Remember Who You Are!

Look at that determined little face! That's not the face of a toddler, that is the face of a girl with something to say, with the attitude of "I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere, so deal with it!" I didn't know then that that is exactly the kind of woman she would turn out to be. That little munchkin turns 28 today. I also didn't know when that picture was taken what that little girl would go through in just a few short years. Leah was the apple of her Dad's eye, and when he left when she was 5, I don't think her little brain really knew how to handle it which led to her NOT handling it. However, you would have never known because we Moore girls "suck it up and deal with it!" I think sometimes that was not the best example to set for you, as your mom, I didn't let you guys see me fall apart very often, and, I think that made you feel that you couldn't do that either. I hope you know that you can always come to me with anything, and you can cry, or scream or whatever you want, but I am also glad that you are strong and stand up for what you believe in! I say all the time that our lives, good or bad, shape the people we become. When you go through the fire, you come out stronger for making it through. I know this past year has been a bigger fire than most for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is a global pandemic that literally blew your world and dreams apart (boy, this is really sounding depressing, but stay with me here) but I know you will come through the fire because you have proven time and time again that you can! I am so proud of you for diving into a new business with your hair products, and I get tickled at all the new ways you put your products out there through Social Media. That's the result of walking through fire. You can't sit in the middle, you'll get burned. You find ways to make it through. That's what that little determined toddler knew. She knew what was inside, and that one day she would take on the world! No one knows what the future is for Actors and theatre, but I know you will find a way through the fire and reinvent what you do. We all have to do that! It's a new world. To quote Mufasa, "Remember who you are!" You can make it through this. Your dream might be taking a detour, but it's just a detour. Many paths, same destination! You will end up where you are supposed to be! Tap into that overalled, sock-footed little munchkin. She knew! Happy Birthday, Leah! I love you!

"And the Artsie Goes to....."

Last night the Artsies (Richmond Theater Critics Circle Awards) took place. This is Richmond's answer to the Tony's. It was the 13th year, and it was a little different, as you can imagine, because of COVID-19. The show was pre-recorded and broadcast virtually, but they still kept the winners a secret until they were announced last night. In my 47 year career as an actor here in Richmond, I have been nominated twice, once for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for Always, Patsy Cline, back in 2012 and this year for Best Actress in a Play for The Cake. The Artsies are always a big deal for us in the Richmond Theatre Community. We all get dressed up in our formal attire and gather in the Beautiful November Theater downtown, and have a huge party while also honoring some of our performers and companies in the process. It is also a fundraiser for the Theatre Artist Fund , an organization who helps actors financially who are in need. I, myself, have been the recipient of their generosity when I had my brain surgery back in 2015. Plug here: if you can donate at the link above, please do. Obviously, RONA, was a party pooper last night and made it that we could not gather as we have done for the past 12 years. I was very excited to be a nominee, and would have loved to have attended the gala as it has always been, and truth be told, I was having a little pity party for myself on Saturday, but I am no different than any other person this year who has had their plans ruined by this pandemic. It has been hard for so many of us, but I think the one thing that has gotten a lot of us through this weird, virtual world we have to adapt to, is the love and support of family and friends. Mine certainly made my evening extremely special! Rather than dress up in our fancy duds to sit in my living room, we all had matching black T-Shirts that said Team Terri - Artsies 2020, blinged up with rhinestones and bowtie (much more comfortable and NO HEELS!) We ate popcorn, and cupcakes and Carrot Cake, c'mon I was nominated for The Cake, I had to make one. That made my sister happy! She has been visiting from Florida, and it was so special to have her here to share this with me. My oldest was in via House Party from New York, and my youngest and her boyfriend were part of the Living Room Crowd. SHOUT OUT to the RTCC here for a wonderful, glitch-free, virtual awards ceremony. Everybody did great, and it clipped right along, something, let's face it, the in-person Artsies doesn't always do. Being in my living room, I didn't think I would be nervous, but, boy was I! When my category finally came around, I was holding my breath. When they announced that I won, I screamed and then I cried, and if I had had to give a speech live, I am not sure what would have come out. Our pre-recorded, in case we won speeches could only be 30 seconds, and it's impossible to say what you feel in that short time. Here is what I wanted to say. Bear with me. And hey, you're not sitting in the crowded theater, and you don't have to listen. Perk of writing this, no one gets to play me off. 

    Last year I got all dressed up and I was sandwiched in the crowd in the lobby, barely able to hear myself think for the roar of the crowd, waiting to go into the theater for the 2019 Artsies. (what I wouldn't give to be in that position right now.) I had just been cast as Della in The Cake at Richmond Triangle Players. We had not even begun rehearsals. Dawn Westbrook, the director of The Cake, walked through the doors into the lobby, and we were face-to-face. She hugged me and because of the noise, she said in my ear, "Next year you're going to be nominated." When you start rehearsals for a show with a director that has that much confidence in you, you can't help but succeed! Thank you to the RTCC for the nomination, and for the award. Thank you to Lucian and Phil at RTP for creating such an encouraging, loving, supportive and safe space to create and tell our stories. Thank you for continuing to tell the stories that need to be told with integrity and love. Thank you Dawn Westbrook for giving me the chance to play Della and pushing me as an actor to realize potential I didn't even know I had. Thank you to Nicole, my sweet Jen, that broke my heart every night when you cut Della out of your life. Thank you to Zakiyyah, my sparring partner. We knew we could make you mean! You were with me right out of the gate, and you set up everything beautifully! To Gordon, my sweet, wonderful Tim. I adore you! You were there making it safe for me in my most difficult moment of the play. You made me a better Della than I dreamed! To Darrin and Nora, our amazing crew, you rocked! Nora, a special shout out to you who when you were told you had to slather buttercream icing (shaving cream) all over my boobs each night, never batted an eye. You stayed calm during that very quick change and kept me that way! To Lauren who kept us organized and in line from day one. Who literally was there for every need down to tissues at rehearsal to wipe our tears. Our design teams created an amazing world to work in and feel like we lived there, thank you! I am so proud of this work, and thrilled to get this award, but as you can see, no one gets there alone! Last, but certainly not least by any means, thank you to Leah and Georgi, my biggest fans and my greatest legacy! Good night!

I've Been There!

 I try in this blog not to be SUPER political. There are definitely things I have ranted about, and they may have had political leanings, but at the core, it was usually about a human issue. This post will be no different, but many will see it as political, they may turn a blind eye, or think it is too liberal for their taste, but I cannot sit and be silent anymore. On first hand it may look to you that this is a post about Trump, and in a way, it is, but more than anything it will be about fear and concern for the place I choose to live and the people who surround me locally and nationally. Let me start by saying that I feel uniquely qualified to share these thoughts because I have been on the other side. (Insert GASP here!) I grew up in a very "Republican" home. I can remember as a very small child the celebration and comments in my home when Nixon won over George McGovern. It was 1972, I was 9, and Nixon won 49 of the 52 states. My father was most vocal about it, and I remember a sense of gloating that McGovern couldn't even carry his own state. I also remember that when Nixon "resigned" there was a strong feeling in my house of sympathy and indignation. Surely, this great man had been railroaded. Now remember, this was 1974, and we didn't have news every second of every day. We couldn't glance down at our phones and get the latest headlines, and the most we heard about any side other than our own was on Meet the Press on Sunday mornings. At 10 years old, that program was not on my list of favorites. As I grew up, I didn't really pay much attention to politics, and like many young people, I adopted the leanings of my Parents. We voted Republican! The first Democrat I remember voting for was Doug Wilder for Virginia's Governor. That was in 1989, and I had been out of my parental home for 7 years at that point. I have been on the side of "People on welfare are lazy" "They need to get a job!" "Why should my tax dollars pay for them to stay home?"  Ironically when my husband left me with nothing and 2 small children to rais and no job, I had to go on welfare. I have also been close, not all the way, but close to the Evangelical Christian side, believing the hype that Democrats and liberals want to take away prayer and they are waging a war on Christmas. I was a "God said it! I believe it! That's the end of it!" person. I did not want to hear any other opinions in contradiction to my faith, and when explored or mentioned, I became defensive. So when I write these next words they are not coming from someone who "doesn't know how you feel." I literally have walked in your shoes, and have been, by the Grace of God, shown the light, so believe me when I say, I am very frightened of the turn this country and its people have taken over the last 4 years. Back in 2016 when the election was going on my oldest daughter was very worried that Trump would win. I kept saying, "Honey, he's not going to win." The "Grab-em" comment alone should have tanked his chances. Certainly just 4 years prior the leaked video of Romney's 47% comments caused his campaign to take a hit. Imagine my shock when the next morning we woke up to the news that Donald Trump was President. Even then, I told my daughter, don't worry, we have a government that will keep him in check. That's the way a checks and balances system works. That was 4 years ago, although it seems like 10. Here we sit, most of us in our homes, not by choice, with close to 200,000 U.S. citizens dead from a Pandemic that was mishandled from the beginning and continues to be. We have people out in droves who are proudly showing their hate of fellow human beings and Trump is throwing gasoline on that fire, and NO ONE  is doing anything to stop him! He does whatever he wants, says whatever he wants (truth or not) and people cheer his hate and mocking on! They are perfectly fine with it because his hate and mocking has empowered them. They finally have validity because the President of the United States feels this way. It can't be wrong! Now, when I said earlier I know how you feel, I was not talking about hate. That I do not understand and never will. I write this to say, Wake up Christians! He is not your Christian President! I don't care what his stance is on abortion and a woman's right to choose. If all of a sudden his fan base was Pro-Choice, he would be too. If he is President for another 4 years, I am truly afraid of what our government will be. How many more will die because He won't listen to medical experts? How many more will be killed because of the color of their skin because he will not admit that racism is rampant in this country and something needs to be done? How many senior citizens will die because they can't afford health care if Medicare and Medicaid is taken away. I have been working since I was 18, and I have paid into that system, trusting I would be able to use it when I reached an age (forget retirement, that will never happen for me) where I can no longer work. I know this is falling on deaf ears if you are part of the cult, but PLEASE, if you think your vote won't matter, or you don't particularly care for Biden, or any other reason you're on the fence, PLEASE vote to get TRUMP out of office. On my way to work today, one man was standing on the median with a homemade poster that said, "VOTE like your life depended on it! BIDEN-HARRIS 2020!" I honked and waved with a thumbs up because you know what? IT DOES!