Kristie Krabe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kristie Krabe (born April 24, 1974) is an American actress, singer and dancer. She has portrayed a range of characters from a furry weasel to an aspiring Dallas Cowgirl.
[edit] Biography
Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, Kristie began her performing career in a children's variety act dubbed "The Kids Next Door." She studied theater in high school and received private vocal instruction from Valerie Kennedy. She continued her vocal training at Boston University with the late Metropolitan Opera tenor, Richard Cassilly. After graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Classical Voice, Kristie returned to the musical theater scene. In Boston, she performed with many different theaters in shows such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Once Upon a Mattress, Sylvia, Nine and Baby.
Kristie then tried her luck at an audition in New York, and was cast in the National Tour of The Wind in the Willows as "Chief Stoat." At the end of the tour she returned to the northeast and performed in several stock productions with notable actors such as Jason Bateman (Arrested Development). A year later, she returned to New York and performed Off - Off - Broadway in the show, As Bees In Honey Drown.
In the year 2001, Kristie returned to Atlanta and immediately immersed herself into the theater scene. After directing, producing and co-starring in the show A... My Name Is Alice, she went on to perform at theaters such as Actor's Express, Atlanta Lyric Theater, Stage Door Players, Aurora Theater, Theater Arts Guild and Onstage Atlanta.
Kristie's breakout year proved to be 2004 when she performed back-to-back shows in some high quality roles ("Hunyak" in Chicago; "Kate Murphey" in Titanic; "Evelyn Nesbit" in Ragtime). She then wowed television audiences in WSB-TV's "Gimme The Mike" competition. Out of 1000 hopefuls, she was selected as one of the 30 semi-finalists to sing on television in an "American Idol" style contest. While she did not win the judges marks in the semi-finals, she was chosen in a landslide as the overall "Wild Card" winner by the television audience. She went on to place 3rd in the final competition, impressing judges Jan Smith (vocal coach to Usher and Diana DeGarmo, among others), Nick Marino (music Critic for the Atlanta-Journal and Constitution), Alfreda Gerald (recording artist), and Neal Boortz (national Radio personality).
During this year, she also originated the role of "Cecile" in the concept album recording of Dangerous Liaisons - The Musical, on Melpomene Records. But, Kristie is now known best by Atlanta audiences for the starring role of "Debbie Benton" in Debbie Does Dallas - The Musical at Dad's Garage. The show received rave reviews and Kristie was singled out for her portrayal of the cheerleader with a dream to be a Dallas Cowgirl. Creative Loafing Magazine named Kristie one of Atlanta's Most Beautiful Actresses, as well.
