"A Chorus Line" Cast Member Returns to Her Home State

Cyndee England

Art imitates life in the new Baayork Lane directed and choreographed production of “A Chorus Line,” which comes to the Peabody Opera House this month. One of the characters in the show is from Missouri and one of the cast members, Kaitlin Niewoehner is from Missouri, too.

Kaitlin grew up in Columbia, Missouri and attended Stephens Collee and studied ballet with the Missouri Contemporary Ballet. She spent a lot of time in St. Louis as a child where she traveled to compete in gymnastics competitions and still has family here.

“I’m very nostalgic for St. Louis as I grew up going to the zoo and the Science Center and would take many road trips to St. Louis when I was in college,” Niewoehner said. “I can’t wait to show my cast mates around St. Louis.”

She’s especially excited to perform at the newly renovated Peabody Opera House.

“I have many friends who still live in St. Louis who tell me they love this theater and how I’m going to fall in love with it too,” she said.

The cast spent two weeks rehearsing with Director and Choreographer Baayork Lee before they went out on tour. Lee was in the original cast and the character Connie is based on her life.

“She really spent a lot of time giving us first-hand insight into the real people that the characters are based on to make our performances much more three-dimensional.”

The tour ends its run in St. Louis which is bittersweet for Kaitlin.

“I’ll miss the show and all of my fellow cast members,” she said. “But I’m excited to spend time with my grandparents who still live here and my sister who lives in Kansas City. The show has been a dream come true.”

A Chorus Line runs from March 21 – 23 for four performances.