Kristy Cates
Encyclopedia
Kristen "Kristy" Cates is an American
actress and singer, best known for her role as Elphaba
in the Chicago
production of Wicked
. She was previously in the casts of Princess Ida
and the off-Broadway
production Boobs! The Musical
.
in Napa, California
.
She performed in many community theater productions around her native Northern California, spending 7 years with the Pinole Young Actors group. At age 17, she was cast in her first professional production and made the decision to pursue a career in theater. She auditioned for, and was accepted to, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
where she spent four years, graduating with a B.F.A.
in Musical Theatre in 1999. Ironically, she was roommates and friends with Shoshana Bean
, a fellow Wicked
alum. Upon graduation, Cates was cast in two productions at the St. Louis MUNY
and was fortunate enough to move to New York City
with her Actor's Equity card in hand.
production of Princess Ida
. Shortly thereafter, she began to perform with a number of extremely talented "unknown" writers and composers - even presenting a cabaret of their work at the historical club, Don't Tell Mama
. Cates has been lucky enough to have worked at several regional theaters such as the Lucille Lortel White Barn Theatre
, North Bay Opera, the Playhouse on the Green and at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Conference. As a singer, she has appeared at numerous NYC clubs/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! The Musical
which celebrated the songs of legendary 50's and 60's singer, Ruth Wallis. Playing Ruth Wallis herself along with a barrage of other characters (including a medicated Mary Poppins
, and a Follies Bergere wannabe), Cates garnered positive reviews from critics.
as an ensemble member and understudy for the role of Elphaba
, which was played by Idina Menzel
. The show opened October 30, 2003, after previews from October 8. She can be heard on the original Broadway cast recording of the show. As a member of the cast, she performed on the 2004 Tony Awards, Late Show with David Letterman
, and at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
. In March 2005, when Stephanie J. Block
, who was set to play Elphaba on the show's first national tour, was injured, Cates flew to Toronto to play the role as Stephanie recovered. Cates then returned to the Broadway production and played her final performance May 29, 2005, to originate the role of Standby Elphaba in the Chicago sit-down production of the musical, to Ana Gasteyer
's Elphaba.
The Chicago production began previews June 24, 2005, and opened on July 13, 2005. On January 24, 2006, Cates replaced Gasteyer in the lead role. She appeared at the Taste of Chicago
and sang the National Anthem on Veterans Weekend at a Chicago Bears football game. Cates left the show on December 10, 2006, and was replaced by Dee Roscioli
.
In a recent interview with WickedinNews.com Cates revealed that a return to Wicked was "possible".
and Chicago White Sox
games in spring of 2007.
Cates was recently seen as Marty in a production of Grease
that played in St. Louis at The Muny
from June 25 to July 3, 2007.
Cates also took part in the reading of a new musical called City of Light.
Cates will be starring as Tracy Boyd in the new musical "Unbeatable." The show will play Phoenix and Houston before opening Off-Broadway at New World Stages on October 10, 2008.
In February 2010, Cates starred as Susan in the Lyric Theatre at the Plaza production of the Stephen Schwartz
musical "Snapshots" in the Plaza District of Oklahoma City
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress and singer, best known for her role as Elphaba
Elphaba
Elphaba Thropp is a fictional character in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway and West End adaptations, Wicked. In the original L. Frank Baum book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is unnamed and little...
in the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
production of Wicked
Wicked (musical)
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
. She was previously in the casts of Princess Ida
Princess Ida
Princess Ida; or, Castle Adamant is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It was their eighth operatic collaboration of fourteen. Princess Ida opened at the Savoy Theatre on January 5, 1884, for a run of 246 performances...
and the off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
production Boobs! The Musical
Boobs! The Musical
Boobs! The Musical: The World According to Ruth Wallis is a musical revue with lyrics and music by 1950s and 1960s star Ruth Wallis. Using 23 of Wallis' songs, Boobs! tells the story of Ruth Wallis' international career and struggles in performing her naughty songs...
.
Early life and education
Cates started her performing career at 3 years old, singing songs and presenting self-written musicals on the hearth of her family's fireplace. In the second grade, her talents were recognized by the director of her grammar school musical who heard Cates "crowing" at the roosters who took up residence next to the playground. She was immediately cast as the singing rooster in the Christmas pageant. Cates attended Justin-Siena High SchoolJustin-Siena High School
Justin-Siena High School is a Roman Catholic college preparatory school, located in Napa, California within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Santa Rosa in California. The school was created when Justin High School for males, sponsored by the Christian Brothers of the San Francisco District, merged...
in Napa, California
Napa, California
-History:The name Napa was probably derived from the name given to a southern Nappan village whose people shared the area with elk, deer, grizzlies and cougars for many centuries, according to Napa historian Kami Santiago. At the time of the first recorded exploration into Napa Valley in 1823, the...
.
She performed in many community theater productions around her native Northern California, spending 7 years with the Pinole Young Actors group. At age 17, she was cast in her first professional production and made the decision to pursue a career in theater. She auditioned for, and was accepted to, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
The University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music is the performing arts college of the University of Cincinnati and is one of the nation's leading music conservatories. In its most recent rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked Cincinnati sixth nationally among university programs...
where she spent four years, graduating with a B.F.A.
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
in Musical Theatre in 1999. Ironically, she was roommates and friends with Shoshana Bean
Shoshana Bean
Shoshana Elise Bean is an American stage actress and singer known for her roles in Broadway musicals. She is best known for playing Elphaba on Broadway in the musical Wicked.-Early life and education:...
, a fellow Wicked
Wicked (musical)
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
alum. Upon graduation, Cates was cast in two productions at the St. Louis MUNY
The Muny
The Muny, short for The Municipal Theatre Association of St. Louis, is an outdoor musical theatre, located in Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri...
and was fortunate enough to move to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with her Actor's Equity card in hand.
Career
After a few months in New York, Cates was cast in the New York Gilbert and Sullivan PlayersNew York Gilbert and Sullivan Players
New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players is a professional repertory theatre company, based in New York City that has specialized in the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan for over 35 years...
production of Princess Ida
Princess Ida
Princess Ida; or, Castle Adamant is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It was their eighth operatic collaboration of fourteen. Princess Ida opened at the Savoy Theatre on January 5, 1884, for a run of 246 performances...
. Shortly thereafter, she began to perform with a number of extremely talented "unknown" writers and composers - even presenting a cabaret of their work at the historical club, Don't Tell Mama
Don't tell mama
Don't Tell Mama is a piano bar and cabaret located at 343 West 46th Street in New York City, USA, known in part for being featured on the TV show Friends....
. Cates has been lucky enough to have worked at several regional theaters such as the Lucille Lortel White Barn Theatre
White Barn Theatre
The White Barn Theatre was a small theater founded by actress, producer and theater impresario Lucille Lortel on the property of her estate in Norwalk, Connecticut that premiered numerous plays from major playwrights and plays that went on to successful Broadway and Off-Broadway runs.Lortel founded...
, North Bay Opera, the Playhouse on the Green and at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Conference. As a singer, she has appeared at numerous NYC clubs/theatres including the Duplex, the Producer's Club, Joe's Pub
Joe's Pub
Joe's Pub at Public Theater is a nightclub that hosts live performances regularly. The venue, which is a non-profit operation, is located at 425 Lafayette Street near Astor Place in Manhattan, New York City...
, Don't Tell Mama, XL, the Triad, and Therapy.
In 2003, Cates starred in the off-Broadway production Boobs! The Musical
Boobs! The Musical
Boobs! The Musical: The World According to Ruth Wallis is a musical revue with lyrics and music by 1950s and 1960s star Ruth Wallis. Using 23 of Wallis' songs, Boobs! tells the story of Ruth Wallis' international career and struggles in performing her naughty songs...
which celebrated the songs of legendary 50's and 60's singer, Ruth Wallis. Playing Ruth Wallis herself along with a barrage of other characters (including a medicated Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins is a series of children's books written by P. L. Travers and originally illustrated by Mary Shepard. The books centre on a magical English nanny, Mary Poppins. She is blown by the East wind to Number Seventeen Cherry Tree Lane, London and into the Banks' household to care for their...
, and a Follies Bergere wannabe), Cates garnered positive reviews from critics.
Wicked
Cates was then cast in the new musical WickedWicked (musical)
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
as an ensemble member and understudy for the role of Elphaba
Elphaba
Elphaba Thropp is a fictional character in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway and West End adaptations, Wicked. In the original L. Frank Baum book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is unnamed and little...
, which was played by Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel
Idina Kim Menzel is an American actress, singer and songwriter. She is widely known for originating the roles of Maureen in Rent and Elphaba in Wicked.-Early life:...
. The show opened October 30, 2003, after previews from October 8. She can be heard on the original Broadway cast recording of the show. As a member of the cast, she performed on the 2004 Tony Awards, Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
, and at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, often shortened to Macy's Day Parade, is an annual parade presented by Macy's. The tradition started in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States along with America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, and four years younger than...
. In March 2005, when Stephanie J. Block
Stephanie J. Block
Stephanie J. Block is an American actress and singer. She is most well known for her work on the Broadway stage. She has additionally been nominated for a Drama Desk Award and a Drama League Award. She released her debut solo album through PS Classics in June 2009...
, who was set to play Elphaba on the show's first national tour, was injured, Cates flew to Toronto to play the role as Stephanie recovered. Cates then returned to the Broadway production and played her final performance May 29, 2005, to originate the role of Standby Elphaba in the Chicago sit-down production of the musical, to Ana Gasteyer
Ana Gasteyer
Ana Kristina Gasteyer is an American actress of stage, film, and television. She is best known for her comedic roles when she was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1996 to 2002.-Early life:...
's Elphaba.
The Chicago production began previews June 24, 2005, and opened on July 13, 2005. On January 24, 2006, Cates replaced Gasteyer in the lead role. She appeared at the Taste of Chicago
Taste of Chicago
The Taste of Chicago is the world's largest food festival, held annually for ten days in Grant Park, in Chicago starting the Friday before the 4th of July and ending the Sunday after . The event is the largest festival in Chicago...
and sang the National Anthem on Veterans Weekend at a Chicago Bears football game. Cates left the show on December 10, 2006, and was replaced by Dee Roscioli
Dee Roscioli
Dee Roscioli is an American singer and actress, who is known for her performances as "Elphaba" in the Chicago, San Francisco, Broadway and national touring productions of the musical Wicked.-Education:She graduated from Wilson Area High School in 1995 and DeSales University in 1999...
.
In a recent interview with WickedinNews.com Cates revealed that a return to Wicked was "possible".
Post-Wicked
In January 2007, Cates made her way back to Chicago for a weekend of her own Solo Shows, which she calls "An Inteminent Evening with Kristy Cates". Each of her shows was sold out, selling over 350 tickets every night. She also sang the National Anthem for the Chicago CubsChicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
games in spring of 2007.
Cates was recently seen as Marty in a production of Grease
Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
that played in St. Louis at The Muny
The Muny
The Muny, short for The Municipal Theatre Association of St. Louis, is an outdoor musical theatre, located in Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri...
from June 25 to July 3, 2007.
Cates also took part in the reading of a new musical called City of Light.
Cates will be starring as Tracy Boyd in the new musical "Unbeatable." The show will play Phoenix and Houston before opening Off-Broadway at New World Stages on October 10, 2008.
In February 2010, Cates starred as Susan in the Lyric Theatre at the Plaza production of the Stephen Schwartz
Stephen Schwartz (composer)
Stephen Lawrence Schwartz is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over four decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as Godspell , Pippin and Wicked...
musical "Snapshots" in the Plaza District of Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
.