#26 Kerstin Anderson - The Storyteller

Kerstin Anderson.
2016.
Burlington, Vermont.
I am resilient.
I am kind.
I am joyful.
Be tenacious.

Badass Quotes: 
> “I wanna sing!”
> “The thought of going on scared me so much.”
> “I knew I was going to be fine but I wanted to be great.”
> “I judge myself pretty harshly, especially because I love it so much.”
> “I’m self-aware but I’m also very self-critical.”
> “I’m very curious about people and I like to learn. I like to understand why they work the way they work. And I think that makes me a better actor and a better storyteller.”
> “Let’s just say for now that you sing amazingly and you know all the words, those are just given facts. So, what else is there? What else is happening? Why did you choose this song? What are you singing about?”
> “98% of the time they say no.”
> “I am capable of doing this so I will.”
> “I needed to take care of myself because nobody would.”
> “It’s stupid how much I love it.”
> “I want to challenge myself in my career.”

Podcast Intro:
Kerstin Anderson has always loved to sing. She always felt like an artist, but grew up in a family packed with parents who were into sports and science. Following her passion and using her voice, she came to NYC for college and after only 2 years, booked her dream job as lead role of Maria in the National Tour of The Sound of Music. Now, at 24 years old, she is on Broadway in My Fair Lady. She uses her voice to tell stories and her passion to fuel her resilience in a business filled with NOs. Kerstin is a star twinkling, sparkling, streaking through the sky.

Official Bio:  
Kerstin Anderson was born and raised in South Burlington, Vermont by an athletic administrator and a physicist. Growing up she sang everywhere she went until she finally found the perfect outlet: Musical Theater. The summer between her Junior and Senior year of high school she studied at Circle in The Square with Alan Langdon, Terese Hayden, and Jacqueline Brookes. After graduating high school she moved to the big bad city of New York, to pursue a BFA in Musical Theater at Pace University. While at Pace she[more…]

Biggest Takeaways:
> What confidence looks like as a Broadway performer
> Why being self-aware makes her self-critical
> What her negative and positive self-talk looks like
> Why high school kids struggle with being present
> How she learned how to work hard without making it such hard work
> Why speaking up is hard, and important
> How her parents divorce hurt and helped her
> How NYC makes you brave
> How to deal with rejection in acting

Major Conversation Highlights:
> What her day looks like on the day she gets the call to play Eliza in My Fair Lady
> Difference in nerves when playing the lead versus being an ensemble cast member
> Why it’s hard for her to say what is so AWESOME about her
> What it’s like to lead a National Tour (Sound of Music) at 21 years old
> What rejection looks and feels like
> The hardest parts of her job
> How she kept her hope alive
> Kerstin’s punctuation work on her 7-line pitch

Kerstin’s Favorite Books:
> Letters to a Young Poet - by Rainer Maria Rilke
From Kerstin: Saved my life and has guided me as an artist.

> Year of The King - by Antony Sher
From Kerstin: A detailed look at one actor's process. Highlights the importance of research and individuality.

> The Velveteen Rabbit - by Margery Williams
From Kerstin: A life well lived makes you real.

Social Media:
Instagram
Twitter
Youtube

Additional Links:
Personal Page
Sound of Music Article