Kendra Moore's Unique Journey to Company Manager of THE LION KING
Written by S.S. Thompson
Photographs by Robb Sapp
IT is a rare and wonderful gift to be able to carve out a lengthy prestigious career as a dancer – a field known for early retirement due to the natural limitations of the human body– and rarer still to exit stage left and continue a career in arts administration. One might even label such a person a unicorn. Kendra Moore, current Company Manager of The Lion King on Broadway, is one such unicorn among lions. Following a successful career as a dancer at esteemed ballet companies and on Broadway, Moore seamlessly bridged the gap so often a trap to artists unprepared for a life behind the scenes. The Roman philosopher Seneca is credited with the phrase luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Moore certainly encountered fortuitous opportunities along the way, but the magic lay in her meeting challengers with a positive outlook, impressive work ethic (hello dancer discipline), and curious nature. That, and, as Moore herself adds with an infectious smile and wise eyes, “being kind and empathetic along the way.”
A typical bunhead, Moore knew from an early age that she wanted to dance. After seeing her first ballet, Kendra told her parents in no uncertain terms, “I want to do that.” Luckily, her parents were supportive and she had access to exceptional training growing up in Lethbridge and Edmonton, Canada. “Not all dancers are going to be ballerinas, and to be able to offer all those different styles was a game changer,” she explains, crediting her exposure to diverse forms of dance – including modern, jazz and character – with arming her with vital versality and expanding her dreams beyond those of just sugar plums. With visions of music videos, Kendra serendipitously found her way into her first professional gig… as a ballerina. In the stuff of fairytales, a teacher in Edmonton became director of Ballet Austin just as she finished high school and brought Moore along as an apprentice. Her dual citizenship as an American allowed her to easily leap over the border. Divine timing met discipline and allowed her to create her own luck.
During her early years in Austin, Kendra discovered Hubbard Street Dance company, and experienced another deep knowing: she must find her way there. So, she set to work by auditioning. While she didn’t get in the first time – or the next three times, for that matter – she maintained her usual optimism and focus. All the while, she continued honing her abilities at Austin Ballet and later with Ballet Jazz Montréal, where she had the chance to tour. “Doing what you love performing and then getting to travel the world – China, Italy, Paris, South America – and with friends was a most incredible opportunity,” Moore gushes. Throughout her adventures, she held onto hope for Hubbard Street and stayed in touch with the company’s artistic director Lou Conte, trusting that the right door would open at the right time. And, on the fifth go-round, it did.
For Moore, being at Hubbard Street was “a dream, really.” She got to work with legendary choreographers including Twyla Tharp, Jiri Kylian, and Nacho Duato, and found family in the company. A defining characteristic of Moore’s attitude – and one that undoubtedly kept her afloat through an uninterrupted career in a competitive industry – is her joy in supporting and being supported by her fellow creative collaborators. That joy paid it forward and shaped her career when one of her Hubbard Street family, Geoff Myers, encouraged Kendra to join him at the men’s audition for The Lion King. Having missed the women’s audition, Kendra got to learn the men’s athletic choreography and was asked to partner with the males.The rest, as they say, is history (and yes, they both got in).
photo Selena Moshell
photo Selena Moshell
Moore laughs recalling her initial resistance to Broadway. “I didn’t think I was a Broadway person, and my friend said, ‘Kendra do you not realize what this is?’” So she accepted with the intention of touring for one year. She spent the next fourteen years on the road with The Lion King, inhabiting an impressive number of roles on stage and off which included thirteen as a dancer and one year as Assistant Company Manager. Such breadth of positions is no small accomplishment, especially for someone with a more creative than pragmatic mind. Nor was it an easy path. The move from dancer to Dance Captain was easier, allowing her to expand her focus beyond her particular place on stage. During this time, she also explored new skills – investing in real estate and stage managing and producing a friend’s rock opera – that proved to be crucial in preparing her for the much more challenging transition to Company Manager.
photo Todd Rosenberg
photo Todd Rosenberg
With insider knowledge of the touring company and basic administrative understanding from her Dance Captain days, she figured it would be a relatively smooth shift. It was far from it. On top of certain company members not responding well to her suddenly occupying a leadership role, she herself faced a massive learning curve. “I had no idea what a company manager did,” she laughs, “and suddenly found myself overseeing payroll, worker’s comp, working with theaters… and developing a massive new appreciation for the position.” She felt relative relief when, a year later, the tour closed. After over a decade on the road, she figured it might be time to settle down. Only she wasn’t sure where or how. And then, in typical form, the fates intervened. In February 2017, The Lion King’s General Manager called to offer Kendra the Assistant Company Manager position on Broadway. Again, a combination of hard work and good relationships paved the way.
The transition to her new position in New York would overlap with closing the tour in August 2017. She found an outlet for her creative streak in helping produce the 20th anniversary celebratory performance of the show with its alumni. Elton John made a surprise appearance following the performance. Kendra enjoyed being able to integrate her comprehensive experience as a dancer and knowledge of the company members over the years with the administrative side. She was officially promoted to Company Manager in September 2021 – quite a year (as we all remember) with myriad heretofore unknown complications that she, in typical graceful form, overcame. Being in one place for more than a few days she was able to pursue other passions, including preparing for a wedding to her lighting designer husband, producing a fundraiser for the event Divas For Democracy, and mentoring young high school women toward backstage careers with the organization Open Stage. Kendra also sits on the board of both the Open Stage Project and Madison Square Boys Club Girls Club.
For Moore, being able to share her knowledge with aspiring creatives is of vital importance. “I didn’t go straight away to university – I went right to work with a ballet company – and it was mentors who guided me along the way,” she explains, “who helped me see who I am and how I can help people, and I offer that now myself by leading with love and empathy,” as they did for her. So, what advice does she share with her mentees? “Make connections in the industry. Always lead with love and kindness, as you want to work with people you like who are fun…and stay open to possibilities.” Moore is a living testament that a solid foundation within oneself and a consciously cultivated community can carve the way for a truly rewarding and enduring creative career. -