Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Pecce.
Christina, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am a singing-actress crossing over the genres of opera, musical theatre, jazz, and performance art. At the early age of 4, I was sure of what I wanted to do. My uncle was an actor and I recall sitting in the orchestra pit for his touring shows and going backstage. His career really nurtured my desire to be a performer as well. I sang all through high school and ended up at Hofstra University to study Music Education and Vocal Performance. It was there that I was introduced to opera. From there, I went to The Boston Conservatory to obtain my master’s degree in Opera Performance.
In Boston, I was introduced to my now husband, Keith Kusterer, and joined his country-western band. At that point, I had realized how much I missed singing other genres besides opera and started to audition for local theaters and tour around the city with our band, The Goods. After performing in Mary Poppins, Legally Blonde, Show Boat, and A Little Night Music, I had obtained membership with the Actor’s Equity Association. Then, my career took another side turn. I was offered the position of Apprentice Artist at Fort Worth Opera in Texas and took the gig. That brought my husband and I down south for 9 months while I was contracted as a resident opera singer with the company. After that adventure, we decided to move to Chicago. Upon moving here this past year, I have performed with Opera On Tap and have had the honor of premiering the opera The Great God Pan by local composer Ross Crean with Chicago Fringe Opera. I’ve also had the opportunity to perform and nurture a cabaret series called Witches, Bitches, and Divas! at Davenport’s Piano Bar. That show helped me book a role in Jesus Christ Superstar at The Lyric as an ensemble member and the Mary Magdalene understudy. As my incomparable counterpart, Jo Lampert, would say… I am just jumping lily pads of opportunity!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
HA! There has certainly been extreme ups and downs. I can remember months at a time where I would continuously audition and put myself out in the market with no bites, thinking that I had wasted so much time in a career that didn’t have a place for me. There is a saying that I abide by religiously. That saying is: Persistence is Power. You have to keep moving. You have to keep pushing forward. It is just too easy to get sucked into self-loathing in this career. As hard as it is at times, I know that positivity and persistence will be the guide.
Please tell us about more Christina Pecce.
At my core, I am a classically-trained singer. That technique has gotten me through many roadblocks and has helped my understanding of the other genres that I work in. It is my understanding that my versatility sets me apart from others. What I am most proud of at the moment is being a part of Jesus Christ Superstar at The Lyric. I pinch myself every day I get to work. Next month, I’ll be making my off-Broadway debut with Witches, Bitches, and Divas! at Feinstein’s/54 Below in NYC.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from childhood is visiting the dunes at the very tip of Massachusetts in Provincetown. Our family would vacation there every summer for years. I remember seeing my first parade of drag queens when I was about 5. P-town is a magical place of acceptance and desolated relaxation by my most cherished entity, the ocean.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.christinapecce.com
- Email: christinapecce@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sketchypecce/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinapecce/
Image Credit:
Micah Gleason Max Wagenblass, Terrance Antonio James
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