DJ Q&A: Catherine Traceski

CT: I was born in Honolulu, where my dad was a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy. When I was 2, he was assigned to San Francisco where we lived until he retired from the Navy in 1995. My parents then thought it best to move to the suburbs and that’s how we landed in Foster City. I attended St. Timothy Elementary School in San Mateo and Mercy High School in Burlingame. I currently work as a Vendor Management Specialist at Provident Central Credit Union in Redwood Shores and reside in San Mateo.

DJ: How did you become involved in acting?

CT: I got my first taste of acting in the first grade. Every summer, I participated in Kidstock Summer Productions at St. Timothy and St. Matthew elementary schools in San Mateo. It was a summer camp filled with theater-loving, elementary-aged kiddos who performed mini-musicals packed with well-known songs that the parents could also enjoy.

DJ: What was the first play you saw?

CT: Although it wasn’t a play in person, I vividly remember when I was 7 years old and my parents had me watch a VHS copy of the 10th anniversary dream cast of the musical Les Misérables. It forever changed me. I was totally blown away by Lea Solanga, an incredible Filipina actress who looked just like my mom and titas. When she performed her rendition of “On My Own,” she invoked so much heartbreak that I couldn’t help but start crying — even though I was too young to grasp what all was happening in the show. For me, whatever it was that she did — sign me up immediately, because THAT is what I want to do!

DJ: What was the first show you were in?

CT: My first legitimate show was one that I stumbled upon when I was 8 years old. At the time, my parents (as part of the Foster City Lions Club) volunteered to help with the building repair project of the Hillbarn Theatre in Foster City. Then-Executive Director Lee Foster encouraged me to audition for their upcoming production of The Miracle Worker. So, I shined up my shoes, auditioned, and got cast in the show.

DJ: Did you take acting classes?

CT: I went to Cal State Fullerton to study theater over 10 years ago. Other than that, I haven’t taken any acting classes. I’ve found being in shows and watching my fellow actors do what they do best in both the rehearsal process and the actual shows to be incredible teaching tools. When I was in the 2019 production of Sweeney Todd at the Hillbarn Theatre, watching Keith Pinto (Sweeney) and Heather Orth (Mrs. Lovett) perform along with our director Joshua Marx was truly a masterclass in itself. I really have to thank the Tri-School (combined Mercy, Serra and Notre Dame high schools) program for nurturing my love of theater when I was in high school. My teachers (Geninne Harrington, Jay Jordan, Kristin Pfeifer and Pam Matthews) are all truly top-notch and just some of the best teachers around. I’m so incredibly grateful for them.

DJ: Any memorable auditions?

CT: In my junior year of high school, I auditioned for the Tri-School musical “Footloose.” That was the first time I had ever been called back for a lead role. To say I was a nervous wreck would be a gross understatement. When it was my turn to sing during the callback audition, I completely kept my face down in the music binder, not once looking up at the casting panel as I sang the first half of the song. But then, when I felt myself curling up into a shell, I quickly realized that if I really wanted this role, I had to do something about it right there and then. So, immediately, I propped my head up, closed my binder shut, chucked it across the stage and let myself totally rock out for the rest of the song. Well, that snap moment worked and I snagged the role!

DJ: Tell us about South Bay Musical Theatre’s “On The Town” and your role in it.

CT: SBMT’s production of “On The Town” is a spectacular love letter to New York City and celebrates all the wonderful things that make it special. I play the role of Hildy Esterhazy, a New York taxi cab driver out to have a good time. One day, she’s in her cab looking for an adventure and, lo and behold, she makes eye contact with a cute, open-faced sailor named Chip. And the rest is history. I’m really enjoying the process of tapping into the boldness and confidence that’s oozing out of Hildy’s fingertips. Plus, getting to sing some of the most iconic musical theater songs, such as “Come Up to My Place” and “I Can Cook Too,” has been a treat. A HUGE shout-out and thank you to Christine Capsuto-Shulman and Jad Bernardo for helping me prepare to take on the role of Hildy!

“ON THE TOWN” PARTICULARS: “On The Town” is the energetic WWII-era musical comedy featuring music by Leonard Bernstein with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Presented May 14-June 4 by South Bay Musical Theatre at the Saratoga Civic Theater, 13777 Fruitvale Ave. in Saratoga. First-nighters are invited to stay for a champagne toast following the performance. Evening shows start at 8 p.m. while matinees (Sundays and the closing Saturday) start at 2:30 p.m. Adult tickets are $24-$54. There are $2 discounts for seniors 65 years or older, and $24 tickets for students and children. Tickets may be purchased online at www.SouthBayMT.com or by calling (408) 266-4734.

Susan Cohn is a member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and the American Theatre Critics Association. She may be reached at susan@smdailyjournal.com.