Kitty Kathryn Sings the Blues
Middletown, Connecticut | Film Short
Documentary, Shorts Program
Kitty Kathryn Sings the Blues is a documentary short film about the 86-year-old jazz singer Kitty Kathryn and her relationship with love and music. Please support us to cover the post-production costs of making a 16mm documentary.
Kitty Kathryn Sings the Blues
Middletown, Connecticut | Film Short
Documentary, Shorts Program
1 Campaigns | Connecticut, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $4,000 for post-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
33 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Kitty Kathryn Sings the Blues is a documentary short film about the 86-year-old jazz singer Kitty Kathryn and her relationship with love and music. Please support us to cover the post-production costs of making a 16mm documentary.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Our Subject
Kitty Kathryn, also known as Catherine Mae Waiters, was born in Salisbury, North Carolina in 1936. She started singing in her house at a young age and took special liking in Jazz signers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne, and Sarah Vaughan. Kitty made her big debut on the Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour show in 1955 at the age of 19, which she won, launching her career and her move North. In the 80's, Kitty moved to Middletown, Connecticut where she has lived for the past 40 years.
While in Middletown, Kitty took time off from her career in music to raise a family. In addition to raising her 5 step-children, she was a mother to 21 foster children, and later in life, she opened up her home to several elderely women. Kitty is known throughout the Middletown community for her incredible generosity, and her lifelong dedication to providing support for people with nowhere else to go.
Kitty Kathryn is also a staple of the Connecticut Jazz community. She is one of the original members of the Hartford Jazz Society, and alongside her brother, she helped to found the Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz series at Bushnell Park, providing free jazz concerts to the community each summer. It is still ongoing, and is currently the longest continuously run free concert series in the country. In 2016, Kitty was named a Music Ambassador to the City of Middletown. At the age of 86, she still continues to perform, and strives to keep giving to her community however she can.
The Story
No short film could come close to representing the totality of Kitty’s life, and Kitty Kathryn Sings the Blues was never intended to be a career retrospective. Instead, the film paints a portrait of the woman that Kitty is today. History and memory are captured through Kitty’s own nostalgia, as she reflects on her rise to success and longs for excitement. Even after a lifetime of achievement and adventure, Kitty is not content to slow down and rest on her laurels, and her recollection of the past ultimately reveals that her dreams of love and stardom are as alive as ever. As she grapples with loneliness and the inevitability of aging, she expresses herself in the best way she knows how: with her music.
Note From the Director
I first knew Kitty as my neighbor. She lives across the street from me, and in the first weeks at our new house, she approached my friends and me while we were playing music on my front lawn. We assumed she was coming to give us a noise complaint, but she had actually stopped by to tell us that she recognized the songs we were playng. Before she left, she told us that if anyone had any issue with us playing music, we should come to her. Since then, Kitty has gone out of her way to give so much to us, and I was struck by her eagerness to share all of the incredible stories from her life. That compassion and her unwavering desire to connect lies at the heart of this film.
From the beginning, I knew that I wanted to shoot and edit this project on 16mm film. Kitty’s story is both romantic and sentimental, and I wanted to choose a medium that reflected these same qualities. This decision was responsible for many of the challenges we faced in production and in editing, as well as most of the financial costs, but looking back, I don’t believe the film could have been made any other way. As of now, the film is nearing the final stages of post-production, but your support will help us cover the remaining costs and push Kitty Kathryn Sings the Blues to the finish line. I'm so grateful for what Kitty has taught us all over the past few months, and I am so excited to share some of that with you.
Thank you,
Josh Markowitz
Director
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Craft Services
Costs $250
Money to feed our crew for two meals a day during production.
Edgecoding
Costs $400
Special service to prep the reels for editing, and to keep the visuals and sound in sync.
Archival Footage
Costs $300
The rights to the archival footage of the Ted Mack show in which Kitty Kathryn is featured.
Mag Stock
Costs $350
Magnetic reels that hold audio information, which are essential for editing with sound.
Sound Mix
Costs $550
Fee for a session with a professional sound mixer.
Art Director Compensation
Costs $200
Compensation for the artist who made commissioned works for the film.
Credits
Costs $300
Cost of developing and shipping the film prints of the credit slides.
Test Footage
Costs $150
Cost of developing and shipping a reel of test footage, filmed just before production.
Additional Film Costs
Costs $1,500
Will help to cover larger costs, such as the raw film, the developing fees, and the digital scan!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Josh Markowitz, Director
(he/him)
From Westfield, NJ
"From the beginning, I was really struck by Kitty's connection to her music. More than just a collection of songs that she has memorized over the years, her music is a part of her, and it is often through her music that she is best able to express herself. I still get excited every time I hear her sing, because I feel like I'm getting to know her every time I listen to the words."
Abbi Abraham, Director of Photography
(she/her)
From Alexandria, VA
"It was fantastic getting to know Kitty and her story! Her generosity was overwhelming and overjoying. Every time we would visit her or come over to shoot something, she would always cook us an entire meal and offer her clothes and belongings--it was hard to pass up!"
Francesca Morales, First Assistant Camera
(she/they)
From Long Island, NY
"Something I learned was that filmmaking with friends is such a fun experience, especially when everyone is so passionate and excited about their craft and the story that we’re working to bring to life. Also, it was extremely gratifying to see this work come out so beautifully on 16mm film and I found that I have really fallen in love with the medium."
Asa Levite, Second Assistant Camera
(he/him)
From Brooklyn, NY
Anya Kisicki, Light Designer
(she/her)
From Phoenix, AZ
"While working on Kitty Katherine Sings the Blues I learned that record players are very heavy, that Kitty had a super cute dog named Taco, and that it's possible to retain sex appeal at 86 years old!"
Sophie Gilbert, Assistant Director
(she/her)
From California but lives in New Jersey
"I've definitely come to learn that while documentary filmmaking in particular can be an incredibly hectic process, it's also one that teaches you how to problem-solve, improvise, and sometimes, fight the odds to give a platform to wonderful people and their stories, like Kitty."
Danny Dacosta, Sound Recordist
(he/him)
From Long Island, NY
"I wasn’t familiar with the Ted Mack show so to not only learn about it but to find out that Kitty was on it was a very cool experience."
Joseph Godslaw, Key Grip
(he/him)
From Los Angeles, CA
"It was amazing to see how supportive everyone was on set. Everyone had genuine love for Josh’s vision and seeing it come to fruition."
Josue Gutierrez, Producer
(he/him)
From Los Angeles, CA
Hunter Julo, Producer
(they/she/he)
From Kansas City, MO
"It's impossible to walk into Kitty's house without leaving with a new story, joke, or item of clothing. Kitty's generosity to all of us was so abundant, and I had so much fun being a apart of telling her story."
Laura Morris, Production Assistant
(they/she)
From Portland, ME
"It was great to learn how to interact on set and hear all of Kittys great stories. It's hard to encapsulate her into short words."
Holly Greene, Art Director
(she/her)
From Boone, NC
"My favorite part about working on this project was digging through the copious amount of archival materials that Kitty has collected. Her story has been documented with such care and love. For me, these records gave life to Kitty’s history and allowed me to lay out a clear visual path from the past to her present day."
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Our Subject
Kitty Kathryn, also known as Catherine Mae Waiters, was born in Salisbury, North Carolina in 1936. She started singing in her house at a young age and took special liking in Jazz signers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne, and Sarah Vaughan. Kitty made her big debut on the Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour show in 1955 at the age of 19, which she won, launching her career and her move North. In the 80's, Kitty moved to Middletown, Connecticut where she has lived for the past 40 years.
While in Middletown, Kitty took time off from her career in music to raise a family. In addition to raising her 5 step-children, she was a mother to 21 foster children, and later in life, she opened up her home to several elderely women. Kitty is known throughout the Middletown community for her incredible generosity, and her lifelong dedication to providing support for people with nowhere else to go.
Kitty Kathryn is also a staple of the Connecticut Jazz community. She is one of the original members of the Hartford Jazz Society, and alongside her brother, she helped to found the Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz series at Bushnell Park, providing free jazz concerts to the community each summer. It is still ongoing, and is currently the longest continuously run free concert series in the country. In 2016, Kitty was named a Music Ambassador to the City of Middletown. At the age of 86, she still continues to perform, and strives to keep giving to her community however she can.
The Story
No short film could come close to representing the totality of Kitty’s life, and Kitty Kathryn Sings the Blues was never intended to be a career retrospective. Instead, the film paints a portrait of the woman that Kitty is today. History and memory are captured through Kitty’s own nostalgia, as she reflects on her rise to success and longs for excitement. Even after a lifetime of achievement and adventure, Kitty is not content to slow down and rest on her laurels, and her recollection of the past ultimately reveals that her dreams of love and stardom are as alive as ever. As she grapples with loneliness and the inevitability of aging, she expresses herself in the best way she knows how: with her music.
Note From the Director
I first knew Kitty as my neighbor. She lives across the street from me, and in the first weeks at our new house, she approached my friends and me while we were playing music on my front lawn. We assumed she was coming to give us a noise complaint, but she had actually stopped by to tell us that she recognized the songs we were playng. Before she left, she told us that if anyone had any issue with us playing music, we should come to her. Since then, Kitty has gone out of her way to give so much to us, and I was struck by her eagerness to share all of the incredible stories from her life. That compassion and her unwavering desire to connect lies at the heart of this film.
From the beginning, I knew that I wanted to shoot and edit this project on 16mm film. Kitty’s story is both romantic and sentimental, and I wanted to choose a medium that reflected these same qualities. This decision was responsible for many of the challenges we faced in production and in editing, as well as most of the financial costs, but looking back, I don’t believe the film could have been made any other way. As of now, the film is nearing the final stages of post-production, but your support will help us cover the remaining costs and push Kitty Kathryn Sings the Blues to the finish line. I'm so grateful for what Kitty has taught us all over the past few months, and I am so excited to share some of that with you.
Thank you,
Josh Markowitz
Director
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Craft Services
Costs $250
Money to feed our crew for two meals a day during production.
Edgecoding
Costs $400
Special service to prep the reels for editing, and to keep the visuals and sound in sync.
Archival Footage
Costs $300
The rights to the archival footage of the Ted Mack show in which Kitty Kathryn is featured.
Mag Stock
Costs $350
Magnetic reels that hold audio information, which are essential for editing with sound.
Sound Mix
Costs $550
Fee for a session with a professional sound mixer.
Art Director Compensation
Costs $200
Compensation for the artist who made commissioned works for the film.
Credits
Costs $300
Cost of developing and shipping the film prints of the credit slides.
Test Footage
Costs $150
Cost of developing and shipping a reel of test footage, filmed just before production.
Additional Film Costs
Costs $1,500
Will help to cover larger costs, such as the raw film, the developing fees, and the digital scan!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Josh Markowitz, Director
(he/him)
From Westfield, NJ
"From the beginning, I was really struck by Kitty's connection to her music. More than just a collection of songs that she has memorized over the years, her music is a part of her, and it is often through her music that she is best able to express herself. I still get excited every time I hear her sing, because I feel like I'm getting to know her every time I listen to the words."
Abbi Abraham, Director of Photography
(she/her)
From Alexandria, VA
"It was fantastic getting to know Kitty and her story! Her generosity was overwhelming and overjoying. Every time we would visit her or come over to shoot something, she would always cook us an entire meal and offer her clothes and belongings--it was hard to pass up!"
Francesca Morales, First Assistant Camera
(she/they)
From Long Island, NY
"Something I learned was that filmmaking with friends is such a fun experience, especially when everyone is so passionate and excited about their craft and the story that we’re working to bring to life. Also, it was extremely gratifying to see this work come out so beautifully on 16mm film and I found that I have really fallen in love with the medium."
Asa Levite, Second Assistant Camera
(he/him)
From Brooklyn, NY
Anya Kisicki, Light Designer
(she/her)
From Phoenix, AZ
"While working on Kitty Katherine Sings the Blues I learned that record players are very heavy, that Kitty had a super cute dog named Taco, and that it's possible to retain sex appeal at 86 years old!"
Sophie Gilbert, Assistant Director
(she/her)
From California but lives in New Jersey
"I've definitely come to learn that while documentary filmmaking in particular can be an incredibly hectic process, it's also one that teaches you how to problem-solve, improvise, and sometimes, fight the odds to give a platform to wonderful people and their stories, like Kitty."
Danny Dacosta, Sound Recordist
(he/him)
From Long Island, NY
"I wasn’t familiar with the Ted Mack show so to not only learn about it but to find out that Kitty was on it was a very cool experience."
Joseph Godslaw, Key Grip
(he/him)
From Los Angeles, CA
"It was amazing to see how supportive everyone was on set. Everyone had genuine love for Josh’s vision and seeing it come to fruition."
Josue Gutierrez, Producer
(he/him)
From Los Angeles, CA
Hunter Julo, Producer
(they/she/he)
From Kansas City, MO
"It's impossible to walk into Kitty's house without leaving with a new story, joke, or item of clothing. Kitty's generosity to all of us was so abundant, and I had so much fun being a apart of telling her story."
Laura Morris, Production Assistant
(they/she)
From Portland, ME
"It was great to learn how to interact on set and hear all of Kittys great stories. It's hard to encapsulate her into short words."
Holly Greene, Art Director
(she/her)
From Boone, NC
"My favorite part about working on this project was digging through the copious amount of archival materials that Kitty has collected. Her story has been documented with such care and love. For me, these records gave life to Kitty’s history and allowed me to lay out a clear visual path from the past to her present day."