte of Patriots and Tyrants…”
But that doesn’t answer the quest–?
*silently returns to books and deep thinky-thoughts…*