“What keeps life fascinating is the constant
creativity of the soul.”
— Deepak Chopra
For Katie Diamond, creativity has always been an integral part of how she defines herself. She’s an actor, singer, children’s book writer, baker, and most recently, producer of a talk show. “I’ve always thrived on being involved in a variety of projects and having the flexibility to work on what inspires me in the moment,” she says.
Diamond began her career on the stage in Seattle before eventually making her way to the bright lights of Broadway, where she appeared in many productions including The Pirate Queen and Jersey Boys. Diamond moved from New York City to Ridgefield with her husband and three children about nine years ago. Although she was ready to put her acting career behind her and adjust to suburban life, she knew she wanted to stay involved in the arts in some manner. “It was totally serendipitous that we ended up in the artistic and creative center that is Ridgefield. I didn’t know what a gem this town was and continues to be,” she says.
Shortly after settling in her new home, Diamond joined the board of the Ridgefield Playhouse where she connected with Daniel C. Levine. The two realized that they knew each other tangentially from their time in the city. Diamond and Levine launched the Broadway series at the Playhouse, showcasing music from powerhouse plays such as The Who’s Tommy and Jesus Christ Superstar. Realizing that residents of Fairfield County were hungry for more Broadway-type productions, the two, along with Bryan Perri, proceeded to establish ACT of CT. Together they have brought countless professional-caliber shows to audiences. “ACT’s first production – Mamma Mia – was so thrilling. Being able to bring that level of performance to the community was amazing,” says Diamond.
For the past five years, Diamond has assumed the role of ACT of CT’s Executive Director, as well heading up the Board of Directors. This past spring however, she stepped out from behind the scenes to make her triumphant return to the stage in the theater’s production of The Secret Garden. Diamond was delighted to take on the role of Lily. “Honestly, The Secret Garden is my favorite musical – it was the first show I ever saw on Broadway – and this is my favorite role. I actually played Lily 20 years ago at a theater in Seattle!” she says.
Cooking up the creativity
Diamond admits that she loves finding new ways to express her creativity. When the pandemic forced everyone to stay home, she found an outlet in baking. What started as a way to entertain her kids through weekly themed parties complete with homemade cakes, has grown into another outlet for her artistic expression and Katie’s Intoxicating Kakes was born. Completely self-taught, Diamond turns out confections that rival any professional baker. She currently bakes nearly all the opening night celebratory cakes for ACT, as well as for clients in exchange for donations to the theater.
“What became interesting to me through the process of making these cakes was the concept of how people express their creativity and find fulfillment and how these ideas can change over time as we age, have children, and just generally move through life’s moments,” says Diamond. It sparked her curiosity about other creative people – how their paths have evolved and what conversations about that would sound like.
Diamond collaborated with producer, friend and make-up artist extraordinaire Amanda Gabbard to develop a format where baking and talking about creativity could co-exist. Along with John White, who acts as the third producer as well as director and editor, the trio created Let Them Eat Cake. In each 25-minute video segment, Diamond invites a fellow artistic person into her home where she bakes them a cake symbolic of who they are. Each episode is filmed in Diamond’s own kitchen and is a combination of lighthearted cupcake decorating and a deep delve into the guest’s life and what they’ve gone through. “I love talking to a variety of creative people who have shifted gears during their career and have found fulfillment in ways they didn’t expect,” says Diamond.
Guests in the kitchen
One of her first guests in the pilot episodes was the prolific Broadway actress and comedian, Ellyn Marsh, who recently launched a successful podcast “Obsessed with Disappeared” based on her fascination with true crime. Another pilot guest was Christina Geist, wife of Willie Geist, who began with a career in PR and advertising and then went on to become an entrepreneur and children’s book author. “I’m really proud of how these episodes have come out – they look really beautiful,” says Diamond.
Diamond is currently shopping Let Them Eat Cake to various outlets and she is optimistic it will get picked up. “The kitchen can be such a vulnerable place for people. Everyone has memories – good and bad – tied to that space,” she says. “I’m excited to dig into that.”
You can find information about Katie’s cakes at @katiesintoxikakes•
