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“You never know what tomorrow is going to bring,” shrugs the award-winning Broadway star Terri White as she talks life, fame and surviving homelessness with Joan Hamburg on WOR’s The Joan Hamburg Show.
Terri White, one of Broadway’s classic performers has undoubtedly found her way back to New York’s stage, but the razzle dazzle of a theater life had taken an unexpected twist, leaving her to face the homeless streets of this big bad city. With a life filled of music, dance, and extraordinary talent, Terri White came to New York, like so many others, to be a star and perform on Broadway. After singing with Liza Minneli and landing outstanding roles in Barnum, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Bubbling Brown Sugar, and Two Gentlemen of Verona, Terri White’s luck and paid gigs at some of New York’s savviest piano bars had run its course. She was left without the ability to pay for rent and in turn found herself sleeping next to the bathrooms in Washington Square Park for three months.
How does this happen?” questions Joan.
“It’s about pride and not asking for help,” replies Terri. “There is a bit of embarrassment that this could happen to you.”
Terri White, one of Broadway’s classic performers has undoubtedly found her way back to New York’s stage, but the razzle dazzle of a theater life had taken an unexpected twist, leaving her to face the homeless streets of this big bad city. With a life filled of music, dance, and extraordinary talent, Terri White came to New York, like so many others, to be a star and perform on Broadway. After singing with Liza Minneli and landing outstanding roles in Barnum, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Bubbling Brown Sugar, and Two Gentlemen of Verona, Terri White’s luck and paid gigs at some of New York’s savviest piano bars had run its course. She was left without the ability to pay for rent and in turn found herself sleeping next to the bathrooms in Washington Square Park for three months.
How does this happen?” questions Joan.
“It’s about pride and not asking for help,” replies Terri. “There is a bit of embarrassment that this could happen to you.”
“Did you ever feel a sense of hopelessness?” asks Joan.
“It was a time of re-evaluating my life,” continues Terri. “Why has it been so difficult? I came to New York because I wanted to be on Broadway, not a park bench. I needed to start believing in myself.”
You can find this Broadway baby soaking up her very own “New York” moment, and belting her heart out to the show’s Necessity, a song that surely hits home. And so it goes …
My feet want to dance in the sun
My head wants to rest in the shade
The Lord says go out and have fun
But the landlord says your rent ain’t paid
