MISS NANCY TAYLOR,
FORMER MUSIC TEACHER AT
RIVER OAKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
By Lucy Goodrich and Olivia Taylor
1. Tell us about where you grew up, what schools you attended and what you did after high school?
My family moved to Texas from Tennessee in 1935, and to Houston in 1939. I attended West University Elementary School, Pershing Junior High School and San Jacinto High School. I graduated from The University of Houston in 1952 majoring in music with a minor in education. My first teaching assignment was in Pearland, Texas, 3rd through the 12th grade music, which was an experience in itself. In my second year I was assigned to teach at River Oaks Elementary School. That was in 1953. My years at River Oaks Elementary School were the most productive, precious years of my teaching career. I loved the school, I loved the students, and I loved the teachers. Miss Todd was the ultimate principal. The River Oaks children were superbly talented students. The chorus groups presented programs, which were well received, and we were asked to perform before Texas and National Music Educators, as well as The Houston Grand Opera production of Puccini's La Bohème.
2. Some of us saw you in Once Upon a Mattress; please tell us about that chapter in your life.
At that time, I was teaching at River Oaks. I had seen the play in New York and I was cast in the Houston production at Theater, Inc. I enjoyed a lot of success with that show. I had been in other musical productions in Houston prior to Mattress. After that, I lived in New York and studied theater.
3. Can you share with us recollections of the teachers at River Oaks Elementary:
Principal Helen Todd: Miss Todd was a devoted principal, and I recall that without fail she stood in the front hall of the school welcoming each day each student, by name, and at the close of the school day, she bid them good afternoon. She was always there. She followed each student's progress to make sure they reached their true potential. She was respected and loved by the teachers, the parents and the children.
Teachers: All the teachers at River Oaks were the cream of the crop. Not only were they were superb teachers; they also had a great sense of humor and were a lot of fun to work with and to be with socially.
Thanks, Miss Taylor! Thanks, too, to Lucy and Olivia for the interview.
Miss Taylor appeared onstage once again in September of 2004. Read the review below:
Spry seniors step up in '70, Girls, 70'
By EVERETT EVANS
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
A convocation of Houston's senior stage talent kicks up its heels in the concert rendition of '70, Girls, 70' at Hobby Center's Zilkha Hall. They may not kick all that high, but the point is that they're still kicking.
Apart from the chance of showcasing a stageful of veterans, the main reason for doing 70 is the delightful, vaudeville-tinged score by John Kander and Fred Ebb, creators of Cabaret and Chicago.
The book (by Ebb and Norman L. Martin) supplies a droll premise: Feisty seniors take to stealing furs to improve their standard of living. Yet it saddles its plot with an unnecessary and confusing show-within-the-show.
Yet as staged with dogged perseverance by Paul Hope and given lively musical direction by Dan Rutzen, 70 delivers many standout numbers and comic bits -- particularly in the second act.
Sylvia Froman is ideal as ringleader Ida, her dry and knowing delivery anchoring the story. Though hampered by a faulty mike on her first song 'Home', she was precise and forceful in such later turns as 'The Elephant Song' and 'Yes'.
Charles Bailey exudes nutty energy as roguish Harry. Marge Carroll brings no-nonsense punch to Gert, scoring with 'See the Light', her narrative of a fabled kleptomaniac's exploits. Charles Krohn's disapproving Harry and Mitzi Wayne's dithery Eunice are the golden-age lovebirds, posing the inevitable query with their teasing 'Do We?'
A virtual sister act, Marsha Carlton (Fritzi) and Mozelle Moses-Felder (Melba) bring zippy oomph to 'Coffee in a Cardboard Cup' and 'Broadway - My Street'. Moses-Felder also delivers a hearty 'Believe' (leave it to Kander and Ebb to devise a spiritual as a safecracker's inspiration) and Carlton contributes delicious clowning to 'Elephant Song', Ebb's nonsensical/thoughtful musing on mortality.
As genial bellboy Eddie, the sole "kid" on hand, Joshua Wright brings supple voice and lithe moves to 'Go Visit Your Grandmother', teamed with Nancy Taylor's spry Granny, matching Wright's taps on her walker for a showstopping duet.
Glennie Scott contributes sprightly keyboard work as Lorraine. And the always-welcome Helen Ackerman brings her trademark gravelly authority to furrier Sadie.
Froman encapsulates the show's message as she leads the inspiring finale: "Life keeps happening every day/Say `yes'/When opportunities come your way/You can't start wondering to say/You never win if you never play/Say `yes.' "
'70, Girls, 70' is a nifty means of saying "yes" to life, at any age.
Photo of Joshua Wright and Nancy Taylor stopping the show!
