HAPPY FRIDAY! We have not one… BUT TWO amazing guests tonight on #DivaDads 🥳🥳 It’s Mark and Linda Bendiksen! Let us know if you have any questions for this fabulous duo, and be sure to tune in live on YouTube at 8cst 💙
Most people around here know Linda Bendiksen as “Señora B” because, except for a brief stint at Radford University in Virginia, she’s been teaching in CSISD since 1983. A self-proclaimed Yankee, she was born in Philly, lived near Chicago (hence the love of her Cubbies) and graduated high school in New York. She does NOT like to be up on stage, and admires all of you who do. Her classroom is her stage!
Mark has appeared in productions on the TTC stage going back to 1999, first as Rapunzel’s Prince in ‘magination Station’s first production of Into the Woods, then later as musical con-man Harold Hill in TTC’s 2005 production of The Music Man. In 2011, Mark appeared as Benjamin Stone in Stephen Sondheim’s Follies and in 2013 he played multiple roles in Spamalot: Dennis, Sir Galahad, the Black Knight, and Prince Herbert’s father. His most recent appearance was in the 2016 production of Into the Woods, this time playing the Narrator.
In addition to his appearances on the TTC stage, Mark was also the orchestra director for Esther: For Such a Time As This and he played in the orchestra for Sunset Blvd. He currently serves on the TTC Board of Directors.
Mark also performs with other local community theatres and just recently finished up a three-week run as Richard Hannay in StageCenter’s production of The 39 Steps. Other local credits include multiple productions with Brazos Valley Troupe and Navasota Theatre Alliance. He’s also the Music Pastor for Zion Church of Kurten.
When Kate is not traveling, she can be found working music festivals or other events, and more recently has started dabbling in visual arts. She loves to write, read, create, stand up for what she believes in, and dance everywhere she goes. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @MissAllOverThePlace.
So many parts of her life have been shaped by her time at the theatre, and she loves to celebrate and support the family as it has grown over time. She hopes you enjoy her making a fool of herself this episode, whilst thriving in a situation where she gets to be the center of attention and talk a lot.