How Mary Claire King Went From Playing Sports to Playing in Chicago

For current Chicago ensemble member Mary Claire King, musical theater wasn't always the goal. Her first introduction to dance was going to a class with her best friend at the age of four...where she fell asleep. Obviously it wasn't love at first sight. "For most of my young life I really took a departure from dance," she said. "I played travel soccer for over 10 years and I also peppered in basketball and ran hurdles in track. I was a super athletic kid and really immersed in sports." 

King also loved to sing. "I basically came out of the womb singing and was always the loudest one in church choir," she joked. Her introduction to musical theater was immediately inspiring. "My choir took a trip to New York City and I saw my first Broadway show which was Aida. I was so blown away by the choreography and the spectacle of it, it's what really sparked my interest in musical theater."

After playing the musical's cast recording "every day for the next year and a half," King decided to join her school's theater program, which led her back to the dance studio. Unfortunately, she had to break up with soccer. "I eventually hung up my cleats in the middle of high school to pursue theater," she said. "I remember crying calling my coach to tell him I was leaving and he said, 'I had a feeling you might be making this call.' And that was it for me."

Although sports gave her an edge in terms of hand-eye coordination and muscle strength, compared to her fellow dancers, King had to play catch-up to be on the same level as her peers. "I'm 5'10'' and when I walked into a room, people assumed I was a strong dancer," she explained. "I had the skill thanks to sports, but I was really behind on technique. I really put an emphasis on getting that training and built my curriculum around studio time."

Those hours in the studio certainly paid off for King. After college, she made her professional debut in the national tour of Catch Me If You Can in 2013, which gave her the "highest point of excitement." After 10 months on the road, King moved to New York City and went on to appear in Broadway's War Paint and My Fair Lady before landing her current gig in Chicago. In addition to being in the ensemble, she's also the understudy to Velma, a role that requires heavy singing and dancing. "This show is so special to me because I've wanted to play Velma Kelly ever since I saw the [2002 Oscar-winning] movie, and last month I got to make my Velma debut" she exclaimed. "It's been so exciting to immerse myself in the Fosse choreography and be part of this incredible legacy."

Watch the video below to hear King talk about Chicago and more!

Photo Credits: Photographs by Matthew Murphy | Styling: Jake Sokoloff| Grooming: KeLeen Snowgren | Assistant: Evan Zimmerman
Video Credits: Directed by Kyle Gaskell | Produced by Caitlin Moynihan | Additional camera: Nick Shakra