"Stay curious-- Follow Your Whims." Chatting with Kristin Yancy!
I would like you to meet the amazingly talented Kristin Yancy! Kristin will be starring as Liza in Seven Brides For Seven Brothers at The Muny directed by the one and only Josh Rhodes. Kristin has performed on Broadway in The Cher Show and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. Kristin has also worked with companies such as The Kennedy Center, 5th Avenue Theatre, Guthrie Theater, Asolo Rep, and Remarkable Entertainment. She has also co-starred on the Katy Keene Pilot for the CW and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee for TBS. I have seen Kristin perform several times, and I can say emphatically that she is truly a rare talent that is worth the price of admission. I am so happy to have the chance to feature her!
How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a performer?
You know, from day one, I knew I loved to perform. By age seven, I would show up to family playdates with scripts I had written with my sister and a bag full of props. We used to hang big blankets over the clothesline in my aunt’s backyard, and I’d make our cousins put on shows with me. But, I didn’t really have a lot of examples of what it could look like to be a working professional in the arts. My family was very studious and very practical (they are incredibly supportive now, but this career was new for all of us!), so it wasn’t until much later, while I was in college, that I decided to go for it. The thought of sitting in the audience watching a performance but not being a performer myself was painful even to think about. I knew I had to try.
Where did you study? Do you have any mentors that truly helped make you the amazing multifaceted artist you are today?
Thank you! I went to Washington University in St. Louis, but I didn’t actually major in Dance while I was there. The department opened its doors to me anyway, and it was a wonderful place to experiment creatively-- particularly as an aspiring choreographer. I have Cecil Slaughter and David Marchant to thank for that early launch pad. Later, I did more intensive dance training at Joffrey Ballet School and San Francisco Conservatory of Dance. But I feel like I’m still learning all the time-- each new experience or job has brought me new mentors and new ways of thinking. Sidra Bell taught me how to edit; Josh Rhodes has taught me to stay true to the story; Alex Ketley gave me the gift of self-exploration in a studio-sans-mirror; Maija Garcia showed me the importance of connecting to your roots; Joseph Haj showed me what true collaboration looks like between a director and a cast; Heidi Marshall reminded me of the importance of community; Ryan Heffington helped me to embrace my weird and quirky instincts; Eddie Schnecker helped me to embrace my voice, and Jamie Carroll teaches me all the time how to simplify and trust that it’s enough. There’s still more! It would take forever to list everyone who has ever helped or inspired me along the way, but suffice it to say, it really does take a village, and inspiration is everywhere.
Congratulations on Seven Brides at The Muny! Josh and Lee are absolute gems! How does it feel to be back on stage?
Josh Rhodes and Lee Wilkins are just the best, and it’s a real gift that my first theatre experience back has the two of them at the helm. We haven’t hit the stage yet, but on our first day of rehearsal, I was grinning like an idiot for 8 hours straight. Sweating and partnering and jumping off tables and live accompaniment? Without a mask for the first time in a year and a half?! It was heaven.
Are there any roles, shows, or performances you have done in your career that stick out and will always be near and dear to you?
Joseph Haj and Maija Garcia’s production of West Side Story at The Guthrie Theater will always have a really special place in my heart. I had done the show many times before, but that production challenged the script in a way I hadn’t seen, and our cast really felt like a true snapshot of these young people from everywhere thrown together on a couple of city blocks in New York. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a taste of what good dramaturgy and intentional diverse casting can do. The energy was right. I’ll also never forget my Principal Broadway debut. A few weeks earlier, I had just finished my put in when they announced the show was closing. I didn’t think I’d get a chance to try the part, but, the day after Christmas and four days before we closed, I went on. I couldn’t believe how much fun it was! The cast was incredible; I was overwhelmed by how lovely and supportive everyone was, and the fact that it was going to be my only shot at it somehow made it easier to relax and just live in it. My heart felt very full going home that night!
What advice would you give any young aspiring artist?
Have hobbies! Don’t ever stop making stuff, whatever that means to you. Stay curious-- follow your whims. Training, work ethic, and perseverance are important, yes, but the truth is the only thing that really sets you apart in this business is the fact that YOU are YOU. So get to know yourself. Get to know your creative brain. Having an identity, interests, and relationships outside of work are only going to make you a richer, more interesting artist. And, beyond that, I find that it’s my personal creative projects, my “artist dates,” and my FRIENDS that sustain me during lulls or rough patches. It’s that foundation that motivates me to train, that helps me grow, and that keeps me grounded. Having a full life makes me a full artist.
Seven Brides For Seven Brothers opens on August 12th at The Muny. For more information please visit - https://muny.org; and to learn more about Kristin please visit her official website at - https://www.kristinyancy.com