A Celebration of Musical Theater with Kate Baldwin
Instead of telling the story of the 1899 newsboys strike this summer, Capital City Theatre will be celebrating the golden age of musical theater and the career of Kate Baldwin — a Broadway leading lady with Wisconsin roots. The concert will be performed one night only, on June 24 in the Capitol Theater at Overture Center.
“When we had to cancel Newsies, we knew that we wanted to put something in its place that was artistically unique and could utilize our amazing orchestra,” Capital City artistic director Andrew Abrams says. “I immediately thought of Kate. I’m a huge fan of all that she does. I even told my voice students in New York City to go see her in Big Fish as a master class on how to sing effortlessly.”
Baldwin was equally excited to get a call from a theater in her former home state. “It’s a thrill to be able to come back to Wisconsin to perform,” she tells Isthmus in a recent phone interview. “And I have lots of friends and family coming to see the show.”
Although Baldwin has frequently brought her one-person revue How Did You Get this Number? to regional stages, the repertoire for her Capital City appearance will be somewhat different. “Usually when I go around the country I’m just accompanied by a piano. So this evening will be a more ‘deluxe version’ with a chorus and full orchestra. And the Capitol Theater is so beautiful!” she adds, referring to Overture Center’s 1,000-seat, renovated and restored silent movie palace. “I wanted to pick songs that were appropriate for the venue and also all the other musicians involved. Andy had some great suggestions, so we ended up choosing the material together — pieces that will sound great with the entire ensemble.”
Known as a child who was always humming a tune, Baldwin got her start in musical theater while growing up in Milwaukee. She participated in a local children’s choir and attended Shorewood High School, whose legendary theater director, the late Barbara Gensler, staged five full musicals each school year. “That experience was so valuable,” she says. “That’s where I really learned the virtues of commitment, discipline and teamwork. The school and the theater department had great support from the community and every production was incredibly ambitious. [Gensler] set the bar so high for us students. She asked us to show up and really try and then she gave us the tools to succeed.” Under Gensler’s direction, Shorewood High School was the first school in the state of Wisconsin to mount Evita, with Baldwin playing the leading role.
Baldwin says she was also inspired by being exposed early to the performing arts. “I grew up watching musicals at Skylight [Music Theatre] and Melody Top and [saw] all the national tours. I have a soft spot in my heart for all of those experiences,” she says.
After earning a theater degree at Northwestern University, Baldwin went on to an illustrious career on stages in Chicago, New York, London and Washington, D.C., among many others. Her Broadway appearances include revivals of Finian’s Rainbow, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Wonderful Town and Hello, Dolly! which have brought her Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations. She has also originated roles in new musicals such as Big Fish, The Full Monty and Superhero.
Baldwin says she takes different approaches when performing new versus well known material. “I feel like creating a new role is like an archeological dig. I’m looking for the bones of the character, searching for the key that will let its essence spring forth. Basically, at the beginning of the process all the choices are on the table, so I’m eliminating them one by one as I discover more.”
A revival, on the other hand, “has a blueprint of what’s been done before; an outline already exists. So I’m coloring in a picture in a coloring book. Bringing my own shades to it, but definitely staying inside the lines.”
For the concert with Capital City Theatre, Baldwin will be joined by special guest Kevin James Sievert and backed up by a 30-piece orchestra and 16-member vocal ensemble under Abrams’ direction. Her reunion with Sievert is special, Baldwin says, because she once coached the Milwaukee-based tenor as part of the Open Jar Institute’s Broadway intensive program.
“Kevin started to sing and he was immediately so grounded, so free of self-consciousness, he just radiated joy,” she says. With no constructive criticism to offer, Baldwin simply asked him to share another song. Years later, the pair performed together in a virtual concert during the COVID-19 pandemic, as a benefit for Skylight Music Theatre. They will sing several duets as part of the upcoming concert. “He’s exactly the kind of energy you want to have in the room,” she says.
Baldwin will also perform a song from The Bridges of Madison County, in anticipation of reprising the lead role later this summer at a Pennsylvania playhouse. Looking further ahead, she plans to participate in a workshop of a new Andrew Lippa musical, and perhaps reunite with actor/director Victoria Clark on a project that was interrupted by the pandemic.
When asked if Baldwin might appear in one of Capital City’s future productions, Abrams was doubtful. “Kate’s schedule keeps her so in demand that I don’t think we will have the pleasure,” he says. “If Madison audiences want to experience her live in concert, they need to get their tickets now.”