Kristine Reese was born in Philadelphia, PA.  At the age of 4, her family was transplanted to Burnsville, MN.

At the age of 8, Kristine tried to mount a full-scale production of “The Little Mermaid”, casting her brothers as Sebastian and Flounder, a fact they will never let her live down. Yet, Kristine’s path was unconventional. She did not take a single voice lesson, dance or acting class or perform in a show until she was in the 8th grade. Instead, she participated in athletics. But as everyone grew taller than her, it was time for a change.

Kristine began singing in the middle school choir and was soon “Bit by the Bug”. By her freshman year of high school, she had fully transitioned from athletics to the arts. In her sophomore year of high school, she placed 6th in the National Forensics League Tournament in the category of Dramatic Duo, earning her national recognition as an actress. She quickly resolved to continue her education to a professional level.

Kristine attended the prestigious Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where she earned her BFA in Musical Theatre. While at CCM, Kristine was presented her first opportunity to work with the distinguished Erich Kunzel of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, beginning a relationship with International Symphonic Orchestras that continues to this day.  Most important during her time at CCM, Kristine met her now husband, actor Billy Harrigan Tighe.

After graduation, Kristine moved to New York and immediately went out on the road with Kansas City Starlight’s tour of Hello, Dolly!, starring Michele Lee. A few months later, she was sent out on the road again, this time with the National Tour of Mamma Mia!, where she understudied the role of Sophie. After a year on the road, she returned to New York and soon learned she would make her Broadway debut in the revival of Les Miserables. In that next year, Kristine worked at Atlanta’s Theatre of the Stars, singing the Star to Be, and The St. Louis MUNY, playing Frenchy in Grease.

While traveling the road in various national tours and regional productions, Kristine was also traveling around North America performing in concerts with over a dozen Symphonic and Pops Orchestras, including the Cincinnati Pops, the Indianapolis, Baltimore, Detroit, Toronto, Modesto, Vancouver, and Edmonton Symphony Orchestras, and the National Symphony Orchestra in Ottawa, ON. She continues to work and create new concerts with Maestro Jack Everly of the Indianapolis Symphony and Maestro Steve Reineke of the New York Pops.

Kristine joined the National Tour of Wicked in 2008.  She assumed the role of Nessarose in November 2008 in her childhood hometown of Minneapolis, MN. Kristine then originated the role of Nessarose on the current Second National Tour, which opened in March of 2009, and went on to play over 1,000 performances in the role.

Kristine and Billy were engaged onstage with the Vancouver Symphony in November of 2009.  Click here to see how it happened.  They were married in October of 2010 and currently reside in New York City with their Boston Terrier, Buster.