Teressa Kindle teacher gives the Muny and the jolt of soul: Entertainment – STLtoday.com

With its hit-packed score and a dynamic performance from Andy Christopher in the title roles, “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story” makes the Muny rock.

But Christopher is not the only performer who has Muny-goers dancing in Their seats. Teressa Kindle has the same effect when she launches into “Shout,” a number That sizzles from the box seats up to the free seats on waves of pure soul-power.

Perhaps the audience’s reaction is a tad stronger than anything she’s accustomed is hearing from her fourth-graders.

The Kindle, 31, used to sing more; her credits include a role in the musical “Is not Misbehavin ‘” at the Black Rep. In recent years, however, she has Concentrated on her classes at Lindenwood University (where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees), then on her students at Koch Elementary School in the Riverview Gardens district.

But when her husband, Nick Kindle, read an announcement about auditions for the Muny’s 2014 season, he insisted That she go to the try-outs. She was pretty nervous about it. “At that time, I had not Performed in maybe five years,” she explained. “I had to call him on the way to the audition.” He told her to get in there and sing.

When she was asked to return for call-backs – Proof That she was being Considered for something – she made her husband come with her. It was a good thing he did. “The call-back was very dance-heavy, and I was ready to back out of the whole thing,” she said. “But Nick made me stay.”

The decision paid off. Kindle Appeared in two shows last summer. First, she was a member of the ensemble in “Tarzan.” Then she got a specialty number in “Grease,” “Beauty School Dropout,” playing the Teen Angel who advises Musically one of the Pink Ladies to go back to high school.

It was a great number for a real-life teacher, and the Kindle’s performance electrified the audience. This week she has the same effect playing a singer at Harlem’s famed Apollo Theatre, where Buddy Holly and the Crickets gave an unlikely, now-legendary show.

A number of Kindle’s former students will attend “Buddy” on Saturday night. They a small read her bio in the program, Which includes a sweet personal note:

She thanks her husband for forcing her out of “retirement.”

“Buddy” runs at the Muny through Sunday night. The next Muny show, “Into the Woods,” opens Tuesday.