Interview: Theatre Life with Kaitlyn Jackson

Today’s subject Kaitlyn Jackson is currently living her theatre life on tour playing multiple characters which include Beverley the pilot in the current National Tour of Come From Away. The show will be in our area from January 31st to February 2nd at Capital One Hall.

Kaitlyn’s previous stage credits include Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at Titusville Playhouse, Frozen, Anastasia, and Jersey Boys at Tuacahn Amphitheatre as well as the national tour of Anastasia. She has also performed at EPCOT and at Warner Bros.

You might also remember her as a featured contestant on Season 13 of American Idol.

Kaitlyn is a young performer with a drive and a passion for her craft. Her resume shows that in just a few short years, she has been able to land lead roles. That doesn’t always happen early on in one’s career.

Please consider grabbing some tickets to Come From Away this weekend at Capital One Hall and see for yourself why Kaitlyn Jackson is living her theatre life to the fullest.

At what age did you have an idea that you wanted to become a performer?

My mom always said I was a screamer as a baby, so I guess I developed my singing lungs early. I started dance classes at two years old, sang in my first talent show at five, and was in my first musical at six, I believe. I was always very outgoing and theatrical as a child, and I truly don’t remember entertainment not being a part of my life. My dad and I would sing to tracks as entertainment at various community events, and I recorded my first album of original music at twelve years old. I pursued the singer/songwriter life throughout high school, including an appearance on American Idol, the creation of my band (Kaitlyn Jackson & Hometown), and the release of my second album at sixteen, all while dancing competitively full-time. When it came time to make college decisions, I didn’t want to give up any of the performing avenues I’d been pursuing, so I decided to get my BFA in Acting from Ithaca College and shift gears to embark on a career in musical theatre so I could sing, dance, and act all at once!

Where did you receive your training?

I have a BFA in Acting from Ithaca College and a Certification in Unarmed Stage Combat from the British Academy of Stage and Screen Combat.

What was your first professional performing job?

I have gigged around with my father, and later my band, my whole life and it was amazing to start establishing a (very modest) income and a career so young. My first professional job in musical theatre, however, was with the College Light Opera Company in Falmouth, MA. I was hired to be a part of their summer season, including starring as Natalie in All Shook Up, but I ended up only joining them for their first few shows because I booked my first big break: the Broadway National Tour of Anastasia: The Musical! Things change at a moment’s notice in show biz!

Can you please tell us something about the character you play in Come From Away?

One of the most exciting things about Come From Away, as an actor, is that we all get to play multiple characters throughout the show. My two primary characters, Beverley and Annette, couldn’t be more different, which is so much fun. Beverley is the first female Captain to fly for American Airlines and she offers the pilots’ perspective of the “come from aways’” time in Gander. She is all business and has a lot of responsibility in her position and is challenged with balancing constant problem solving with easing the mind of her beloved husband at home and mourning the loss of her friend and colleague, Charles Burlingame, who captained American Airlines Flight 77 that crashed into the Pentagon during the tragedy. Annette, on the other hand, is a Newfoundland primary school teacher and is thrilled to see so many handsome foreign men coming to Gander. She is very sexually charged and views the world with a vivid imagination that the audience actually gets a glimpse into, as some of her fantasies are played out on stage.

Can you please take us through what happens every time you go into a new venue? What is a typical day like?

On a typical load-in day at a new venue, our crew works tirelessly to get all of our equipment and scenery set up in the theatre by the time the cast arrives, usually just over two hours before curtain. We will have a company meeting with our leadership about venue and city specifics, and then we begin sound check. Our band is seated and balanced first while the cast gets into microphones, and then we will join them on stage and sing through a number of songs in the show. From there, we are all released to get into makeup, wigs, and costumes and do some final warm-ups before the show. At five minutes to “places,” the cast likes to connect in a circle to unite and tune in with one another before we take the stage to tell this important and very human story, and then we head to the wings. We hear the drum beat begin and we’re off on our 100 minute marathon!

Why do you think Come From Away resonates with its audiences? 

I like to say that Come From Away is one of the most accessible musicals I’ve ever seen. Not only do most audience members have specific memories of their experience of 9/11, but the show itself depicts such a diverse array of those experiences that nearly everyone has something they can relate to. The characters are so human and truthful, and the bodies and cultures represented on stage are so diverse. We were also directed specifically to deliver this story as narrators with a need to share and to do our best not to inject our words with too much sadness and emotion. “We don’t cry in Come From Away” our team would tell us. This neutral delivery allows audiences to project their own emotions onto the experiences being described, and those emotions may not be the same for everyone watching in any given moment. It creates space for wider interpretations and moments of connection with the show.

What do you enjoy the most about touring across the country in Come From Away

While I joined the Come From Away family relatively recently, I have already witnessed how much this show means to our audiences and how deeply it impacts people. In a world so divided, I feel so lucky to call this story of unity, kindness, and generosity my home and to be a part of an experience that can remind audiences of the goodness humans are capable of. We need that hope, now more than ever.

Special thanks to Capital One Hall's Director of Marketing Cristina Mayer for her assistance in coordinating this interview.

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