Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Bowman.
Kate, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Well, when I was about 14 years old, the sleepaway camp I attended was doing a musical and I was “just happy if I got into the chorus” when I auditioned, but then I got the male lead, because it was an all-female sleepaway camp. I was over the moon, and that was the moment I knew I’d found my calling. When I first told my parents, they were supportive, but were like “You could change your mind…” and I was like, “You’re right, I could.” But then, I proceeded to get leading roles in many high school shows, and also did other theater in Maryland, where I’m from. And I think it was after my parents saw me as Rosie in my high school production of “Bye Bye Birdie” that they were like, “You’re not gonna change your mind.”
I went on to attend The Boston Conservatory and got a BFA in Musical Theatre. Around my junior year, I had a professor who helped me really find myself as an actor. So, then, I dramatically decided that “all this singing and dancing stuff was getting in the way of my ACTING”. But I still completed the program in Musical Theatre and did the NY showcase.
After college, I moved to NYC, where I continued to study acting, and focused more on tv and film, and “straight” theatre. I basically didn’t sing at all. During this time, I came out to LA on a visit, and a casting director I knew from New York, who’d moved out west called me in, and I booked the job. That pretty much sealed the deal for me moving out to LA.
Once in LA, it wasn’t long before I found my way back to theatre, both musical and non, and found my voice again as a singer. A more mature me realized that you can still be a real actor, even while you’re singing and dancing. I then reconnected with a friend from high school, and we co-founded a theatre company. So, I did tons of theatre for years… in LA. Some would call that backwards. But in the past year, I’ve been focusing more of my time to tv and film.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The entertainment industry and the term “smooth” probably don’t belong in the same realm of thinking. I don’t think anyone would call their journey as an actor/singer a “smooth”, but that’s also part of the fun of it. Life remains interesting at all times. The most prominent challenges are generally financial and emotional.
It’s necessary for some time to have another job that can support you along the journey, but also doesn’t conflict with last-minute auditions, long days of shooting or tech, and having to travel for gigs. I lucked out with being a private tutor for dyslexic kids at the same time. My mom wrote the program I use and trained me to do it, and it’s been a great blend of both supportive and also flexible.
On the emotional side, there is a lot of inevitable “being compared to others” in the industry, and women, in particular, get compared physically a lot. Many people are not so sensitive to making blatant comments about being “too fat, too skinny, too curvy, not curvy enough, too short, not toned enough, too masculine, too girly, etc., etc.)… things that often have nothing to do with the work itself. So, in addition to all the vulnerable artistic work that’s involved, finding ways, as women, to keep ourselves sane, and grounded is key. Doing whatever you have to do to have your own back, and be your own champion. Easier said than done, but so important. Therapy, inspirational reading, staying physically active and surrounding yourself with people who support and encourage you are some of the ways this can be achieved. There’s also a lot of rejection that has nothing to do with talent, but we, of course, at times blame ourselves. Also, along with that rejection, many times, there are characters you audition for and get called back for that you quite literally fall in love with, and having to “allow someone else to have them” feels kind of like a break-up.
But every challenge is worth it for the joy and fulfillment of the work. Every. Single, Challenge. Is. Worth it. Doing the work is that wonderful.
Please tell us about your work.
As an actor, I am known for my versatility, actually. Many years ago, being a versatile actor was looked upon positively… ”she can play anyone!” But these days, in the world of social media, with everyone’s lives as people being so accessible to the public, actors who are not yet household names are often encouraged to play roles “close to themselves”. But I can do multiple dialects, and vocally and physically change myself according to the role.
This is a good quality to have in the long run, but as I’m up-and-coming right now, it’s hard to “put me in a box”, which can be a challenge for my agents, etc. who are pitching me for roles. But my versatility will ultimately be a positive thing. I just know it!
Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well-positioned for?
Not to say that we are the only ones, but I believe women, in general, are quite resilient. We have had to bounce back so often in so many ways, that’s it’s become a muscle. Also, it has provided us a gauge to deem when it’s “worth it” to truly take someone to task, and when it’s better just to “rise above.” And we’ve also become experts at “rising above.”
Therefore, the power most women I know bring to the table is nuanced, and is one that doesn’t have to be “shown off.” It’s a power that’s innate, and that has grown from having to nurture it when the odds were against us. And now that society (at least in Los Angeles, phew!) has come so far in these ways, we are ready to step into those leadership roles like never before.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @katebowman333
Image Credit:
Doc Vidal, Denice Duff, Daniel J. Sliwa, Lisette M. Azar
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