6-11-KGT-Interv

Kristin Towers-Rowles is an actress, vocalist, wife and mother of three girls. She began her training at an early age with quite an impressive mentor, her grandmother, legendary star of stage and screen, Kathryn Grayson. Kristin is appearing in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” at Theatre Palisades. I had a chance to speak about her impressive lineage, and her current show at Theatre Palisades. You took some time off from acting for a while. What happened there?
	I got injured on a national tour and was told I’d never be on stage again. I accepted that, which broke my soul. I got married which was wonderful and I had kids which was amazing but two and a half years ago I said to my husband “I need to go back and do my craft”. I haven’t stopped since. I’ve been successful because I was true to myself. I was trying to be something I wasn’t for seven years. I was trying to be a wife and a Mom who wasn’t pursuing her own dreams at all anymore. Now I’m a better mom and a better wife because I’m back where I’m supposed to be. If I wasn’t able to do this, I don’t know how I would make it.
Were you close with your grandmother? Very close. I grew up spending all the holidays at her house. As I got older I started studying musical theatre with her. I studied with her for years and most of the things she taught me, I still use today. What was the most important piece of advice your grandmother ever gave you? Never do anything on stage that will compromise your values. My grandmother never wanted to portray herself in a light that was questionable to her. It might not be questionable to other people but she never wanted it to be questionable to herself. In her era, she had to be more protected and had an innocence about her. She was a sex symbol in spite of her innocence. She wasn’t a sex symbol because of trying to put it out there. She was so classy and I think that was her big allure. That was probably the biggest thing I took away from having my relationship with my grandmother. I feel pretty old fashioned when it comes to entertainment and what I think is proper. She would also tell me to remain true to my vocal style. I’d hear her say “None of that chest belting” She wanted me to sing legit rather than belt. Is there anything you could tell me about your grandmother that sticks out in your mind? She always had dogs. You would walk into this glorious mansion where she lived and there were always ten or so dogs around….with three on her lap. She had the best of everything yet she was so down to earth. Her favorite meal was a piece of steak, baked potato and vegetables. She knew that she was blessed and never had any sense of entitlement. She was a big believer in God but not a big believer in organized religion. In her later years, when she was sick, she clung to that belief. She clung to her faith and family was everything to her. When she died I got letters and emails from all over the world from young kids who were studying music who were in love with my grandmother. She was such an inspiration to so many young singers, to this day. There was no predecessor to what she did. She was a part of the golden age and there’s never going to be that again. There wasn’t a generation to look to for an example. They were the first. What was her performance background? She wanted to be an opera singer. She got snatched up by Hollywood and they let her do her opera on film. Showboat which she starred in was basically the first American musical and she was the perfect person to do that with all of her opera training. She also starred on Broadway in “Camelot”. She took over for Julie Andrews and then starred in the national tour for two years. Many of her leading men fell in love with her. Can you talk a little about that? They loved her. She was engaged to Howard Hughes. When he was courting her he would actually throw paper bugs filled with diamonds over her gate and on to her front lawn. I remember Howard Keel coming to my birthday party and I would go to his daughters birthday party as well.
Kathryn Grayson	When did you realize that having this lineage was a very important thing? When I started going to performing arts school as a teenager. I started getting attention because of it and I thought to myself “Wow this really means something” We would watch Katherine Grayson films and I was learning along with my classmates about my family history. It was pretty crazy. Was it tough to get respect as an Actress in your early years due to that lineage? I think what was hard was the fact that she was so stunningly beautiful. The vocal comparison never really bothered me but I have a very unique look and I think people want to see that same thing in me. I’m very much myself. I don’t look like the typical Snow White that people would expect, being her granddaughter. I think people want a carbon copy sometimes.
Do your children want to work in musical theatre? They’re doing it. My daughters (said with a proud grin) made more money than I did last year. Both my two older daughters are in national commercials. My middle daughter shot a movie and they’re addicted. They want to hear musical theatre instead of listening to the radio. If they didn’t want to do it, I think it would be easier but they want to do it. They have agents and they book jobs.
Zach Kaufer - Kristin Towers-Rowles	Would you give them any warnings about working in the industry at such a young age? I want my children to be kids. They’re all beautiful and unique. I would tell them not to compare themselves with anyone. Be yourself, tap into what makes you different and always remain classy. And a class act she certainly is. Kristin Towers-Rowles performs the role on Philia in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” at Theatre Palisades June 3rd – July 10th. For tickets please visit www.theatrepalisades.com.