Kate Rockwell (actress)

Kate Rockwell (born Katherine Rockwell Wilfong; August 4, 1984)[1] is an American actress, dancer, and singer. She is known for her work on Broadway and for originating the roles of Skylar in Bring It On: The Musical in 2011 and of Karen Smith in the 2018 musical, Mean Girls, for the latter of which she received Drama Desk Award and Helen Hayes Award nominations.[2]

For the vaudeville performer, see Kathleen Rockwell.
Kate Rockwell
Born
Katherine Rockwell Wilfong

(1984-08-04) August 4, 1984
Alma materBaldwin Wallace University
(BM, 2006)
Occupation
  • Actress
  • dancer
  • singer
Years active2008–present
Spouse(s)
Spencer Howard
(
m. 2014)

Early life and education

Rockwell was born in Connecticut and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio.[3] She is the eldest child born to Charles Wilfong and Linda Warner (née Rockwell).[1][4] She has two younger siblings, Elizabeth (who goes by "Libet") and William (who goes by "Bear").[1][4]

She graduated from Sycamore High School in 2002.[5] During her freshman year, Rockwell was cast as Grandma Tzeitel in her high school's staging of Fiddler on the Roof, her first on-stage theatre experience.[5][6] She has said in interviews that this production made her first realize her desire to pursue musical theatre as a career.[6] In 2002 during her time at Sycamore High School, she helped found the New Stage Collective, a local Cincinnati theater company (later closed in 2009 due to lack of funding).[7][8] Rockwell then attended Baldwin Wallace University and earned a BM in musical theatre in 2006.[9]

Career

Soon after graduating from college, Rockwell was cast in her first professional production as Philia in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival in Boise, Idaho under the direction of her former Baldwin Wallace professor, Victoria Bussert.[10] The production later transferred to the Great Lakes Theater with Rockwell continuing as Philia.[10]

In 2007, Rockwell was one of the final 12 contestants on NBC's Grease: You're the One That I Want!, a televised reality competition designed to cast the lead roles of Sandy Dumbrowski and Danny Zuko for the Broadway revival of Grease directed by Kathleen Marshall.[11] She was nicknamed "Serious Sandy" and was ultimately eliminated, placing fifth to eventual winner, Laura Osnes.[11]

Rockwell made her Broadway debut as Margot in Legally Blonde on May 15, 2008, replacing Haven Burton.[12] She later joined the U.S. national touring production of Legally Blonde for 3 months as a replacement for the role of Margot (after Rhiannon Hansen broke her leg during a performance).[13] In March 2010 she joined the cast of 2009 Broadway production of Hair and remained with the production until its closing on June 27, 2010.[14] Rockwell then continued on as a Member of the Tribe in the U.S. national touring production of the musical.[15]

In January 2011 at the Alliance Theatre, Rockwell starred as Skylar in the world premiere of Bring It On: The Musical, loosely based on the 2000 film of the same name.[16] She remained part of the production through its national tour in 2011 and limited engagement on Broadway from August to December 2012.[17][18][19][20] In January 2013, she returned to Broadway as Sherrie in Rock of Ages, replacing fellow Grease: You're the One That I Want! competitor, Ashley Spencer.[21] During the days surrounding her debut as Sherrie, Rockwell filmed a series of video blogs for Broadway.com entitled "Oh, Sherrie! Backstage at Rock of Ages with Kate Rockwell."[22] She left the production on April 20, 2014 and was replaced by Carrie St. Louis.[23]

After completing her run in Rock of Ages, Rockwell, "left the business," for about two years; stating in interviews, "I needed perspective. I needed some change. I needed to see what it was like to do something else."[24] During this time, she worked in the wine industry in a shop in the Lower East Side for about 18 months.[25] Rockwell further solidified her passion for wine and went on to earn an advanced certification from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust in 2016.[26][27] She gradually grew to miss performing and the theater community and began auditioning occasionally.[28]

In the summer of 2014, Rockwell portrayed Jane, opposite Nicholas Rodriguez, in The Muny's production of Tarzan.[29] She returned to The Muny the following summer, starring as Belle in the company's production of Beauty and the Beast.[30]

In the fall of 2016, Rockwell appeared in the Arena Stage's regional production of Carousel as Carrie Pipperidge.[31] She was later nominated for a Helen Hayes Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical category for this role.[32] After the closing of Carousel, Rockwell decided to pursue musical theatre as her sole career for one year, "to see if it [felt] right."[33] It was during this time that she booked the role of Karen Smith in Mean Girls.[33]

Beginning in 2017, Rockwell starred as Karen Smith in the Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical, Mean Girls, written by Tina Fey with music and lyrics by Jeff Richmond and Nell Benjamin, respectively.[34][35][36] The show had its world premiere as an out-of-town tryout at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. from October 31, 2017 to December 3, 2017 in which Rockwell originated the role of Karen Smith.[36][37] The musical, which is based on the film of the same name, began previews on March 12, 2018, and officially opened on Broadway on April 8, 2018 at the August Wilson Theatre in New York City.[38] For this role she received a nomination for the Helen Hayes Award in the Outstanding Performer in a Visiting Production category (for her performance in the D.C. production) and a nomination for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical.[2][39] Rockwell left the production on March 8, 2020 and was replaced by Laura Leigh Turner.[40][41]

Personal life

In 2008, Rockwell met actor, Spencer Howard, when he (as dance captain) was preparing Rockwell for her entry into the Legally Blonde national tour as a replacement for an injured performer.[42][43] In February 2009, they began a relationship.[43] Rockwell and Howard then married on September 8, 2014 in Marblehead, Massachusetts.[44] The couple now reside in New York City with their two dogs, Mabel and Bessie.[43]

Theatre credits
Year Title Role Theatre Director(s) Ref.
2006 A Funny Thing Happened on the
Way to the Forum		 Philia Idaho Shakespeare Festival Victoria Bussert
[10]
Great Lakes Theater
2007 Big Tent Jessica Hahn New World Stages Ryan J. Davis
[45]
High School Musical Sharpay Evans North Shore Music Theatre Barry Ivan
[46]
2007-08 Phantom Christine Daaé Westchester Broadway Theatre Tom Polum
[47]
2008 Legally Blonde Margot (replacement) Palace Theatre Jerry Mitchell
[12]
High School Musical 2 Sharpay Evans North Shore Music Theatre Barry Ivan
[48]
2008-10 Legally Blonde Margot (u.s Elle Woods) U.S. National Tour Jerry Mitchell
[43]
2009 Factory Girls Martha New World Stages Victoria Bussert
[49]
F#@king Up Everything Juliana 45th Street Theater Stephen Brackett
[50]
2010 Hair Member of the Tribe/Black Boys Trio (replacement) Al Hirschfeld Theatre Diane Paulus
[14]
2010-11 Member of the Tribe U.S. National Tour
[15]
2011 Bring It On: The Musical Skylar Alliance Theatre Andy Blankenbuehler
[51]
U.S. National Tour
[52]
2012 St. James Theatre
[53]
The Circus in Winter Irene New World Stages Victoria Bussert
[54]
2013–14 Rock of Ages Sherrie Christian (replacement) Helen Hayes Theatre Kristin Hanggi
[21]
2014 A Confederacy of Dunces Darlene Pearl Studios David Esbjornson
[55]
Tarzan Jane The Muny John Tartaglia
[29]
2015 Beauty and the Beast Belle Matt Lenz
[30]
2016 Hollywood Mabel Normand La Jolla Playhouse Christopher Ashley
[56]
Carousel Carrie Pipperidge Arena Stage Molly Smith
[31]
2017 Mean Girls Karen Smith National Theatre (out-of-town tryout) Casey Nicholaw
[36][37]
2018–20 August Wilson Theatre
[35]

• Credits in bold indicate Broadway production(s)

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Ref.
2008 Sex and the City Twenty-Something Girl #2
[57]
2014 Russian Broadway Shut Down Lesbian
[58]

Television
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2007 Grease: You're the One That I Want! Herself 3 episodes
[59]
2015 Deadbeat Jen Episode: "The Ghost of Christmas Presents"
[60]
The Battery's Down Blonde Girl Episode: "Reunion"
[61]
2018 High Maintenance Episode: "Globo"
[62]
Saturday Night Live Herself (uncredited) Episode: "Tina Fey"
[63]

Discography

Solo recordings
  • Back To My Roots (2018)[64]

Cast recordings

Collaborative projects
  • Broadway's Carols for a Cure, Volume 14 (2012)[67]
  • Broadway's Carols for a Cure, Volume 20 (2018)[68]
  • "Rockin' Around the Pole" by The Hot Elves (2018)[69]

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2017 Helen Hayes Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical Carousel Nominated
[32]
2018 Outstanding Performer - Visiting Production Mean Girls Nominated
[2]
Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Nominated
[39]
gollark: Lyricly went into the in-containment "Wellington" replica.
gollark: *checks increasingly nested clipboards* Yep, pretty sure.
gollark: Ah yes, it's one of the internally spatially expanded containment sites.
gollark: It looks like *checks clipboard* *checks nested clipboard* we didn't.
gollark: I should get my guesses in.

References
  1. "Jant Barnard Rockwell (1932-2008) - Obituary". Murphy Funeral Home.
  2. "2018 Helen Hayes Awards". theatrewashington.org. 2018.
  3. Alan Seales (July 23, 2019). "Ep43 - Kate Rockwell". YouTube (Podcast). The Theatre Podcast. Event occurs at 6:39.
  4. "Violet Steel Wilfong". The Times. August 14, 2011.
  5. Brunner, Jeryl (July 17, 2018). "Q&A: Meet Kate Rockwell of 'Mean Girls: The Musical'". ShowTickets.com.
  6. Alan Seales (July 23, 2019). "Ep43 - Kate Rockwell". YouTube (Podcast). The Theatre Podcast. Event occurs at 8:43.
  7. Kanter, Annie (February 28, 2007). "Students Celebrate Sandy Starlet". Sycamore Leaf. 53 (7). p. 22.
  8. "New Stage Collective to Close After Seven Seasons". CityBeat. April 6, 2009.
  9. Wein, Alexandra (April 2, 2018). "Music Theatre Alumna Takes Over Broadway in 'Mean Girls'". Baldwin Wallace University.
  10. Heller, Fran (September 29, 2006). "GLTF's 'A Funny Thing' delivers a solid hit". Cleveland Jewish News.
  11. "Exclusive! Laura Osnes, Kate Rockwell, Ashley Spencer & Kathleen Monteleone Look Back on Grease Reality TV Show". Broadway.com. April 8, 2013.
  12. Hetrick, Adam (May 14, 2008). "Kate Rockwell Joins Broadway's Legally Blonde May 14". Playbill.
  13. Alan Seales (July 23, 2019). "Ep43 - Kate Rockwell". YouTube (Podcast). The Theatre Podcast. Event occurs at 36:41.
  14. "HAIR Closes on Broadway Today, June 27; Tour Begins Oct. 2010". Broadway World. June 27, 2010.
  15. "Sheik, Burkhardt et al. Set for Hair Tour; Full Cast Announced!". Broadway World. September 30, 2010.
  16. Brock, Wendell (January 10, 2011). "'Bring It On' musical gets world premiere at Alliance". Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  17. Isherwood, Charles (November 22, 2011). "Theater Review:'Bring It On'. Power Struggles Over Pep and High School Popularity". The New York Times.
  18. "Bring It On Musical to Kick Off National Tour At Ahmanson Theatre". Los Angeles Times. February 17, 2011.
  19. Hetrick, Adam (July 12, 2012). "It's All Happening': Bring It On: The Musical Begins Broadway Run July 12"". Playbill. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012.
  20. Gordon, David (October 16, 2012). "Broadway's Bring It On Sets New December 2012 Closing Date". Theater Mania.
  21. Gans, Andrew (December 20, 2012). "Broadway's Rock of Ages Will Welcome Kate Rockwell and Teresa Stanley". Playbill.
  22. Champion, Lindsay (January 24, 2013). "Oh, Sherrie! Rock of Ages Star Kate Rockwell Is Broadway.com's Newest Video Blogger". Broadway.com.
  23. "Rock of Ages". Internet Broadway Database. December 20, 2012.
  24. Alan Seales (July 23, 2019). "Ep43 - Kate Rockwell". YouTube (Podcast). The Theatre Podcast. Event occurs at 24:50.
  25. Alan Seales (July 23, 2019). "Ep43 - Kate Rockwell". YouTube (Podcast). The Theatre Podcast. Event occurs at 25:57.
  26. Alan Seales (July 23, 2019). "Ep43 - Kate Rockwell". YouTube (Podcast). The Theatre Podcast. Event occurs at 25:40.
  27. "You Can Sip With Us!". W42ST Magazine. July 23, 2019. p. 40.
  28. Alan Seales (July 23, 2019). "Ep43 - Kate Rockwell". YouTube (Podcast). The Theatre Podcast. Event occurs at 26:20.
  29. Gans, Andrew (April 28, 2014). "Nicholas Rodriguez, Kate Rockwell, Quentin Earl Darrington, Katie Thompson, Ken Page Cast in Muny Tarzan". Playbill.
  30. "Kate Rockwell & Nicholas Rodriguez Star in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Beginning Tonight at the Muny". Broadway World. July 29, 2015.
  31. "Betsy Morgan, Kate Rockwell, and More Begin Rehearsals for Carousel". Theater Mania. September 29, 2016.
  32. "2017 Winners and Nominees". Helen Hayes Awards.
  33. Alan Seales (July 23, 2019). "Ep43 - Kate Rockwell". YouTube (Podcast). The Theatre Podcast. Event occurs at 26:20.
  34. "Tony Awards 2018: See the Full List of Nominees Here". Vogue. June 7, 2018.
  35. Vine, Hannah (February 2, 2018). "See Who's Bringing Mean Girls to Broadway". Playbill.
  36. McPhee, Ryan (July 27, 2017). "Mean Girls Musical Finds Its Plastics in Taylor Louderman and Ashley Park; Additional Casting Announced". Playbill.
  37. "Erika Henningsen, Taylor Louderman, Ashley Park and Kate Rockwell to Play 'The Plastics' in Broadway-Bound MEAN GIRLS Musical; Cast Announced!". Broadway World. July 27, 2017.
  38. Vine, Hannah (April 8, 2018). "Inside the Mean Girls Opening Night on Broadway". Playbill.
  39. "SpongeBob SquarePants Leads 2018 Drama Desk Awards". Playbill. June 3, 2018.
  40. "Original Cast Member Kate Rockwell To Depart MEAN GIRLS in March". Broadway World. January 30, 2020.
  41. Lefkowitz, Andy (February 13, 2020). "Laura Leigh Turner to Make Broadway Debut as Karen Smith in Mean Girls". Broadway.com.
  42. Alan Seales (July 23, 2019). "Ep43 - Kate Rockwell". YouTube (Podcast). The Theatre Podcast. Event occurs at 36:11.
  43. "Kate Rockwell's Girls Mabel and Bessie Are Anything But Mean". Pets of Broadway. October 31, 2017.
  44. "Spencer and Kate's Marblehead, MA Wedding". Jeritt Pruyn Photography. October 31, 2017.
  45. Jones, Kenneth (May 21, 2007). "Stanek, Hocking, Rockwell, Kendall, Aldrich to Star in Big Tent, Tammy Faye Bakker Musical". Playbill.
  46. "North Shore Music Theatre Presents High School Musical". About the Artists.
  47. "Westchester Broadway Theatre Presents Phantom". About the Artists.
  48. Tench, Megan (December 19, 2008). "'Blonde' actress goes to the dark side". The Boston Globe.
  49. "NAMT Announces Additional Casting for 21st annual Festival of New Musicals". Broadway World. October 2, 2009.
  50. Hetrick, Adam (September 8, 2009). "Haskell Replaces Calvert in NYMF's F#@king Up Everything". Playbill.
  51. Jones, Kenneth; Hetrick, Adam (January 16, 2011). "Something to Cheer About: Bring It On: The Musical Begins Atlanta Run Jan. 16 After Ice Delay". Playbill.
  52. "'Bring It On: The Musical' to Launch National Tour at L.A.'s Ahmanson Theatre". Broadway.com. February 17, 2011.
  53. Hetrick, Adam (July 12, 2012). "It's All Happening': Bring It On: The Musical Begins Broadway Run July 12". Playbill. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012.
  54. "NAMT Casting Announced". Theatrical Index. September 20, 2012.
  55. Gioia, Michael (April 28, 2014). "Nick Offerman, Lea DeLaria, Kate Rockwell and More Star in April 28 Industry Reading of Confederacy of Dunces". Playbill.
  56. Hebert, James (March 28, 2016). "Tony-winner Harris returning to Playhouse". The San Diego Union-Tribune.
  57. "Sex and the City (2008) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb". IMDb.
  58. "Russian Broadway Shut Down (2014) - IMDb". IMDb.
  59. "Kate Rockwell - IMDb". IMDb.
  60. ""Deadbeat" The Ghost of Christmas Presents (TV Episode 2015) - IMDb". IMDb.
  61. ""The Battery's Down" Reunion (TV Episode 2015) - IMDb". IMDb.
  62. ""High Maintenance" Globo (TV Episode 2018) - IMDb". IMDb.
  63. "Mean Girls - SNL". YouTube. May 19, 2018.
  64. Culwell-Block, Logan (April 27, 2018). "Mean Girls' Kate Rockwell Releases First Solo Album Back to My Roots April 27". Playbill.
  65. Gans, Andrew (September 25, 2012). "Original Cast Recording of Bring It On Released Digitally Sept. 25". Playbill.
  66. Weatherby, Taylor (May 3, 2018). "'Mean Girls' Musical Unveils Latest Track From Cast Recording Album, 'Apex Predator': Listen". Billboard.
  67. "CAROLS FOR A CURE 2012: VOLUME 14: 2 CDs". Broadway Cares Online Store.
  68. Hetrick, Adam (November 19, 2018). "Casts of Mean Girls, Frozen, Dear Evan Hansen, and Pretty Woman Featured on 2018 Carols For a Cure". Playbill.
  69. Nelson, Jeff (December 7, 2018). "The Mean Girls Musical Releases Music Video for Holiday Song 'Rockin' Around the Pole'". PEOPLE.
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