Your heart is there! Follow it!

This past weekend I went to see a production of "West Side Story" It was a high school production, and normally I wouldn't go see a high school production unless I knew someone in it. Well, I did know someone in this production, my daughter. My baby was playing Anita. Readers of this blog know that I have been doing theatre since the age of 10, and I love it. When you have children, you hope that they will have similar interests, and you hold out hope that they might even follow in your footsteps. You weigh that with the concern that they may want to follow, but don't have the talent to do so. Luckily both my children have a talent for what they love, so I had no problem encouraging them being careful not to push. God forbid I would ever be thought of as a stage mom! I have seen my youngest do other roles starting in Elementary school, but this time was different. I knew as I watched her take command of every moment she spent on the stage that I was getting a glimpse of greatness. I know that might sound braggy, and I don't mean it to be. It was just that I was so incredibly proud!!! and amazed that this very talented young woman I was watching was my daughter. She was so natural! She wasn't my baby. She WAS Anita! She's only 17, but I would put her portrayal up against any professional actress I've seen. Here's the thing. She doesn't know how good she is. I guess in some ways that's a good thing. I wouldn't want her to be conceited or a diva, but I want her to know just how very gifted she is. There are people who will take classes for years, and never be able to master the pure acting instinct she has. Wasn't it Spencer Tracy who said that acting should never look like acting? If it was, then he would have been very proud of her performance. As her time in high school comes to an end we have been discussing plans after school. The audition process is daunting, to put it mildly, and there is nothing that makes her more nervous than auditioning, but I would hate for her to hold back from going after something she is clearly qualified to do because of fear. I would hate for her to miss out, but more than that I would hate for the world to never see just where she can go. "All of our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them." ~ Walt Disney 

VA Lottery Commercial: Take 1

Last week I received a notice in my email about casting for a VA Lottery TV commercial. I get routine emails about film castings, but normally I ignore them because having a regular job prohibits me from being able to attend most shooting schedules. This one was different. It was only a two day shoot, and auditions were quick. Having the wonderfully flexible boss that I do, I asked could she work with me to audition and shoot if I got it. Her response, as it always is, without hesitation, was SURE! I submitted for the commercial, and was thrilled when I received an email giving me a slot to audition. So...last Friday I made the trek to Charlottesville, VA to the casting office with a good friend who was also auditioning. The audition process was relatively painless, and the people at Erica Arvold Casting were wonderful - very friendly and encouraging. The whole thing took less than 10 minutes, and we were back on the road home to Richmond. And now, as every actor dreads after every audition, THE WAIT. The wait for the call for the job or a callback. For those who are reading this who are not familiar with the process, a callback is similar to making first cuts of an athletic team. You made it through the first stage, and now you have to come audition for more people or for the same people, but they might want to see you matched with other people or do something different. I was waiting for a callback. It would be a quick wait because callbacks were being held the following Thursday. The weekend went by, and no call. No big deal. I knew they were auditioning more people on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday's work day came and went, and I had received no call, so I was hoping for extra work at this point. I came home. I cooked dinner and went straight to choir. I did not check my email when I got home from work. I arrived home from choir, and told my daughter that I guessed I hadn't gotten the callback because I never heard from them. I turned on my phone just to see if they'd left a voicemail while I was in choir. There was a voicemail on my phone. I still didn't think it would be from them. I was wrong! My face lit up like a Christmas Tree as I heard, "This is Michelle from Erica Arvold Casting." Luckily that wonderful boss I spoke of earlier read my email that I sent at 9:00PM on Wednesday evening letting her know I needed to go to the callback the following day, and that same response came back. Now....what to wear?

By the way, Houston was a swingin' date!

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!

♫♪ Could it be? Yes, it could! ♪♫

About a year ago, I was not in a very happy place. Followers of this blog and my friends will remember that my oldest daughter got accepted to her first choice college only to find out that tuition exchange didn't come through, and she could not attend. Some of you may have been wondering what story unfolded after that blow was dealt. After many, many instances of having to answer the question, "Where are you going to college?" with the answer, "I'm not." and watching all of her friends start their new lives, she stayed home and got a job. Some of you may be wondering why she did not go to community college. If she attended college at all she would not be able to try for tuition exchange again this year. So, after much discussion, we agreed a GAP year would be best. We started the process all over again of applying to colleges last fall. She applied to three, one, a state school, and the other two on tuition exchange. She has already been accepted to both tuition exchange schools, and, HALLELUJAH!, one has already awarded her tuition exchange. The jury is still out on tuition exchange for the other school. Tomorrow she is going to the school that has awarded her tuition exchange to audition for their theatre program. I cannot even be with her because of my show schedule. My wonderful sister is making the trek to take her. It's all so exciting and nerve racking too! What a difference a year makes!! Last year I thought all hope was lost. All dreams had been dashed. I thought that way, but through it all, my daughter's belief in God and His plan for her has never wavered. She was the one comforting me, telling me it would all work out. Well, my love, it seems all is falling into place. I wish you all the best Saturday as you go show the audition committee what all of us here know you have the talent for. This time next year, I will be waiting for you to come home for the summer from your freshman year of college.