Hidden Gems: Meet Kristin Schisler of Crown & Cape Events

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Schisler.

Hi Kristin, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself. 
I grew up in a house of the arts but a town that didn’t have as many opportunities. From me and my siblings dancing and singing to everything from musical theatre to 80s rock to 2000s pop, we were constantly performing. My parents indulged my need to dress up as a Disney princess almost every Halloween and then proceeded to support my love and pursuit of a career in the performing arts. I decided to go to college for Musical Theatre Performance at Northern Kentucky University, where I graduated in 2016 with my Bachelor of Fine Arts in just that. It was also about that time I found a home in the Cincinnati theatre community. I also happened to meet my now husband and co-owner of Crown & Cape, Matt, who helped solidify my stay in Cincinnati. We got engaged in 2019 and married in March 2021, and we live in Loveland, OH, with our 2 fur babies, Kuzco and Foxy. 

Only a few months after our wedding, I was introduced to Danielle Watters, the previous owner and founder of Crown & Cape (formerly Princess Grace Events est. 2016). Princess performing was something I always wanted to do. With COVID putting a pause on theatre and so many other options for performing, I finally felt like I had a light at the end of the tunnel to start performing again! For the next year and a half, I was able to perform under Danielle, getting to be all of my favorite characters, and bringing so much magic to so many children throughout the greater Cincinnati area. At the end of 2022, and after a few months of pushing from Danielle and Matt, I finally stepped into the position of owner. Now, I have almost a year and a half of owning the company and watching it grow under my belt while still pursuing my performing dreams. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There are always bumps in any road, and this experience has been no exception, but every bump and crack has helped me get to where I am now. 

I went to school for theatre. I have no background in business. Stepping into this position, I felt like it was maybe my biggest challenge as an actor yet. Like so many, I struggle with my mental health, anxiety, and depression. I have so much self-doubt, and as a performer, having been told “no” and “you’re not good enough” by so many, all of those voices came back in my head. I always tell my performers that this job should be fun. “You are making magic and getting to play dress up.” Yet, the smallest mistakes I make will have me questioning if I fit in this role. 

Creating an environment that makes my staff feel appreciated, accepted, beautiful, talented, etc., while not feeling that in myself, will never stop being my biggest challenge. But if I can make one child, one performer, one person, feel like they ARE good enough, that they are in a safe space to be themselves and pursue their goals, then I feel like I am succeeding. 

I would also be remiss if I didn’t thank my husband for always believing in me and my dreams. Having him by my side as I have been tackling this new endeavor and also still auditioning and performing, makes the even hardest days easier. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Crown & Cape Events LLC?
Crown & Cape Events specializes in bringing high-quality performances of some of your favorite characters to birthday parties and other large events! We also donate our time and character experiences to many local foundations, causes, and fundraisers. We also frequently partner with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to bring characters to visit all of the incredibly strong children in their care. We do everything from face painting to sing-a-longs to making your own stuffed animal! 

I am constantly striving to create and nurture a supportive and inclusive environment for all children with the help of my immensely talented group of character performers. We make it our goal to create magic in any space for any child. At every event, we teach that what makes a true princess or prince is not what is on the outside or if you have fancy dresses or a castle, but it’s your intelligence, courage, and kindness. You should never feel like you aren’t special, magical, or a true princess after leaving one of our events. 

My job is to make magic. Plain and simple 🩷 

What was your favorite childhood memory?
I feel like there are 2 that kind of sum up who I am as a person! 

There were multiple breaks from school where my mom and I would write the names of all of the movie musicals we owned on DVD, put them into a hat, and draw them out one by one and watch each one, singing and even sometimes dancing along. It would be our musical week! It created my deep love of singing, acting, and the world of musical theatre in general! 

The second is helping my dad put up our outdoor Halloween and Christmas decorations every year! We would also sneak away to a few stores and see if they had any new decor or lights that we NEEDED to add! Now, I hope that I, too, can have the incredible light displays in my home like I did growing up. (My parents still have incredible holiday decorations too!) 

It was hard not to grow up wanting to create art when my parents worked so hard to make our home a creative environment. 🩷 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.crownandcapeevents.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cceventscincinnati/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cceventscincinnati
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-santeler/