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This newfound freedom of going back into theaters allows us to shine a light on Chicago's very own Kristel Flynn. Kristel Flynn is an actress who was born and raised in Chicago. She has chosen to exercise her art and craft right in the city that molded and shaped her talent. She studied theatre and improv at various studios, and holds a Master of Arts degree in Communication, Media, and Theatre from Northeastern Illinois University. Kristel has worked with Stray Dog Theatre, the Beverly Art Guild, the Gaelic Park Players, and Galaxy Theater. She was last seen onstage in the Galaxy Theater’s production of Stories of Love.
Kristel is also the director of Saint Xavier University's TRIO program as well as an instructor in the Department of Communication.
We are delighted to feature her in this spotlight Chicago interview.
Kristel Flynn and her fellow cast members from "A Fairy's Tale"
JT: Kristel, what attracted you to acting? How did you become an actor?
Kristel: I always dreamed about performing, but didn’t get up the nerve to take an acting class until after I graduated from college. I loved the idea of stepping into the life and experiences of a character and seeing the world through someone else’s eyes. I have an insatiable curiosity about people and why we do the things we do, so acting is the perfect medium to explore that. I took my first acting classes with Milissa Pacelli on the south side of Chicago. She gave us amazing material with which to work and do character studies. She challenged us to “live truthfully under imaginary circumstances.” I loved all the scene work we did in class, as so many of the complexities of human nature were put under the microscope in our analysis. I then had to face the next challenge of overcoming the fear of auditioning. Once I got the first few down, I finally started to gain momentum. I still get fearful when I audition for a new group, but the excitement overrides it now.
JT: I admire the fact that you decided to do this as an adult. Most people get comfortable, even complacent with life and rarely, if ever follow a dream past a certain age. Growing up, did you have an aspiration to act?
Kristel: Not really. I liked to play in my imagination a lot, and often got lost in reading stacks of books. I was always imagining other worlds in my head from all the books, but I was quite shy earlier on. I do think there was always a performer inside waiting to be found, which slowly emerged in various settings once I felt comfortable with people.
Kristel: think I love every character for one reason or another. Some of my favorites include: Van Helsing in Dracula, Brooke in Other Desert Cities, Mary Lou in Macbeth Did It, Catherine in Proof, Annelle in Steel Magnolias, and Helen in The Seven Year Itch.
JT: Great characters, one and all. Let's dream! If you had the power to reboot any production what production and role would that be for you?
Kristel: I would pick Other Desert Cities (Brooke) and Proof (Catherine). These were two of my most challenging roles that I would love to play again. These roles had a lot of depth and nuance that I would love to explore again with the perspective of a few more years under my belt.
JT: What is your all-time favorite character in a play or filmed entertainment?
Kristel: From the time I was a little girl, I have always loved the character of Jo March from Little Women. It’s always interesting to see a character's transition from how you imagine them while reading to how they are portrayed on stage or in film. I have long admired the energy and independence of Jo.
JT: Little Women was a huge favorite of my beloved mom, so I love that answer! You have worked in four different theaters in the Chicago metro area? How did those relationships happen for you?
Kristel: It started off with being in one show, making friends with the cast and crew, and then hearing about other groups that people are involved in. I have had people shoulder-tap me after a performance to encourage me to check out auditions for a show they are doing, and I will usually do so if there is an interesting part. Many of my actor friends also work with several different groups. I have found the theater community to be very supportive as we all have the same shared goal to create.
JT: I admit I'm more of a movie person than a live theater person, but I enjoy the experience of watching actors work live. It's not quite like any other art form. Since I love films - what are some of your favorite films?
Kristel: The Dark Knight, Before Sunrise, Little Women, Frida, and almost every movie that Cary Grant is in.
JT: We have no actor today who could literally play the roles Cary Grant played. He had a tremendous range and rarely got credit for it. He was an outstanding dramatic actor (North by Northwest), a wildly believable comic actor (Arsenic and Old Lace, Monkey Business), a stunning romantic lead (An Affair to Remember) and a great action lead as well. I too loved The Dark Knight. Christian Bale was Bruce Wayne/Batman. He defined the characters on both fronts. As an actor, which actors are your favorites? Film, theater, television?
Kristel: I have so much admiration for many actors, but two of my favorites in film are Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. I promise this is not just because of Titanic! Their passion for the craft is palpable. I thought they were extraordinary in Revolutionary Road, and am likely to go see any film they are in, whether individually or together. Another favorite in film is Michelle Williams - her performances are so strong and memorable. My favorite local theater actor is Tony Carsella. He is an amazingly gifted performer and is always 100% committed to his character. In television, Elizabeth Moss is a standout.
JT: Any production (s) coming up in the near future in Chicago that you are not part of that you are most looking forward to?
Kristel: I don’t have anything specific on my radar right now, but I enjoy going to support plays that my friends are in. In the fall, the Gaelic Park Players (GPP) will be presenting Outside Mullingar, a fantastic play by John Patrick Shanley. I saw a production at the Acting Irish International Theatre Festival (AIITF) a few years back which was excellent, so I cannot wait to see the GPP version! Also, the Steppenwolf is my favorite theater in Chicago so I am on the lookout for their next offerings.
JT: Like many working actors you also have another job. You are the director of the TRIO program at Saint Xavier University? What is TRIO?
Kristel: TRIO programs are Federally funded programs that provide support to students from first-generation and/or limited-income backgrounds, as well as students with documented disabilities. We help students persist in college with the ultimate goal of graduation. We take a holistic approach and offer a variety of services from academic advising and financial literacy counseling to offering service projects and leadership development.
JT: You also teach on the college level? What courses do you teach?
Kristel: I teach Communication 101, which is a course on speech fundamentals. It is a required course, and can come with a sense of anxiety since public speaking is a major fear for a lot of people. It is something I have had to work through myself, so I am very understanding for those who have communication apprehension. I aim to create a warm, interpersonal environment in the classroom, which helps to ease nervousness. I then have students start small with fun, short impromptu speeches presented in front of very small groups before they have to present more formal speeches to a larger audience.
JT: Thank you Kristel for sharing some of your personal insights into the Chicago live theater world.
Copyright Chicago and Then Some 2022
