Name: Kendyl Ito
Year: Senior ’17
Major: BFA Musical Theater
Hometown: Sacramento, California
Describe yourself in 3 words: Joyful, Quirky, Compassionate
Favorite food(s): Pasta and anything smothered in chocolate
What is your favorite show(s) that you have done so far? “Children of Eden from when I was in high school, and A Chorus Line at Pace last April.”
What role have you always wanted to be/show have you always wanted to do? “Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd, Dawn in Waitress, Stepsister in Cinderella, Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Marcy in Dogfight, any part in Little Shop of Horrors, Into the Woods, Urinetown, Sister Act”
Any future goals or aspirations other than above? “Unrelated to theatre, I would love to travel and see as much of the world as I can. By the time I pass on, I’d like to say that I’ve been to every continent on the globe.”
What are you doing now/this semester? “I’m currently performing in the U.S. national tour/Toronto premiere of Matilda. When I first moved out to New York to study at Pace, my first audition in the city was for Matilda — so it’s definitely been a surreal “full circle” experience to be a part of this production.”
What inspires you? “Watching live theatre, going to museums, humanitarian work, reading books … honestly anything that involves observing moments of people living their passions. Things like watching a #BlackLivesMatter protest, hearing musicians play in the subway at Union Square, and, a moment I love to witness every night in Matilda, a kid’s very first time watching a musical. Recently though, I’ve started reading this book called The Book of Joy, which contains interview sessions between the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Abrams. It’s a beautiful book about finding lasting happiness in a changing world. With the horrors of this year’s presidential election, unrest in Syria, and, yes, the raging clowns epidemic, this book has been very eye-opening for me this past month.”
Favorite thing about New York City: “I LOVE Central Park, especially during the fall when the leaves start to change colors. I also love the diversity of the city — the fact that there are people from ALL OVER THE WORLD in one island and that Chinatown can be literally right next door to Little Italy amazes me everyday.”
What is your favorite holiday…why? “New Years! It’s a great time to reminisce the past year, and a great opportunity for fresh starts and new beginnings. Also, being Japanese, New Years has always been a big holiday in my family with some of the BEST food.”
Any fun facts? “I love to cook, I used to be a competitive volleyball player in high school, I’ve never broken a bone (*knock on wood*), and truly hate being scared. I also love humanitarian work, and try to work at least one volunteer event every month (things like food banks and soup kitchens).”