Katherine Baldwin (born May 2, 1975)https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KK8Y-DKL Date of birth, familysearch.org; accessed May 31, 2014. is an American singer and actress known for her work in musical theater. She received a Tony Award nomination for her work in the 2009 Broadway revival of Finian's Rainbow. She also co-starred opposite Bette Midler, David Hyde Pierce, and Gavin Creel in the Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly!, for which she received Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle award nominations for her work as Irene Molloy. Baldwin continued with the production until it closed in August 2018.
Early life Born in Evanston, Illinois, Baldwin graduated from Shorewood High School in Shorewood, Wisconsin in 1993, and from the theatre program at Northwestern University in 1997.Brown, Dennis. "Catch Kate Baldwin in St. Louis while you can", riverfronttimes.com, August 3, 2005
During her four years at Northwestern, she performed in seventeen university stage productions and studied voice with Marie Michuda, who helped to make Baldwin a versatile performer. In March of her senior year, Baldwin auditioned for the musical Baby which was being produced at the Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre, in Lincolnshire, Illinois, and obtained her Equity card for her work in the production. She stayed in the Chicago area, performing in multiple other Marriott Lincolnshire productions, before moving to New York City.
Career Baldwin made her Broadway debut as a swing in the original Broadway production of The Full Monty (2000). Additional Broadway credits include: Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002) - Daphne/Lucille, Miss Dorothy Understudy Wonderful Town revival (2004) - Helen [Replacement] Finian's Rainbow revival (2009) - Sharon McLonergan (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critic's Circle noms) Big Fish (2013) - Sandra Bloom Hello, Dolly! revival (2017) - Irene Molloy (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critic's Circle noms) Chicago revival (2025) - Roxie Hart [Replacement] Baldwin's off-Broadway credits include: Babes in Arms** A Connecticut Yankee** Bloomer Girl** Bush is Bad Finian's Rainbow** Giant (Drama Desk nom) John & Jen (Drama Desk nom) Songbird Superhero (Lucille Lortel nom) Love Life**
** notes Encores! New York City Center performance
Along with all of her Broadway and Off-Broadway credits she has also accumulated an extensive amount of regional theater credits. One of the most notable being her portrayal of Nellie Forbush in the 2002 Arena Stage production of South Pacific,Jones, Kenneth. "Hi, Bali! Arena Stage's 'South Pacific' Opens Dec. 13 in DC" Playbill, December 13, 2002, retrieved December 29, 2017 for which she was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award. Additional credits include She Loves Me, Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, The King and I, and many others.
Baldwin played the role of Sharon in the 2009 New York City Center Encores! staged concert production of Finian's Rainbow. The New York Times critic Charles Isherwood called her a "discovery" and praised her performance, noting she sang the role "beautifully... her rich, pure soprano riding the crests of the melodies with ease."Isherwood, Charles. "An Irish Immigrant in Missitucky With the Lowdown on High Finance" The New York Times, March 28, 2009 She reprised the role in the Broadway revival that brought the Encores! production to the St. James Theatre in October 2009. Her performance received positive notices again, as well as a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in Musical.Gans, Andrew and Hetrick, Adam. "Baldwin, Norton, Fitzgerald and Cooper to Star in Broadway's Finian's Rainbow Revival" Playbill.com, July 16, 2009Itzkoff, Dave. "Christopher Fitzgerald, Chuck Cooper Join 'Finian's Rainbow' on Broadway" The New York Times, July 16, 2009
In October 2009, Baldwin released her first solo album, Let's See What Happens, a compilation of songs written by Burton Lane and E. Y. Harburg.Jones, Kenneth. "Solo Discs by Baldwin Callaway and Luker On Sale Oct 20 NYC In Store Appearances Planned", playbill.com, October 20, 2009 More recently, she released an album dedicated solely to the work of the team, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, titled She Loves Him.
In the West End, the premiere of the new musical Paradise Found featured Baldwin in a production co-directed by Harold Prince and Susan Stroman at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London (May 19 – June 26, 2010).Jones, Kenneth. "Prince and Stroman Unveil New Musical Paradise Found in London May 19" Playbill, May 19, 2010, retrieved December 20, 2017 The Telegraph reviewer wrote of her performance: "The best performance comes from Kate Baldwin, who is both affecting and a succulent feast for the eye, as Mizzi."Spencer, Charles. " 'Paradise Found' at the Menier Chocolate Factory, review" The Telegraph, May 27, 2010
Baldwin appeared in the Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly! as Irene Molloy, opposite Bette Midler. The musical opened at the Shubert Theatre on April 20, 2017, and closed on August 25, 2018.McPhee, Ryan. "Donna Murphy Returns to Broadway's 'Hello, Dolly!' July 22" Playbill, July 22, 2018
In 2020, Baldwin was scheduled to appear in New York City Center's production of Love Life directed by Victoria Clark, and starring opposite Brian Stokes Mitchell. However, the production was postponed and then cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The show was brought back for the 2025 season of Encores! with Baldwin and Mitchell in their original roles.https://www.theatermania.com/news/review-kurt-weill-and-alan-jay-lerners-love-life-gets-first-nyc-staging-in-77-years_1768748/
In 2025, she appeared in the third season of The Gilded Age as Nancy Adams Bell', the sister of John Adams.
Personal life Baldwin met her husband, actor Graham Rowat, in 2003 during a Washington DC production of 1776, in which he played Richard Henry Lee and she played Martha Jefferson. Because they both had a lot of downtime during act two of the musical, they bonded quickly and began dating after the show closed. They married on October 2, 2005, and on April 19, 2011, welcomed their son, Colin James. The husband and wife acting duo have done multiple regional shows together since 1776, including Bells Are Ringing and A Little Night Music.
Stage
Year Title Role(s) Venue Notes 2000 Thoroughly Modern Millie Ensemble La Jolla Playhouse 2001 The Full Monty Swing (replacement) Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Broadway Broadway debut 2002 Thoroughly Modern Millie Lucille, Daphne, Ensemble, understudy Dorothy Brown Marquis Theatre, Broadway Miss Saigon Ellen Scott Paper Mill Playhouse South Pacific Nellie Forbush Arena Stage 2003 1776 Martha Jefferson Ford's Theatre 2004 The Last Five Years Kathy Hiatt Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Wonderful Town Helen (replacement) Al Hirschfeld Theatre, Broadway 2005 Falsettos Cordelia Huntington Theatre Company Behind the Limelight Oona New York Stage and Film The Sound of Music Maria Rainer The Muny Bush is Bad Laura Bush, Valerie Plame, others Triad Theater, Off-Broadway White Christmas Betty Haynes Orpheum Theatre, San Francisco 2006 Hello, Dolly! Irene Molloy Paper Mill Playhouse Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Milly The Muny White Christmas Betty Haynes Fox Theatre, Detroit 2007 Henry V Katherine of France Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey The Three Musketeers Milady de Winter North Shore Music Theatre White Christmas Betty Haynes Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto 2008 A Little Night Music Charlotte Malcolm Baltimore Centerstage She Loves Me Amalia Balash Huntington Theatre Company Williamstown Theatre Festival The Women Mary Haines Old Globe Theatre 2009 Finian's Rainbow Sharon McLongeran New York City Center The Music Man Marian Paroo The Muny Finian's Rainbow Sharon McLonergan St. James Theatre, Broadway 2010 Paradise Found Mizzi Schinagl Menier Chocolate Factory, London I Do! I Do! Agnes Westport Country Playhouse 2012 Giant Leslie Lynnton Benedict Dallas Theater Center The Music Man Marian Paroo Arena Stage Giant Leslie Lynnton Benedict Public Theater, Off-Broadway 2013 Fiorello! Thea Almerigatti New York City Center Big Fish Sandra Templeton Bloom Oriental Theatre, Chicago Neil Simon Theater, Broadway 2014 A Little Night Music Charlotte Malcolm Berkshire Theatre Group Can-Can La Mome Pistache Paper Mill Playhouse 2015 John & Jen Jen Tracy Keen Company, Off-Broadway Bells Are Ringing Ella Peterson Berkshire Theatre Group Songbird Tammy Trip 59E59 Theaters, Off-Broadway 2016 The King and I Anna Leonowens Chicago Lyric Opera Constellations Marianne Berkshire Theatre Group 2017 Hello, Dolly! Irene Molloy Shubert Theatre, Broadway 2019 Superhero Charlotte Bronson Second Stage Theater, Off-Broadway 2022 The Bridges of Madison County Francesca Johnson Axelrod Performing Arts Center The Karate Kid Lucille Stages St. Louis 42nd Street Dorothy Brock Goodspeed Musicals 2023 What the Constitution Means to Me Heidi Schreck Berkshire Theatre Group The Bridges of Madison County Francesca Johnson Bucks County Playhouse 2024 A Little Night Music Desiree Armfeldt American Theater Group Little Women (musical) Marmee Connecticut Stage Company Follies Sally Plummer Carnegie Hall The Prom Dee Dee Allen Sharon Playhouse 2025 Love Life Susan Cooper New York City Center Gans, Andrew Victoria Clark Will Direct Kate Baldwin and Nicholas Christopher in Love Life for City Center Encores! Playbill, August 6, 2024Hello, Dolly! Dolly Levi Carnegie Hall Chicago Roxie Hart Ambassador Theatre, Broadway Gans, Andrew Kate Baldwin and Alex Newell to 'Razzle Dazzle' in Broadway's Chicago Playbill, October 21, 2025
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryWorkResult2006Kevin Kline AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a MusicalThe Sound of Music2010Tony AwardBest Actress in a MusicalFinian's RainbowDrama Desk AwardOutstanding Actress in a MusicalOuter Critics Circle AwardOutstanding Actress in a Musical2013Drama Desk AwardOutstanding Actress in a MusicalGiant2015John & Jen2017Tony AwardBest Featured Actress in a MusicalHello, Dolly!Drama Desk AwardOutstanding Featured Actress in a MusicalOuter Critics Circle AwardOutstanding Featured Actress in a Musical2019Lucille Lortel AwardsOutstanding Lead Actress in a MusicalSuperhero
Additional credits Opening Doors concert, Zankel Hall, October 2004Isherwood, Charles. "Theater Review. They're Putting It Together, Accentuating the Positive"The New York Times, October 7, 2004 Miss Saigon, Paper Mill Playhouse, 2002 Hello, Dolly!, Paper Mill Playhouse, June 2006Isherwood, Charles. "Tovah Feldshuh at the Paper Mill: Top o' the Mornin', Dolly!"The New York Times, June 13, 2006 Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The Muny, St. Louis, August 2006Gans, Andrew."Muny's Seven Brides — with Kate Baldwin and James Clow — Begins Run Aug. 7" playbill.com, August 7, 2006 The Pajama Game, The Muny, St. Louis, July 2007Gans, Andrew."Chase and Baldwin Play The Pajama Game at the Muny Beginning July 23" playbill.com, July 23, 2007 White Christmas, San Francisco, November 2005-December 2005Jones, Kenneth.Before They Woo in San Francisco's White Christmas, Acting Couple Will Wed" playbill.com, September 23, 2005 and Toronto, November 2007-January 2008Staff."Old chestnut White Christmas heats up Toronto's Sony stage" cbc.ca, November 21, 2007 She Loves Me, Huntington Theatre Company and Williamstown Theatre Festival, Massachusetts, May 2008-June 2008Gans, Andrew and Jones, Kenneth. "She Loves Me, with Ashmanskas and Baldwin, Begins Huntington Run" Playbill, May 16, 2008, retrieved December 20, 2017 My Fair Lady, Sacramento Music Circus, August 2008Blank, Matthew. "Kate Baldwin Is a Fair Lady at Sacramento Music Circus" Playbill, August 8, 2008, retrieved December 20, 2017 The Broadway Musicals of 1927, "Broadway By the Year" February 22, 2010, The Town Hall, New YorkGans, Andrew. "Kudisch, Baldwin, Noll, Kimball, Racey Explore the Broadway Musicals of 1927 Feb. 22" Playbill, February 22, 2010, retrieved December 20, 2017
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