Name: Kate Russell
Role in The Last Night of Ballyhoo: Sunny Freitag
Hometown: Morganville, New Jersey
School/Training: BFA Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts
Have you worked for Festival Stage of Winston-Salem before? I played twins, Mary Ann and Mary Lou, in last season’sThe Exact Center of the Universe, directed by Steve Umberger.
How are rehearsals going? Swell. I get to fall in love every day.
What is your favorite play? Chekhov’s, Three Sisters
When did you first catch the acting bug? My mother says I came out of the womb singing.
What is your dream role? Any of Shakespeare’s heroines: Imogen, Rosalind, Beatrice, Juliet, Ophelia, Cassandra.
How do you memorize all of those lines? Reading the script. Osmosis. Reading the script again. Muscle memory. Reading the script some more.
If you could not do theatre, what would your career be? I imagine you’d still find me in and among the arts somewhere; perhaps a cellist, ballerina or poet. Outside of the arts I’d like to campaign to stop sex trafficking around the world or teach inner city kids about food & nutrition and how to grow their own sustainable gardens.
How do you like to spend your time off-stage? Running or hiking through nature. Sharing a morning cup of coffee with my parents on their porch. Opening a bottle of wine and cooking dinner with Colin. Reading, writing, directing, studying.
What is the most recent book you have read? Joni Mitchell’s biography, Will you take me as I am, by Michelle Mercer.
What is your favorite part about being in High Point and Winston-Salem? Working with this wonderful company. Running around the lake in autumn. Bringing the community together to hear a play.
What advice do you have for a young actor? Be kind. Be bold. And listen.
Website Link: www.katerussell.net
Behind the Curtain 