Researching Katie Hall

Prior to her election to the U.S. House, Hall served in the Indiana House of Representatives from 1974 to 1976 and as a member of the Indiana Senate from 1976 to 1982. She was also a delegate to the Democratic Mini Convention in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1978; chairperson of the Lake County, Indiana, Democratic Committee from 1978 to 1980; and chairperson of the Indiana State Democratic convention in 1980. Hall was defeated in her bid for reelection to the U.S. Congress in the Democratic primary in May 1984, narrowly losing to Peter Visclosky by 2,367 votes. She also lost two subsequent efforts against Visclosky in 1986 and 1990 to recapture Indiana's 1st District seat in the U.S. House. After serving in Congress, Hall was vice chairperson of the Gary Housing Board of Commissioners. In 1985 she became the city clerk of Gary; however, she resigned the position in January 2003 after signing a plea agreement related to mail fraud. Hall was subsequently sentenced to house arrest and probation. She retired from teaching in the Gary public schools in 2004.

Pycroft was born in Oakham, Rutland in the English East Midlands on 31 August 1990. She attended the public school in Oakham and went on to become a graduate of the National Youth Music Theatre. She also attended Peterborough High School for part of her senior education. Her parents, John Graham Hall and Helen Williams, were both professional opera singers.

She played Cosette in the 2010 25th-anniversary version of Les Misérables at The O2 Arena and Christine in The Phantom of the Opera in the UK tour in 2012. She also had a small cameo in the 2012 film production of Les Misérables. In 2013, she was cast as Maria in the UK tour of West Side Story. In 2015, she was chosen by the English National Opera to play Johanna Barker in Sweeney Todd. In 2018, she began playing Fantine in the UK and Ireland Tour of Les Misérables.