Interview: Kate Morton of LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL at The Klein

To Fairfield County theater goers, Kate Morton is a performer whose work they already know. The rest of Connecticut BroadwayWorld readers will soon get their chance to discover her when she stars in Legally Blonde: The Musical at The Klein in Bridgeport in March.

Kate is the younger sister of Anna Morton, who was featured in BroadwayWorld.com more than four years ago. Kate started dancing at the age of two at the Connecticut Dance Center and performed in shows all through school. She was lucky to be a student at Stamford High School, which has an excellent theater program. Its director, Tom DeSalvo, even brought in Caitlin Kinnunen just before the show The Prom opened at Stamford High School’s impressive stage.

She also trained at A Class Act NY, an award-winning acting studio in New York City, run by Jessica R. Grosman, whom Kate met through a family friend, Jessica R. Grosman. A Class Act NY offers training for aspiring performers aged four through adults. Instructors include prominent professionals from Broadway, television, and film and include agents, directors, and managers from both coasts. With A Class Act, she played Heather McNamara (the yellow Heather), one of the roles she enjoyed most.

Kate is now a student at the Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts (NoCo). Established in 2018 by industry creatives, NoCo provides professional training by a faculty of Working Theatre and television professionals at a large campus. Kate says that one of the advantages of studying her craft at NoCo that “they train you for the industry right away and you can audition for Broadway shows and tours while you’re studying.” Recently, NoCo expanded its two-year associate degree with a three-year program from which you can graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. NoCo’s faculty also helps students find agencies, and Kate already signed with Mikey Nagy, an agent and owner of the boutique agency The Collective. How amazing is that!

She played the lead in Legally Blonde at the Stamford All-School Musical, which showcases the best talented students in both public and private schools in Stamford under the direction and choreography of industry professionals. People who go to see their children perform have remarked that “the talent is amazing.” She also did Anything Goes with the Stamford All-School Musical.

Through Stamford High School’s theater program, Kate played Donna in Mama Mia! Even better, she was nominated for and won “Best Actress” in the Sondheim Awards. As a winner, she went to the Jimmy Awards with more than 100 other kids from across the country. They spent about 10 days in New York and got to go to the Tony Awards. At the end, they also performed show tunes on a Broadway stage. Can we spot talent early or what?

Even with her professional training, Kate admits that sometimes it’s difficult to be confident. “I feel like in this industry it can be hard,” she says. “You’re getting a lot of rejections. [You’re always being] compared to other people. I get nervous before a performance. It was hard for me throughout high school, but at NoCo there are so many opportunities to build self-confidence. “

Kate is “super excited to play Elle again. She could do Legally Blonde over and over again. She also loved her role as Peggy in 42nd Street as well as Heather McNamara in Heathers. She would still love to play Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors as well as do straight acting for film and television. She had an opportunity at NoCo when she did a one-act scene under a student director.

“Making the decision that NoCo was the best place to continue my studies, I knew I had my parents’ support and approval to pursue my dreams.”