She may be best known as Det. Alexandra Eames on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." Other screen work includes "Rich in Love," "Kiss of Death," "Chicken Soup," "Homicide: Life on the Street" and "Oz."
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Full given name:
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Kathryn Elsbeth Erbe
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Where you were born/where you were raised: |
Born in Boston, MA. Grew up in Newton, MA.
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Zodiac Sign: | Cancer
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What your parents did/do for a living: | Dad: Research Geneticist
Mom: Actuary and Landscape Preservationist
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Special skills:
| Making the best of "challenging situations"
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Something you're REALLY bad at:
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Promoting myself! |
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First Broadway show you ever saw:
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The Rink with Chita Rivera. Growing up in the Boston area we saw many tours of shows: Annie, A Chorus Line.
But the first true Broadway show I remember seeing was The Rink on a high school trip to see theatre in New York. |
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If you could go back in time and catch any performance, what would it be? |
A Streetcar Named Desire with Marlon Brando, Jessica Tandy and Kim Hunter |
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Current show—other than your own—that you have been recommending to friends: |
War Horse |
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Favorite showtune(s) of all time: |
"And I Am Telling You” from Dreamgirls |
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Some favorite modern musicals: |
The Book of Mormon, A Chorus Line |
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Some favorite contemporary playwrights: |
Sam Shepard, Daniel Talbott, Moira Buffini, Theresa Rebeck |
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Stage or screen stars of the past you would most have loved to perform with: |
There are so many, but the one who just came to mind is Lynn Redgrave. I would love to have a chance to work with her again on stage or on any screen.
She was one of my heroes, as an artist but especially as a person and a MOM. |
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The one performance – attended - that you will never forget: |
Balm in Gilead, Steppenwolf at Circle Repertory (1984)
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Music that makes you cry, any genre: |
At the moment, Patti Griffin's "Flaming Red" and "Living With Ghosts." I am using both albums to prepare for Yosemite before every performance.
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Your personal acting idols: |
Jessica Lange, Laurie Metcalf, Sissy Spacek
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MAC or PC? |
MAC!!!! |
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Most played song on your iPod: |
At the moment, "N**gas In Paris" by Jay-Z and Kanye West. It makes me feel ballsy and like I could run another 5 miles... |
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Most-visited websites: |
barneys.com (I am a late night shopping addict)
cartoonnetwork.com (my son plays the games) |
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Last book you read: |
“The Corrections” (after reading "Freedom" and loving it) |
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Must-see TV show(s): |
"American Horror Story"
"Dexter"
"The Wire"
"Friday Night Lights"
"Modern Family"
"Arrested Development" |
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Last good movie you saw: |
"Tree of Life" |
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Some films you consider classics: |
"To Kill a Mockingbird"
"On the Waterfront"
"Tree of Life"
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Performer you would drop everything to go see: |
Jessica Lange |
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Pop culture guilty pleasure: |
The Sunday Styles section of The New York Times |
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Favorite cities: |
NYC, Paris, London |
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First CD/Tape/LP you owned: |
Honestly, probably a Sesame Street album or Mister Rogers, but I wore out my copy of the Annie soundtrack. |
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First stage kiss: |
Playing Stella and kissing Stanley at Steppenwolf |
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Moment you knew you wanted to perform for a living: |
In kindergarten, playing the Little Red Hen |
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How you got your Equity card:
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The first play I was ever paid to do was The Grapes Of Wrath, with Steppenwolf, on Broadway. |
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Favorite pre-/post- show meal: (note where) |
French Fries at Cafe Un Deux Trois
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Favorite liquid refreshment: |
Water |
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Pre-show rituals or warm-ups: |
Yoga, reading the script, listening to music |
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Worst flubbed line/missed cue/onstage mishap: |
In The Grapes of Wrath I played "the woman who gets shot in Hooverville," and one night the gun didn't go off.
Thankfully, I chose to stay "in the moment" and not pretend I got shot anyway. I actually considered pretending the gun went off! SO embarrassing !!!!!
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Worst costume ever: |
Curlers in Breathing Lessons
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What drew you back to the stage and this role? |
Yosemite blew me away after reading it for the first time. I knew in my gut I wanted to be a part of it. I fell in love with the characters and their story.
I was terrified of the emotional journey but knew I needed to do it anyway, or actually because it was so scary. I crave acting onstage and have missed it terribly.
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A few of your favorite screen roles: |
Maggie in "Stirs Of Echoes," Lucille in "Rich In Love," Liz in "Dream with the Fishes"
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Something about you that surprises people: |
That I was a high school drop-out at 16 who ended up going to an alternative HS, graduating and going on to NYU. |
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Career you would want if not a performer: |
Teacher |
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Three things you can't live without: |
My kids (that's two) and books |
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"I'll never understand why…" |
... life isn't FAIR! |
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Words of advice for aspiring performers: |
Do everything you can to feel good about yourself and don't let rejection discourage you! |