is a wonderful place to have parties!
My brother and I grew up making forts
outside and pretending to be the Boxcar
children behind the barn and eating
fruit off the trees, pretending to “live off
the land.” I have memories of almond
blossom season, which is around my
birthday, and helping with the harvest
when we were little – raking the rows
and picking up sticks, standing under
the trees with hard helmets when the
trees were being knocked, irrigating
and getting our shoes stuck and lost in
the mud. My brother and I had great
childhoods. It was a real blessing.
AF: You mentioned a love for acting, singing and the
arts. Tell us more about that.
TP:
I grew up performing with Modesto Performing Arts
and moved to New York City when I was around 20
years old. I worked in all aspects of my profession: on
Broadway, Off-Broadway, regionally, in TV and films,
commercials and voiceovers. You must do everything to
make a living in New York. Currently, I am in the middle
of creating, producing and acting in two web series.
I’m thrilled to be creating my own work. I remember
walking through the orchard singing my lungs out,
dreaming of being on Broadway! I feel very incredibly
lucky that dream came true.
AF: You recently performed in
Sacramento for the Broadway
musical, 9 to 5. What other
performances have you or are
getting ready for?
TP:
I loved being in that musical!
Sacramento Music Circus is a
wonderful place to work. I grew
up loving Dolly Parton and I guess I
have a knack for channeling her spirit.
Getting to play the role of Doralee
that she created was truly a dream
come true. Currently, I am editing
episodes of one web series,
Mommy
Blogger
. It is a comedy about a
wannabe mommy blogger who forces her husband to
quit his job to devote himself full-time to the blog. She
only has 17 followers and it’s killing her. We’ve shot
about 15 episodes, and you can check them out at
mommybloggerseries.com! The other web series I am
involved in just became an official selection in a festival
called the ITVFest for new TV shows. That one is called
#MotherJudger
and was created with a very close
group of talented friends. A cover song I recorded in
Nashville – “The Story” – will be playing throughout
the fall in a podcast hosted by Women of Substance
Radio.
AF: What else do you enjoy that connects your
experience of both farm and city life?
TP:
I care about prison reform and spent many years
volunteering as a prison chaplain. I love to do collage
and create art. Before I made a living as an actor in
New York City, I sold my artwork on the streets. I am
grateful to be a student of Christian Science and feel
very inspired by those teachings. I home-birthed both
our boys in our New York City apartment, three years
and three days apart. I am a passionate baker and I
have never owned a car, so I barely know how to drive.
Reflecting on all my experiences, I am very much the
same person I was growing up!
I have
memories of
almond blossom
season, which
is around my
birthday, and
helping with the
harvest when we
were little.
2 9
S E P T E M B E R – O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7
