Mississippi, schools together. “So Katie and I have known each other since we were little, but I would say we became very close during our middle and high school years,” she said. “We were in youth group and youth choir together and went on mission trips with the church. Through the years we began hanging out together outside of church and school.” College separated them physically, but not spiritually. “We would stay in touch through phone calls and text and hang out whenever she came back to town,” she said. One of her fondest memories is when she got to witness Katie perform. “I remember traveling with her parents to see her perform at Belmont when she was in Grease. She was doing what she loved!” When it came time for Evans to marry, she naturally wanted Katie in attendance. “I asked Katie to be a bridesmaid in my wedding,” Evans began. “Unfortunately, due to scheduling with a show that she was working on, she was not going to be able to make it to the wedding. I understood, but I hated she wouldn’t be there or get to stand by my side.” But a true friend will not let you down. “At the rehearsal dinner, the night before the wedding, my mom mentioned that Katie had sent me something and pointed at the TV screen. Katie had a made a video of herself singing a collaboration of songs including, You’ve Got a Friend by James Taylor, and You’ve Got a Friend in Me by Randy Newman.” Evans said Ladner’s friendship is a regular topic of discussion amongst friends. “I feel like it brings people of the community together. Whenever I get together with old high school friends that are still in the area, they always ask about her.” Ladner’s list of accomplishments include having parts in the Broadway version of Wicked and Sunset Boulevard, the Musical. She has also had several theatre roles including Disney’s Freaky Friday, Heathers the Musical, Hairspray, and Footloose. One appearance was for a reading of “Fat Camp,” a topic Ladner has personally experienced and overcome with benefits. “It took me a while to be somewhat confident in who I am not only in my looks but also as a woman, and I still struggle with it sometimes,” she said. But a comment from a friend became an “ah-ha” moment for her. “That moment clicked in my head of when I was told ‘people just want to see you on stage; there’s no other you.’” For the longest time Ladner could find few women who “looked like her,” which was disappointing. “I have really been blessed and given the opportunities to play majority roles that actually don’t have anything to do with what I look like. I can just be a funny, goofy girl that sings and tries to dance! And there’s something liberating about that. It makes my heart grow 10 sizes when I hear feedback from audience members saying ‘thank you for being you.’” Despite the thrill of live performances, Ladner admits she gets homesick. “I think what I find most challenging is being away from my family and friends and missing things like weddings and funerals,” she said. “If I am lucky, I’m employed. And more oftentimes than not, the performance schedule is tight and doesn’t allow for much wiggle room.” What lies ahead for the locally grown celebrity? “Well, right now I am in the Broadway company of Wicked, and I hope I can stick around there for a bit just to gather myself,” she said. “My immediate and long-term goals are just to enjoy the ride, truthfully. As actors, we spend so much time thinking about ‘What’s next’ and where the next paycheck is gonna come from that we forget to be in the moment and enjoy the experiences. That’s something I am trying to get better at!” So maybe romance might be what is next for Ladner. “Oh sweet heavens,” she begins. “The only romance I currently have are the longing gazes I give every person I see on the street with a Diet Coke. (I’m trying to quit. Pray for me!)” And as good Southerners, we shall. n 20 • March/April 2018
Hometown madison • 21