Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaitlyn Troth.
Hi Kaitlyn, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I grew up in Mechanicsburg, Ohio where I was homeschooled by my parents. I participated in cross country and track at the public school in town, but I struggled to connect with my peers and always felt horrendously out of place. As far back as I can remember, I used creative outlets to pour my anxious and often forlorn energy into. As a small child, I would write stories on blank printer paper, staple them together, and proudly proclaim that I had written a novel. My dad invented a game he called “doodle monsters,” where we would scribble aimlessly over a page with our eyes closed and then turn the random lines into our “monster.” My grandfather would sing me old worm songs, and paired with my dad’s lack of concern about content ratings, I developed an intense love for horror.
Once I made it to high school, my mom (who was concerned about content ratings) let me watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and I was entranced. She took me to my first several live shadow cast showings of the movie, and afterwards, I drove the hour into Columbus almost every month until I turned 18 and was able to finally join The Fishnet Mafia myself. At 19, I was able to move out of my small town and into Columbus.
The Fishnet Mafia’s director, Cora Mandragora, and assistant director, Dottie Day, introduced me to the art form of burlesque. I’ve been performing burlesque as a member of the Sex Kitten Purrlesque burlesque troupe since June of 2021, and I’m unbelievably excited for the new numbers I’m working on! My burlesque style is far from traditional, and I love to incorporate elements of horror and my knowledge of SFX/gore makeup into my numbers. I love to make the audience look away in disgust; Cora likes to joke that my stage name should be “Trigger Warning,” instead of “Crop Failure.” One of my most popular numbers is to The Hearse Song, which is one of the worm songs my grandfather sang to me as a child.
I’m planning to publish my poetry chapbook Love Is Pain in February, and I’m hoping to debut in live music over this summer as well as finally release the self-titled EP I’ve been writing since I was in middle school. I’m generally just very excited for the future, which is a massive step from the struggling child I used to be.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve always struggled with my mental health, and being a perfectionist makes it all the more difficult to feel good about anything I create. As I’ve gotten older and become more comfortable with myself, it has become easier to understand what’s going on in my head and sort of reel it in before it has the chance to spiral. I’m currently in therapy, and while there is no magic cure, I have learned to take it day by day, one breath at a time, and to allow myself to feel everything instead of trying to squash it back inside.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m an alternative burlesque performer who tells stories that lean heavily towards the darker side of the spectrum. I am known for my use of special effects makeup/liquid latex, my desire to make the audience look away in disgust, and the fact that every one of my numbers requires a trigger warning.
My paintings often use muted or strange color combinations and sharp lines. I have a deer carcass in my backyard that I’ve had rotting for a few months, and I’m really looking forward to painting the skull and creating a wind chime with the other bones.
I’m about to publish my first writings: a poetry chapbook titled “Love Is Pain.” I was in a lot of pain when I wrote it, and I just hope it brings someone else comfort in knowing that they certainly are understood.
How do you define success?
I think the most important thing is to be comfortable. Once you’re comfortable with who you are, what you’ve done, what you’re planning to do, the company around you-then I think you’ve made it.
Nothing else matters if you can’t make peace with your own brain.
Pricing:
- $5 – sticker w original artwork
- $10 – “Love Is Pain” chapbook preorder
- $20-$60 – art commission on canvas
- $50 – burlesque booking (plus travel if outside Columbus)
Contact Info:
- Email: katetroth2@gmail.com
- Website: https://crop-failure-creations.company.site
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cropfailurekat/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cropfailure/
- Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/katetroth
Image Credits
Benson Helton
