I wear many hats. I am a mother, a sister, a daughter, a friend, and many other roles have emerged over the course of my 48 years. Other than mother, the role that I most enjoy is "Actor" I guess you could say I have been an actress longer than I have been anything else, except for daughter and sister as those roles were bestowed upon my birth. Actor, however, was a role I chose. A choice I do not regret for a minute! From the time I took my first professional acting job at the age of 10 until now I have had some amazing experiences and wonderful opportunities! I have made some lifelong friends, and it's true what they say, "There's no people like show people!" Yesterday, I ended a 15 week run in a show called
Always, Patsy Cline at
Barksdale Hanover Tavern. Briefly, the play is based on a true story of a fan, Louise Seger, my character, and her love of Patsy Cline music, and her encounter with her in a Houston Honky Tonk back in 1961. I was cast in this show last fall after attending an
Open Call audition. For those of you who don't know, an open call is like a human assembly line. Hundreds of actors are there, and you wait, and wait, and wait until you are called to go in, and then you have a minute to show what you can do. You leave and then wait for the phone to ring. This particular wait was pretty long, and I was sure I hadn't been cast. "Louise" was a role I really wanted for two reasons. ONE: The show was being directed by
Joe Pabst, one of those lifelong friends I mentioned above, and one of the finest directors I've ever worked with. TWO:
Debra Wagoner was cast as "Patsy" I have known Debra since high school, and she has always had an amazing voice. If I was going to do a show where my character spent a good portion of time listening to someone sing, there couldn't be anyone better than Debra. After doubting myself over and over and, despite the encouragement and positive bolstering up from my girls, still assured I did not get the role, I got the "official" offer. I was through the roof ecstatic!! Over the course of a month we would rehearse and put this show on it's feet. I have to say, I was a little intimidated. Debra had done this show several times before. The other pretty scary thing to a 48 year old's brain was that I had pages and pages of dialogue to learn and most of it in monologue form to the audience (translation: if you forget a line, you're screwed!) I even had myself believing this would be my swan song. I was too old to do this anymore, so much so, that after my kids saw the show, they were mad at me for all the worry I put myself through. Looking back, I was pretty much of a fool. The show opened to great reviews, and through the 15 weeks we played to mostly full houses every night. Debra and I met countless people that stayed after to tell us how much they enjoyed the show, how happy it made them, how much they laughed. As Debra said, "That's what makes this worth it." That's what being an actor is about, entertaining people, bringing them joy. For 15 weeks Thursdays through Sundays, I was honored and privileged to be able to do that. As an actor, there are times when you are on the stage, and you can feel to the very core of your being that magic is happening.
Always, Patsy Cline was one of those shows. Yesterday was hard for me. My daughter, who was also Debra's dresser for the show, had to keep reminding me of funny quotes from a movie we both love,
Malibu's Most Wanted, as a focus, so that when I made the final speech in the show about the time "Louise" hears the news of "Patsy's" untimely death in a plane crash, I wouldn't melt into a puddle of tears. Luckily, I made it through with those thoughts and constantly telling myself that the show wasn't over, we were just going on hiatus.
I also write this post as a
thank you. To my "Patsy", Debra : Thank you for all of the laughs in the dressing room, the encouragement and confidence in me and my talent, the make-up tips, the help with "Pepper" and most of all for the deeper friendship we have formed, and yes I am crying while typing this.
To Joe: You gave me my first
featured role in this town back in 2003 when you cast me as "Mother Abbess" in
The Sound of Music. You also gave me my first lead that same year as "Charlotte Hay" in
Moon Over Buffalo, my favorite role I have ever played (although "Louise" is running a close second.) Thank you for trusting me enough to give me all the roles you have given me over the years, but especially this role as I would be sharing the stage with your wonderful wife. Thank you for
always being in my corner and believing in me as an actor!
To everyone else involved in the show on stage and off, thanks for helping make that magic happen every night!
Hope to see you again soon! Love always, Terri Moore!
