Booked & Scene

Few performers light up a stage—or a conversation—like Kathy St. George. From flying across stages as Peter Pan to bellowing as the formidable Miss Lynch in Grease, she brings humor, heart, and a lifetime of stories to every role. In our chat, Kathy shares the happy accidents that led her to theater, the lessons she’s learned from decades onstage, and the moments that remind her why she keeps coming back to the spotlight.

Q: What first drew you to performing, and what keeps you coming back to the stage?
I actually got into theater by accident. I was accompanying a friend on her auditions, playing her uptempo and her ballad, and that was my first exposure to the audition world. Her husband was directing Wait Until Dark and said, “I need someone small to play Gloria, the bratty 13-year-old upstairs. Would you audition?”

I’d never been on stage before in my life, but I said, “Well, gosh, okay.” I auditioned, got the part, and I loved every minute of it. It was like my whole world had shifted—like that Wizard of Oz moment when it goes from black and white to color. Suddenly, there was this whole new world I didn’t know existed, and it was fun and thrilling and a little bit magical. That was in the ’70s, when I was in college, and I just fell in love with it.

And what keeps me coming back? Honestly—where else would I go? I could retire, but why would I? This is my world. The stage is where I feel most alive.

“Where else would I go? I could retire, but why would I?”

-Kathy St. George

Q: Live theater always comes with surprises. Do you have a favorite “oops” moment or onstage mishap?
Oh, I have a couple, and they’re both from Peter Pan, which is my favorite role I’ve ever played. My dad used to say, “Honey, for once, you’re the right height!”

One night in Vero Beach, Florida, the local crew was handling my flying after the Foy team left. Well, they flew me straight into one of the bedposts. I spun around it and slammed my knee so hard I thought, “This can never happen again.” But you just grit your teeth and keep going. The show must go on, right?

The other memory is much more emotional. It was the day before we closed, back in 1994. My mom called to say my dad’s lung cancer had advanced, and she warned me, “When you fly home tomorrow, you won’t recognize him.” I had a two-show day and went on for the matinee completely shaken.

“Flying above the stage singing ‘I’m Flying,’ knowing I was going home to say goodbye to my dad, is something I’ll never forget.”

-Kathy st. George

I blanked on stage. All I could think was, I need to be with my dad right now. I was starting to tear up, and Wendy said, “Boy, why are you crying?” And I said, “I don’t know.” The stage manager was frantically waving offstage. It was probably only a minute, but it felt like forever. Then I snapped back in, and that performance became one of the most meaningful of my life. Flying above the stage singing “I’m Flying,” knowing I’d be going home to say goodbye to my dad, is something I’ll never forget.

He passed the next day. I made it home and was with him for 20 minutes. One of the last things he’d said to me weeks earlier was, “Honey, for once you’re the right height. Take the role. I want to see my baby fly.” He never got to see it, but he’s been with me ever since.

Q: How did you find your approach to playing Miss Lynch in Grease?
We’d just finished our first week of rehearsals when we staged my first scene. I tried a voice that I thought was very Miss Lynch-ish, and Kevin Hill—our wonderful director—came over and asked, “Do you have a teacher from your past who scared you to death?”

Immediately, I thought of Sister Hildegarde. She terrified me! She would pace the aisles with her rosary beads clacking, and I’m sure she was a wonderful teacher, but she struck absolute fear into my little heart. Kevin said, “Think about Sister Hildegarde next time we run the scene.” So I did, and I just bellowed—and the entire cast jumped. That’s when I knew I’d found my Miss Lynch.

Q: Were you a big Grease fan before doing the show? Do you have a favorite song?
Huge fan. When I first started teaching second grade, I used to play the soundtrack for my seven- and eight-year-olds during recess—probably a little inappropriate for that age, but I loved it so much. I saw the movie countless times.

My favorite song? You’re the One That I Want. It’s such a classic. It never fails to make me smile and want to sing along. It’s timeless.

Q: If Miss Lynch got a solo, what would it be about?
Oh, it would absolutely be a little tipsy, Miss Hannigan-style number. I can hear her now:
“Rydell High, Rydell High, why the hell did I ever work here?”
It would be her one moment to let loose and tell the audience what she really thinks.

Q: What advice would you give to young performers?
Learn as many skills as possible—tap, instruments, anything. I didn’t start performing until I was almost 30, so learning things like tap dancing didn’t come as easily as it would have if I’d started younger.

Also, bring that positive, vibrant energy into the room. People want to work with performers they enjoy being around. And don’t let fear paralyze you. I had a friend who used to say, “Go big or go home,” and she was right. They can always tone you down, but if you hold back, they’ll never see your spark.

And finally, keep going for it. Rejections are part of the business. You need that mental toughness to pick yourself up, audition again, and trust your instincts.

“Go big or go home,” They can always tone you down, but if you hold back, they’ll never see your spark.

-Kathy St. George

Q: If you could replace “break a leg” with a new universal theater phrase, what would it be?
“Follow your bliss.” Joseph Campbell said that, and I love it. It’s how I’ve tried to live my life in this business. My husband also said it to me on our first date when I told him I do musical theater and he said, “Wow, follow your bliss.”

Talking with Kathy St. George is like getting a masterclass in joy. Her stories leap from laugh-out-loud flying mishaps to heartfelt lessons about chasing dreams, and she leaves you feeling like you’ve just been sprinkled with a little theater magic. If you need a reason to follow your bliss, or to see Grease, Kathy’s your sign.You can catch Kathy in Grease at North Shore Music Theatre through August 24. Snag your tickets here.

📸: Paul Lyden