Katherine Shindle Biography

Katherine Renee "Kate" Shindle (born January 31, 1977 in Toledo, Ohio) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and AIDS activist. She came to fame as Miss America 1998, where she represented the state of Illinois as Miss Illinois 1997. She was attending Northwestern University at the time, though she was raised in Moorestown Township in southern New Jersey and graduated from the Bishop Eustace Preparatory School. She graduated from Northwestern University in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in theatre.

In 2007, she was cast in the Broadway musical, Legally Blonde, based on the 2001 Reese Witherspoon film, playing the role of Vivienne through the musical's entire Broadway run.

Miss America career

Shindle focused on official lecture appearances for HIV/AIDS awareness and education and has raised tens of millions of dollars for others. Shindle participated in and chaired a session at a conference at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.

Upon completion of her year as Miss America, Shindle returned to Northwestern to complete her degree in Theatre/Music Theatre. She has also done graduate level work at NYU and UCLA.

Musical career

In 1999, Shindle's first CD, Christmases to Come was released on SSP Records. The CD featured the Chicago jazz ensemble Skip Sams' Society Sound, and was used to promote AIDS awareness and raised money for the National AIDS Fund. In 2003, she followed up with her first proper solo CD, Till Today, which was produced by Skip Sams and released on Sams' own label.

In 2005, Shindle recorded Frank Wildhorn's "Dracula", followed by "Jekyll & Hyde - Resurrection" in 2006, both on Wildhorn's label GlobalVision Records.

Recently, Shindle appeared as the guest cameo in the New York Musical Theatre production of R.R.R.E.D: A Secret Musical at the 45th Street Theatre. Other to have stepped into the role include Tovah Feldshuh and Will Swenson.

Shindle starred as Nancy in the Pittsburgh CLO summer production of Oliver!. She starred alongside Patrick Page and Mark Indelicato.

Shindle recently starred as the Mad Hatter in Wonderland: Alice's New Musical Adventure, which began performances on Broadway March 21, 2011 and closed on May 15, 2011.

Theatre credits

• Wonderland -Performer: The Mad Hatter
• Legally Blonde - Performer: Vivienne Kensington
• Cabaret - Performer: Sally Bowles
• Jekyll & Hyde - Performer: A Young Girl, Bet, Bridesmaid, Housemaid, Nurse; Understudy: Lucy
• Oliver! - Performer:Nancy