If you are a fan of killer singing, don’t miss Vanishing Point at 54 Below on November 4. The new musical interweaves the stories of three famous women who all disappeared and stars Farah Alvin as Agatha Christie, Katie Thompson as Aimee Semple McPherson and Kate Shindle as Amelia Earhart. How insanely good is that score going to sound?! Below, BroadwayBox catches up with Shindle for seven random and fun questions about taking flight, Miss America and her YouTube following.
1. The worst flight you’ve ever been on had to be:
Hmmm. I generally block out the bad ones, but I vividly remember one many years ago where there was so much air traffic and weather that we had to circle O'Hare for what felt like forever...and then we started running out of fuel (!) so we were diverted to (and spent the night in) Duluth. And of course there was a gig on the other end, so the whole episode was infused with the fear of losing thousands of dollars if we didn't make it in time. Not fun. Not fun at all.
2. If you could fly yourself anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I've always wanted to go to Australia, and I've always wanted to see the pyramids. But if I happened to be flying a time machine, I would go to Paris and eavesdrop on Fitzgerald and Hemingway and Joyce. Well, maybe not Joyce...I can't imagine overhearing his conversation in fits and starts. Although truly, it probably wouldn't be any harder to follow than some of his writing! Maybe I'd ask him to break down Ulysses for me, because otherwise, I'm never gonna make it through that one...and believe me, I've tried.
3. In a Tweet (140 characters), here’s why we can’t miss Vanishing Point:
It's wildly original and full of skill and promise. I only want to do things that inspire me, and MAN, is this exciting.
4. What's your favorite Kate Shindle video on YouTube? If we were only going to watch one:
If you want to hear a song: "Alone." If you want to know who I am: the video I did for the "It Gets Better" campaign.
5. Most surprising reaction you’ve gotten to your book Being Miss America: Behind the Rhinestone Curtain:
How little time it takes people to read it! I love hearing that someone couldn't put it down, but when they say "I read it in three hours," I'm like "Do you have any idea how long it took me to write that?!"
6. What was your best Miss America perk? What’s the coolest thing the crown got you?
Unequivocally, and without hesitation, it was the opportunity to find my voice as an (HIV/AIDS) activist. Especially since I was still in college and not quite sure who I was yet. Every single day, I got to do things that had the power to change the world. Although going to the SuperBowl was fun, too.
7. What current musical on Broadway would you love to step into?
Any musical that would challenge me and make me a better actor. I would love to go back to Cabaret at some point, because I've lived so much since I first did it at age 23!
See Kate Shindle in Vanishing Point at 54 Below on November 4.
