Katie McCarty

From Kat: Katie and I's orbits crossed briefly when she monitored my first audition for Hong Kong Disneyland, a job she had previously held. I was in my first year of NYC auditions. You know the type- a ball of stress, carrying the pressures and anxieties of auditioning with the immense talent of a big city. Then, in that room, Katie somehow made that all go away. She doesn't know this, but I credit her warm and calming spirit as one of the contributing factors that helped me book that elusive first NYC job.

Kind and generous spirits stick with you. Katie has those in spades. She has the kindest heart and is one of the hardest workers I've come by. She's worked hard to make the pivots in her career that can feel impossible and, in doing so, has created a path to success all on her own. She is positive, encouraging, and mega-talented. I hope reading Katie's feature calms your spirit like she calmed mine all those years ago. So, without further ado, Katie McCarty.

Katie! One of the KINDEST people I have ever come across in an audition setting. We are insanely happy you agreed to talk to us! Can you please introduce yourself to our readers?

Kat, thank you so much! I really appreciate that and you are also one of the kindest people I’ve met! I’m so happy to be able to talk to you and flattered to be featured in your blog! 

Well, I was born in Lancaster Pennsylvania and then lived in Delaware when I was a young kid. After moving around quite a bit, my family eventually moved back to Lancaster PA. So, from sixth grade all the way through high school I lived in Lancaster and most of my family are all still there. From the time I was a kid, I loved singing and dancing and knew from a very young age I wanted to be an actress! 

Where to start?? I have so many questions!! Okay, you graduated from Lebanon Valley College with a BA in English with a concentration in Theater and a Vocal Performance Minor. Can you tell us how you ended up in NYC? Was acting always your dream?

Yes, acting was always my dream! I was always in love with performing from the time I was a very young kid. My first performances were on the fireplace mantel with my Fisher Price recorder and microphone at age three, my four-month-old sister being my first audience member! Haha I say this because I really think I knew at that age! I started by doing all of the school plays and musicals, singing in chorus, performing in community theater productions, and productions at our regional theater in Lancaster, the Fulton Theater. I always knew I wanted to be an actress professionally and had a strong interest in eventually doing on-camera work, as I was always fascinated with TV shows and movies. Theater and musical theater was the world I knew and grew up in and my desire after high school was to get a BFA in musical theater. My parents were very adamant about me getting a degree that was not in musical theater or acting, which ultimately led me to be an English major at Lebanon Valley College. When I realized I could switch my concentration from mass communications to theater, I did so immediately and minored in music with a concentration in vocal performance. I’m very grateful looking back because my whole collegiate experience actually taught me an invaluable lesson and skill that has really helped me along the way. I learned to really think outside of the box. I kind of created my own musical theater program for myself there and studied dance off-campus and am grateful to have acted in every production possible at LVC, while also doing summer stock theater every summer. I also, though admittedly against my will originally, learned that I do love to write as well! After graduating, I worked regionally, abroad and Off-Broadway and moved to NYC in between two of my contracts abroad. 

How did you find your first representation? Are you still with your first rep?

I was teaching dance classes and theater to kids as one of my many, “survival jobs,” at that time, and one of the other teachers worked with Daniel Hoff Agency. She was kind enough to refer me and that was my very first agency for theater and musical theater! I had always wanted to do on-camera work and thought that focusing on musical theater would eventually lead me there. One day I realized that although I do have such a passion for musical theater and live performance, I needed to be making more of a concerted effort toward also pursuing TV and film work. So, I switched lanes and now primarily do on-camera work. With that said, I’ve freelanced with several agencies throughout the years for both commercial and print work as well as TV and film work, but am not currently signed across the board with any one agency in particular. 

What do you think is the hardest part about this industry? How do you deal with that?

I would say that what’s most difficult is just staying in the right mindset and staying hopeful and positive. The roundabout and often random way that things play out in this industry can be discouraging, due to the inconsistency and the unknown, the roller coaster ride so to speak! I actually find this to be incredibly inspiring because you never know what opportunity is around the corner. There really is not one direct way to achieve your dreams in this industry. I remember at the very beginning of my first musical theater class in NYC, the wonderful Jen Waldman said, “To compare is to despair,” and she could not have been more spot on! No two actors ever have the same exact path. As an actor, one never knows where things will lead and I find this to be so inspiring! Reminding myself often of this realization honestly helps me to stay motivated and encouraged. In this business, we truly never know what will lead to what or how things will play out. Not only do I find this incredibly exciting, but I also find this notion to be instrumental in fueling my determination. 

You can be seen on many TV shows, films, numerous commercials. You have also worked internationally as well as in Off-Broadway productions. (she is killing it, you guys) What is the biggest difference when auditioning for theatre vs on camera?

Kat, thank you so much!! I really appreciate that! I would say the biggest difference is that theater is larger than life, whereas less is often more with on-camera work. The smallest expression, movement or choice is so big on-camera. So, preparing for theater auditions, particularly musical theater auditions, is a whole other ball game. I love playing with subtleties when preparing for on-camera auditions and work! 

How were you able to break into on-camera work? What was the biggest hurdle getting started?

I started by taking some on-camera classes and just began submitting myself for projects every day on Actors Access and Casting Networks. In my pursuit of trying to find representation for TV and film work, I found the world of commercial and print work and began working with agencies. I’m so grateful to have found this world because it enabled me to go full time with acting and modeling. I would say that the biggest hurdle with getting started with on-camera work was honestly starting at the bottom all over again. I had been an Equity member for years and had reels and the right headshot for theater and knew how to audition for theater work, and I had to basically start all over. Once I realized and then accepted the fact that I was having to start over, step by step I was able to build up to where I am today. Making that decision to essentially start at the bottom all over again was the most challenging part initially. 

Looking back to when you graduated, are you where you thought you would be? What’s been the biggest twist in your story that you didn’t expect to happen?

Starting my career pursuing musical theater, I was able to accrue years of training and experience on stage that I feel have served as a strong foundation for my career. My journey hasn’t been what I had anticipated, in that my hope was to first achieve a certain level of success in musical theater and theater that would then have led me to the world of TV and film. I arrived at a certain point in my career and life and looked around and realized that I hadn’t done any on-camera work yet. As much as I had always had a passion for live performance, I was no longer willing to take the gamble as to whether that would lead me to where I ultimately always dreamed of being, which was in TV and film. So, that’s when I realized that it was time to start all over. Along the way, I found this whole world of on-camera commercial work, print work and voice-over work, which enabled me to become a full-time actress and model while building up my TV and film credits. I grew up thinking that modeling entailed editorial and runway work and that you had to be a certain height for that, so one of the twists was realizing the existence of and then falling into the world of lifestyle modeling! I guess one of the biggest twists for me was also realizing that I could walk away from singing, dancing and live performance, something I never, ever thought I would do, but realizing I could never walk away from acting. I realized that acting was actually my greatest passion. There was a part of me that always knew that, as I would envision the end goal being on camera. With that said, I would still love to do stage work and musical theater work again one day, but have been focusing primarily on TV and film work. 

Where are you on your mountain?

That’s such a great question and a wonderful analogy! I feel as though I’m on the right path on that mountain. I still feel I have a bit of a climb to reaching and achieving my ultimate dreams and goals, but I feel a level of contentment now that I hadn’t always felt in the past. In the past, I felt like I had been struggling to get to the point where I am now. Almost floundering at times having no idea what steps to take next, I didn’t always feel as though I was necessarily moving in the right direction. Somehow the “random dots,” have connected and looking back, I can see that every step up that mountain has been instrumental in leading me to where I am now. So, now I have a sense of excitement in feeling like I found my way to the right path on that mountain. I feel as though I’ve reached certain checkpoints along the way, and now know that I’m heading in the right direction in continuing the climb!! 

RAPID FIRE:

Favorite Broadway show: Thoroughly Modern Millie 

TV show you binge: Friends over and over again lol (Thank you Netflix) 

Podcasts you love: Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations, Armchair Expert w/ Dax Shepard, Meaningful Conversations and also want to give a shout out to my friends’ Maggie and Spiro’s podcast that I absolutely LOVE; Niko Frank Productions’-The Cool Kids Table 

Former side hustles: Babysitting, promo work, teaching dance and theater to kids and bar mitzvah dancing (party motivator-hype person)...the fave by far haha 

Biggest tip when being on set?: Be over-prepared and always bring a book! :)

Any bad audition stories?: One time I was called back for a show and had to tap, but the tap routine was way too advanced and I basically had to just leave, BUT that was only after making the mistake of trying to stick it out for way too long at which point it made a turn from bad to much, MUCH worse...Extremely embarrassing experience lol 

Favorite audition song: Gimme Gimme

Favorite print ad or commercial you have booked?: Raymour and Flanigan commercial campaigns 

Job you didn’t expect to book: Amish book cover shoot...twice haha Equally as confusing both times as my type is basically, “Ethnically ambiguous”

On Camera class you recommend?: Bob Krakower

Biggest beef with the business: Hmm, that’s tough, but I would say fixation on age perhaps...

Place to go for inspiration: Honestly, listening to podcasts while on the elliptical and when I make time to meditate...trying to make that a habit! Haha 

Social media handles?: IG: @katiemccartyofficial 

Anything you’d like to promote?: I was just cast in a pilot for a TV show called, “Wellness Inc.,” a comedic show about a luxury spa, so I guess maybe just keep an eye out for it!!