In elementary school, sixth-grader Katharine sang Mariah Carey's Hero even though she was extremely nervous to sing on stage. But she had a good role model, as she would go to the shows her mother starred in, including Showboat and Man of La Mancha.

Even though her mother was a voice teacher, Katharine and her sister enrolled in dance classes instead of taking singing lessons. My mom wanted my vocal talent to develop naturally and for me to discover my voice on my own.

At 14, Katharine visited New York City with her family and saw her first musicals on Broadway: Chicago and Les Miserables. Katharine never lost the desire to perform, and received encouragement from her teachers at Notre Dame High School. After graduation, she enrolled at Boston Conservatory. Away from family and home, Katharine grew up quickly.

She studied acting and dance and on breaks came home to attend the California State Summer School for the Arts. Katharine was in her sophomore year of college when she signed with a small agency.

She went out on auditions but didn't find work until she was signed for an MTV pilot. It didn't sell, she says, but all of the auditions and pounding the pavement were good experiences for me. In 2004, Katharine enrolled in the Broadway Theatre Project, a summer arts program in Tampa, Florida, headed up by Ann Reinking. Guest lecturers included Julie Andrews and Ben Vereen.

As the calendar turned over to 2005, Katharine made a New Year's resolution to open the trades and audition for the first musical production she found. I opened Backstage West and found an audition for Annie Get Your Gun. She even recognized the director's name because she had sung in his church.

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