Kristy Cates
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| Kristy Cates | |
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| Born | Kristen Cates California, United States |
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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.
Kristy 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 Kristy "crowing" at the roosters who took up residence next to the playground. She was immediately cast as the singing rooster in the Christmas pageant.
Kristy 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. Ironically, she was roommates and friends with Shoshana Bean, a fellow Wicked alum. Upon graduation, Kristy 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.
After a few months in New York, Kristy was cast in the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players production of Princess Ida. Shortly there after, 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. Kristy has been lucky enough to have worked at several regional theaters such as the Lucille Lortel White Barn, 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, Kristy 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), Kristy garnered positive reviews from critics.
Three months into the run, Kristy auditioned for and was cast in the new musical Wicked as a member of the ensemble and understudy to Idina Menzel. On the original cast recording she sang "No one cries, they won't return!" and "I hear some rebel animals are giving her food and shelter." She also played the "woman with the parasol" in the Emerald City. As a member of the Wicked cast, she performed on the 2004 Tony Awards, the Late Show with David Letterman, and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. In March 2005, when Stephanie J. Block, the star of the Wicked national tour, was injured, Kristy flew to Toronto to play Elphaba as Stephanie recovered. While in Toronto, she was asked to join the Chicago cast of Wicked as standby to SNL alum, Ana Gasteyer.
Kristy Cates then replaced Ana Gasteyer to play Elphaba full time on January 24, 2006. Kristy starred alongside Stacie Morgain Lewis (Glinda) and Kristoffer Cusick (Fiyero). In Chicago, Kristy has performed the role of Elphaba many times and was seen performing last summer at the annual Taste of Chicago. She was honored to sing the National Anthem on Veterans Weekend at a Chicago Bears football game. After playing Elphaba for nearly a year, Kristy and co-stars, Kristoffer Cusick and Timothy Britten Parker, left Wicked on Sunday, December 10, 2006. Her replacement was Elphaba standby Dee Roscioli. She also sang the National Anthem for the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox games in spring of 2007.
In January of 2007, Kristy 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.
Cates has most recently been seen as Marty in a production of Grease that played in St. Louis at The Muny from June 25 to July 3, 2007.
