Kris Keppeler started out as a singer, got herself in to the chorus for Iolanthe then into an understudy situation in Oklahoma and then into independent film work. A story of persitence and patience.
Kris Keppeler - Actor - Voice over artist
I used to be shy, very shy, and hardly able to interact on a social basis. Being shy is a curse, but if you’re shy and really want to be on stage, makes it doubly difficult. Fortunately, my desire to perform outweighed my shyness. I chose to follow my heart, even though my head told me I was crazy.
I’ve always been a singer, starting out in Jr. High choir and singing in choir all the way through college. But that got boring after I graduated. I found a regular job but missed singing and vowed I’d take lessons again some day.
That some day came in my mid 30’s when I started with voice lessons again. Then, a blind date took me to a local Gilbert & Sullivan production of Princess Ida and I noticed in the program they wanted singers for the chorus. I auditioned a few weeks later for their next production. I had no headshot and no resume but it didn’t matter, I became a fairy in Iolanthe.
I enjoyed it, lots more fun than choir, but I found myself still getting blamed for wrong notes. I tried acting lessons with the director, but he was a poor teacher. I struggled with improve work for years due to his awful teaching. In the next production, I asked around for acting school recommendations and got directed to the best acting school in town. I wanted to be out in front, in a principal role, not in the back in the chorus.
After about 5 years, and more chorus work, I got my chance. I understudied Aunt Eller in Oklahoma! During a rehearsal for another play, the actress playing the role fell off the stage and twisted her ankle. I received a phone call 3 hours before the show, letting me know I needed to go on as Aunt Eller that night. I’d had no rehearsal time as Aunt Eller, and the first 15 minutes on stage seemed like an hour, but I did it. No dropped lines, only a dancing and blocking issues.
I continued, adding more roles to my resume, taking acting classes, musicianship lessons, and voice over lessons. I did independent film roles. About 5 years ago, I got an agent. I still get most of my own work, though. My independent film work paid off when a film in which I had a short scene was accepted into competition at Sundance. The film, Police Beat, didn’t win, but got great reviews in the national papers. It shows on The Sundance Channel every once in awhile, so you can see me on TV now.
I signed up with a live entertainment agency, learning to do singing telegrams and comic roasting. I learned more about acting from singing telegrams than any class. Being right in the audience’s lap teaches you lots about interaction. This work also pays well.
Next, I decided to give voice over a try. Voice over is very similar to singing, so I especially like to do voice over. Unfortunately, some bad advice about the best voice over teacher/producer in town resulted in an expensive, unusable demo CD. It took me another 2 years of saving money to get a much better CD cut with the best teacher in this area. Overjoyed, I sent a sample to my agent, who told me it was awful, couldn’t use it and I had no acting ability. Refusing to believe that, I got an appointment through friends with a NYC voice over producer. He listened to it, told me it was not bad, and referred me to a voice over coach who specializes in character voices. Encouraged, I signed up for Voice123.com and put the demo out on the site. I auditioned for over a year through Voice123 but didn’t get any jobs. One voice over producer did contact me through the site for a special audition, but I didn’t get that job. Then, this year, I got a paid voice over job, voicing the role of a patient for a psychologist’s educational CD. Then, within a month, I got an audio drama voiceover. I recently won a bid for several voice over jobs, narrating DVD’s for an alternative health provider......... My next project is to get a better agent.
This website is brought to you as a World Community Service
by the Orange Town & Around website in Australia
