Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabby Moore.
Hi Gabby, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started in Charlotte, North Carolina where I was born. I was born the seventh of eight children and most of my siblings were very outgoing and extroverted whereas I actually grew up pretty quiet and shy. I always loved film and television and would sing and act out songs and scenes in a locked bathroom with my hairbrush as the microphone but beyond that, I never thought of becoming a professional. All of my siblings and I were raised by a single mother in a not so great neighborhood, and though she tried her hardest to expose us to outside things; it was still hard to dream or imagine a world away from there. I figured my way out would be my brain, I was and am pretty smart so I had decided to be a pediatrician. But soon after I started college, I was put into a beginning acting course by the school to fulfill my art credit. I had the most amazing instructors and fell in love with acting the minute they put me on stage. I went to auditions that semester on a dare, was cast in my first ever play (Hamlet) and the rest, as they say, is history. I changed my major to theatre and did every play, every musical, every class, and read everything I could get my hands on. Once I graduated I started doing improv and soon after I began to do stand-up comedy. In 2016 I was introduced to the world of writing when my work was selected to be a part of a writing Intensive held in Charlotte and hosted by Sundance. No one was more surprised than I that the crazy stories and characters I used to write down were actually enjoyable to people other than me. In 2019, I took and chance and wrote and starred in my first one-woman show at what ended up being a sold-out local theatre. I realized that I am my happiest when I am able to work and create, regardless of the number of people in the audience or the amount of dollars made. When I was growing up, film and television were an escape for me. A place for me to go and laugh, scream, cry or dream. I wanted to create that same kind of haven for those around me and for the next generation coming up. I simply love the art of writing, performing and creating. Over time, in Charlotte, I became a regular performer and host of many stand-up and improv shows but I did miss acting. Soon after the chaos of COVID, a friend of a friend was looking for new folks to audition for a sketch show I had never heard of (STUDIO C) and despite not having a manager or agent and being all the way in North Carolina; somehow my name was put in the mix. Though I figure now, that it was all in God’s plan and timing. I began the audition process and a couple of months later was blessed enough to be cast in season 16. As of now, I still feel as though I am just beginning to really dive into this journey and I’m excited and looking forward to the many projects that will come my way. I simply take it one day, one audition, one project at a time. Some say I started too late but my mother always reminds me that there are no expiration dates on our dreams so I continue on. I work and prepare hard every day and the results of that will show; so for now I just keep working. As Denzel Washington once said “It’s simple: You get a part. You play a part. You play it well. You do your work and you go home.”
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. I was raised by a single mother and there were often times not a lot extra to go around so from a young age I knew and understood that. My father wasn’t very kind, involved, or helpful so there was a lot I ended up doing to fill that void for myself and my siblings. I started working when I was about 15 and at some points throughout college and most of my adult life, I worked 2 and 3 jobs at a time to provide for myself, pay for school and help at home where I could. Whether it’s acting, writing, or stand-up comedy; these jobs are all ones that take time to see the monetary results and in the beginning, sometimes you have to simply network and get your name out there and do whatever shows you can to get practice and exposure. There were months and sometimes years between then and now where I didn’t and couldn’t do any artistic work at all because I had to work and provide for myself. Those times were hard because the dreamer and creator in me just wanted to be free to work but the realist in me knew that it had to be put on hold for a time so that I could live and survive. I don’t regret it or wish it didn’t happen because it was needed and I learned about endurance, patience, and hard work during that time. Even now, I still have a desk job that I do by day alongside the shows and projects I do by night. I understand that realistically, I am not in a place yet to quit my day job and do acting/writing full-time. It’s hard to accept that at times and at times I wish there was a quicker or easier way; but I think it made me more grateful and appreciative of the work I am able to get as an actress because I remember those years and months when I could do nothing but work. I have also found that the struggles I have experienced in my life have given me a pretty strong resolve and fighting spirit. I know what I want to do and I will do it no matter how long it takes and honestly, after some of the pain and struggles I’ve already survived there’s not much that scares or discourages me. I am always reminded of MLK’s words “We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope”. So, I try not to dwell on the bad or the negatives. I keep hope alive and move forward regardless of the circumstances and I have faith that one day I will be exactly where I dreamed of being in this industry.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a woman that wears many hats. I am an actress but I also write (sketches as well as poems, short and feature-length films), I do Improv, Stand-up comedy and I also have and perform a one-woman variety show. I guess my specialty is comedy as it’s the most natural to me. I love making people laugh and feel happy and that’s really what I have come to be known for in my hometown. Being able to put together shows and characters that are fun for everyone and that not only make you laugh but make you think about some things and connect with others.
I would say, in terms of my work, I am known for and specialize in creating unique characters and complicated back stories that I often create on the improv stage or for my one-woman show. Like Georginia Delilah Bishop, an elderly woman of unknown age that gives questionable advice and believes the best part of a man is his ankle-to-shoe ratio.
I am most proud of my one-woman show entitled ‘Take One! The “Gospel” Truth’. I created it at a time when I felt a bit out of place. There were things I wanted to do on stage that didn’t fit into the box of stand-up or improv; so I took a chance and put a show together about life that featured everything I loved to do; the characters, some improv, some stand-up. I wasn’t sure how it would be received or if it’d be any good but it turned out to be better than I imagined. I was terrified every step of the way and was sure I’d get boo’ed off stage but it was the opposite. I received standing ovations and smiles and that’s a memory that will stay with me forever.
What sets me apart from others I’d say has been my unique upbringing and point of view. I spent many years being quiet but I also spent those years observing others and I think it helped me be able to bring characters and stories to life that touch people. And the family I grew up in is hilarious; everyone seems to be a natural storyteller and is funny in their own way so I feel I learned what funny is simply by being around them. Also, because I have already endured hardships and trials for many years of my life, I am no longer afraid to fail necessarily or look silly in front of others. I think because of that, I often find the courage to try something that some people might avoid. Try things that even I myself am not sure of.
My work is different and my sense of humor is in its own category but I have come to find that that’s a good thing. There is a story, a character, a joke that only I can tell because it’s mine and because I am the only one who can tell it the right way. I am learning to lean into that but I believe that to be true of every creator. Only you can tell your story the right way.
Any big plans?
My plans for the future involve continuing to work and building my entertainment career overall. In terms of the immediate future, I am finishing up working on the 16th season of Studio C and I am also preparing to star in a Christmas movie set to film in South Carolina this December.
In the meantime, I have been looking forward to finishing a script that has become a passion project for me. Its a story inspired by true events in my life; a dark time recently when I thought I’d give up on my dreams and was inspired not to do so by none other than Barbra Streisand (whom I’m ashamed to say I didn’t truly know of until last year). There are many other factors involved in the story of course but I am currently taking some time off from stand-up and improv for a bit in order to complete the script. It’s entirely for my own benefit but once it’s completed I do look forward to seeing where the project may end up and hopefully one day seeing myself in it on the big screen.
Until then, I will do what I have always done and continue to create stories, study, and prepare so that when the time comes I will be ready. Denzel Washington says “luck is when an opportunity comes along and you’re prepared for it”, so for now I will continue to be about the work of preparing and growing as an artist while I seek out the next opportunity.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamgabbymoore/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gmoorecomedian/
Image Credits
Bobby Kerns Productions
Serendib Creative
