Ever wondered what it takes to join the ranks of Oklahoma’s most lauded performing arts companies? We profile three such artists from the OKC Ballet, Tulsa Opera and OKC Philharmonic to explore their day-to-days, education and interests outside the world of performance.
Kara Joy Troester Blythe
Oklahoma City Ballet
Always on her toes, Kara Joy Troester Blythe is starting her eighth season as a corps de ballet artist for Oklahoma City Ballet – and her tenth season as a professional ballet dancer.
Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Blythe left high school at 16 to train and finished her education online. She earned her first professional contract with the Kansas City Ballet at only 17, and danced there for two seasons before joining the OKC Ballet.
“I am looking forward to this upcoming season with OKCB where I will perform in Swan Lake for the third time in my career,” she says.
Though being a dancer is her primary job, Blythe also teaches ballet and pilates and is also completing a degree in kinesiology this year.
Leading up to a performance, Blythe starts each day with an hour and a half warm up class and then between two to five hours of rehearsal. She counts dancing as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker as one of her most memorable experiences.
“I’ve performed in hundreds of shows of The Nutcracker, so I know the music so well that I felt like I could truly become one with the dance,” she says.
Before she steps on stage, Blythe gets her heart rate up by jumping or running in place, and uses mental imagery to get ready for whatever she’s about to perform.
Outside work, Blythe volunteers for her church and cheers on the Oklahoma City Thunder. On weekends, she and her husband enjoy having brunch with friends at Neighborhood Jam or coffee at Stella Nova.
“My husband and I always like to try out new restaurants around town,” she says, “but we always go to Braum’s for a burger and shake.”
Stephanie Washington
Tulsa Opera
Stephanie Washington, coloratura soprano, is all about hitting the high notes — in music and in life. Washington rejoined Tulsa Opera last year as a Filstrup Resident Artist, making this her third official season with the program.
“I’m happy that I’m able to sing with a company like Tulsa Opera,” she says. “They’re just so supportive of local artists.”
Washington studied at Oberlin College and Conservatory in Ohio, and from there, her studies and apprenticeships took her to settings like New Mexico, Colorado and Santa Barbara, Calif.
In addition to opera, Washington is a K-8th grade music teacher, and offers private voice and piano lessons. You can also find her in the chamber choir at St. John’s Episcopal Church.
While stepping into the role of Juliet in Romeo and Juliet has been one of Washington’s favorites, she says performing an aria from the musical at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of a competition is her most memorable performing arts experience. With Tulsa Opera, Washington says she also loved being part of Dead Man Walking.
“The composer of the opera actually came in,” she says, “so I was able to go out to dinner with him with the rest of the artists.”
Washington describes herself as “a big thrifter,” and on weekends enjoys visiting different shops around town. Lately, she’s been dabbling in gardening. She also enjoys spending time with her pit bull rescue, Jodi. With friends, she can often be spotted at Bird and Bottle.
“It’s just this restaurant tucked in the corner of a little shopping center,” she said. “They’ve got great martinis.”
Kate Pritchett
OKC Philharmonic
Kate Pritchett doesn’t mind tooting her own horn – at least when she’s performing with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. She’s been playing the instrument since she was 12, joined OKCPhil in 2005 and earned the spot of principal horn in 2015.
Pritchett holds three degrees in instrumental performance and has played in orchestras in Colorado, Texas, New Zealand and Oklahoma. She has taught horn at the university level, including Oklahoma City University, and also plays a good bit of chamber music and other professional shows, she says.
“The Philharmonic comprises a lot of musicians like me – people who teach music during the day,” she says. “I start preparing music on my own for these concerts in the weeks before those rehearsals start.”
The OKC Phil performed Mahler’s Fifth Symphony a couple of years ago, which had been on Pritchett’s “bucket list.”
“The first horn is prominently featured in the third movement, with the widest extremes in dynamic level I can think of,” Pritchett says. “It was fun to be challenged in that way, and of course the piece itself is magnificent.”
Before she takes the stage, Pritchett likes to take a long walk to clear her head, and has been practicing yoga – which helps her mentally and physically.
“I always get my ‘chops’ ready to go with a good warmup routine,” she adds.
Around the city, Pritchett can often be found at Toast & Coffee on North Robinson.
“There’s a resident support dog [there],” says Pritchett, who has a Lab mix rescue herself named Hank. “I also love that they support a diverse and vibrant community in our city.”
