At Sea with Katy Marquardt

Spotlight on Katy Marquardt!

Katy “Crazy 88s” Marquardt is my fellow Chicagoan on this boat. She resides in the Lincoln Park area and joins us from a previous 4 month stint on this very ship. We maintain that she loves our cast the most, and she is far too nice to argue. Things I learned about Katy while rooming with her: she enjoys ambient Law & Order, she loves reading, and she is much tidier than I will ever be. We are fortunate to have her behind the keyboard and by our side. If not for her, our shows would be eerily quiet.

Natalie: Katy, this is your second contract on the Spirit. Why another four months?
Katie: I wanted the time to practice and write. That’s a luxury I don’t have at home. There’s lots of free time here. Time for creative…
N: Exploration?
K: Sure, I’ll say that. If I think of another word, I’ll let you know.
N: You’re from Chicago.
K: Well, originally from Indiana, but yes, I came here from Chicago.
N: What do you miss the most about home?
K: My family. Just being able to share experiences with them. On a more superficial level, I miss Chicago pizza and good salsa.
N: Well that brings me to ask, what’s your favorite pizza in Chicago?
K: It’s a tie between Ranalli’s and Lou Malnati’s.
N: And the salsa?
K: I love the salsa at Tarasca’s. And Adobo Grille. They have that guacamole. I could make a meal out of just the chips and guacamole.
N: Table side! It’s awesome. We here know, and I’ll let our readers know, you’re a vegetarian. How long have you been?
K: Thirteen years or so. Since middle school.
N: Was there some event that sparked it?
K: I always had a hard time eating animals. Then I was a at a pig roast and it was really hard to see the pig. I love animals too much to eat them.
N: Has it been hard to eat vegetarian on this ship?
K: Yes, since I’m not a big fan of curry, and that’s mostly what the vegetarian food is in the dining room. But I guess if they had better food I would just eat more of it, so it balances out this way.
N: And to go back to your past…how long have you been playing piano?
K: Twenty three years.
N: Wow. That’s practically since birth.
K: Yeah. My mom’s a piano teacher, so that’s why I started so young.
N: Tough question, but what’s your absolute favorite song to play?
K: That is hard. Can I say a classical song and a pop song?
N: Please.
K: Classical - Fantasy Impromptu by Chopin. Pop - Come on Eileen.
N: Well now I have to ask, why haven’t you used Come on Eileen in our improv sets??
K: That’s not really improv.
N: But would you be open to a fully improvised musical based on your favorite songs?
K: Yes! But we’d probably have to axe the classical songs.
N: No way, we could use them.
K: We could. And Peter would be happy because I could throw in Only the Good Die Young. It’s a karaoke favorite of his.
N: And speaking of karaoke, back to the ship. What’s your favorite thing about the ship?
K: The live music.
N: Favorite band on board?
K: Next Stage. [Interviewer’s note: Next Stage is great. They do all kinds of pop and rock covers]
N: Would you ever be willing to play music exclusively on a cruise ship?
K: Yeah, if they’d pay me.
N: So what is your least favorite part of the ship?
K: The coffee cups. They don’t have proper handles.
N: You just won the award for the best interview answer ever. And now the obligatory question - who is your favorite cast member?
K: Rusty [our technical director]. Does he count?
N: Sure. And your least favorite?
K: Jerrick [our stage manager] because he’s leaving us!
N: You are undoubtedly the most positive member of our cast. What is the reason for the sunny disposition?
K: Insanity. I don’t know. I tend to be positive, give people the benefit of the doubt. I have a cynical side, but I guess it’s overshadowed by my optimism.
N: That’s unusual in improv. Will you stay in improv long term?
K: I don’t know, I’m figuring that out. I’d like to try different things, like acting, writing, working on my own projects. I feel like I fit in in improv though.
N: So what would be your dream job?
K: Nothing specific, just something creatively driven, that I’m happy doing and that pays my bills. I’m still figuring out what that would be.
N: Aren’t we all. And now about our show. What’s your favorite sketch?
K: Captain Apathy and Drive. I would say Pictionary, but I’ve seen it too many times.
N: I’ve heard that. What’s your favorite improv game?
K: To play, I’d say Sounds Like a Song or Irish Drinking Song.
N: A lot of improvisors are intimidated by musical improv. What’s your advice for them?
K: Get out of your head and look at it like any other improv scene. You can do it!
N: OK, time for lightning round questions…Chocolate or vanilla?
K: Vanilla.
N: Brown or black?
K: Black.
N: Caribbean or New England?
K: Caribbean.
N: Elton John or Billy Joel?
K: Billy Joel.
N: And finally, what’s the first thing you will do when you get home?
K: See my mom and dad. I mean hopefully…they’re picking me up from the airport.

Thanks, Katy!