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LETTERS
TO the
FRONT
letter writing campaign

Danette Bock
starring as
Katharine Hartgrove
(1998 Stateside Tour)

For the 1998 Stateside Tour of LETTERS from the FRONT, the role of Katharine Hartgrove was played by Dannette Bock, who coincidentally shares Katharine's background.  Katharine was raised in the Midwest then built her career in the Northeast, resulting in a sturdy individualism tempered by cosmopolitan sophistication.

Dannette was born and raised in Chicago, where she began acting as early as the fourth grade.  She continued performing in school plays throughout high school, studied for two years at Perdue University, then transferred to The State University of New York where she received her BA in theatre.  She has built a steady career in the New York theatre and film industries, playing leads in a number of productions, including The Misanthrope, And Miss Reardon Drinks A Little, and Sisters.  She also frequently appears in TV commercials.

Dannette was chosen from more than 300 New York actresses who vied for the role of Katharine Hartgrove.  According to Dannette, "It was a great honor to be chosen to bring Katharine Hartgrove and her story to life.  I immediately felt a kinship with her because of her strength, spirit, and vulnerability.  Katharine exemplifies what it can mean to achieve success in the face of adversity, while maintaining her dignity and integrity."

Dannette found that playing Katharine required her to call upon all the skills she had spent years honing as an actress -- and a little more.  "It's a two hour rollercoaster of emotions, non-stop.   Just you and your costar -- no relief while other actors takes the stage.  It takes everything you've got in you to pull it off.  If you're not completely exhausted by the time the curtain comes down, you're not doing it right."

Starring in LETTERS from the FRONT brought with it an unexpected bonus for Dannette: the warm, appreciative response of military audiences.  After each performance, audience members made a point of meeting Dannette and thanking her personally for her efforts.  Often they shared personal experiences similar to those conveyed in the play.  And on several occasions Dannette and her costar Neal Matthews were presented service medals by the Commanding General of the installation.  It was a unique experience and one that she will never forget. 

Dannette lives with her two cats in New York's upper East Side.  Aside from performing, she enjoys bicycling, tennis, squash (the game, not the vegetable), and ballroom dancing.