The Austin Arts Hall of Fame: Karen Kuykendall

Actress, singer, bon vivant

Despite a busy career in real estate, Kuykendall is a regular on Austin stages. She has appeared in "legit" shows as diverse as "Luv" and "Romeo and Juliet" and in musicals ranging from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" to "Nine." She provided a memorable performance as Hannah in "Angels in America," and is getting ready to reprise the role of Fraulein Schneider in "Cabaret."

Early oin her career, she toured nationally in "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and "Mame." More recently, her cabaret performances have achieved great success.

Kuykendall's involvement in the arts community extends beyond performing. She is a board member for Ballet Austin, and has served on a number of boards in the past, including Conspirare, Austin Musical Theatre and the Girl Scouts. She also has been a willing and effective fund-raiser for more organizations than space permits listing.

She attributes her interest in things theatrical to her parents, Chester and Mary Faulk Koock, who required dinnertime performances from each of their children in the grand old Austin house that was their home; the house that in the 1950s became the Green Pastures restaurant. In a Tribeza article, Kuykendall described the power of that influence: "I think it was good training. Especially one time when I walked into the orchestra pit during the run of 'Mame' in Cleveland. Right into the drums. 'For God's sake' (I said,) 'get me out of here before the lights come up!' "
-- Randy Harriman

Ernest & Sarah Butler		Barbara Carson	Felicity Coltman	Chris Cowden	Karen Kuykendall	Jim Swift	Boyd Vance