Artist Spotlight: Debbie Fluk Goldberg

One of our famous selfies!

Over the past couple years, I’ve needed a theatre buddy who deals with all my insanity and supports me totally and completely.  Luckily enough, I’ve found that person…my mother.  She’s been with me on my theatre journey since the very beginning, and I’ve dragged her around the area for years now.  Oh, who am I kidding?  I haven’t dragged her anywhere…she has loved every single moment, from our first opening at the Wilma (where we joked that we were crashing the party) to a phone call that went, “Want to drive up to Bristol for In the Heights?”

Not many of you know much about my mom, but I feel like you should know.  I couldn’t do any of this without her, whether it’s making the trips to the city and surrounding areas, or her being my “wing mom”.  She pushes me to be the very best I can be, whether that’s in writing posts or talking to people that end up being people I get to interview.  She has spent my whole life pushing me like that.  It’s been a long time that she’s been supporting me in the theatre world in one way or another.

So here’s some talk from my mother, Debbie Fluk Goldberg.  It’s a good thing she’s read through so many of my interview questions, because she knew what sort of thing to expect.  It means so much to me that she put herself out there for me…we’ve experienced so much together for Zoe Writes Theatre, that it seems only natural she gets a voice on the blog as well!  I am so lucky to have my mom by my side.  Let’s hear what she has to say.

You’ve been a theatre mother your whole life.  How has it been watching me evolve through different roles and jobs in theatre?

I’ve been a theatre mother YOUR whole life! I have always been so proud of you, the way you never had any fear of being on a stage and becoming a new character! I will always tell the story of you entering Ms. Julie’s theatre class, at Hedgerow, at the age of six, and doing a cold read of Shakespeare like no one’s business! You knocked me over with that. What six year old can read Shakespeare with authenticity and understanding, let alone, cold read it! Well, Zoe could!

Your love of theatre has taken you in so many directions. Stepping off the stage and working different roles is a part of growing your skills. The fact that you went outside of your comfort zone to work back stage, to do lights, to do sound, to do sets, just showed me what your capabilities and abilities were/are. Working front of house showed me your investment in theatre was more than just being on a stage. You embraced all roles in the theatre, with the same passion you had for acting. And for you, working with New Voices showed your passion for helping to guide and shape youths.

What’s your favorite part of us seeing shows together?

I don’t know how to answer that question, because it’s all one big having fun together! I love our theatre selfies, I love the way we watch a show together, the way we talk about the show on our car ride home. I love to share our opinions and talk about what works and doesn’t work, for both of us. I enjoy looking at each other in certain moments of a show and knowing what the other is thinking/feeling. I love that sometimes one of us cries or laughs and the other totally gets it. I cherish that we can hold hands through the difficult scenes.

What’s your favorite Zoe Writes Theatre show experience?

Again, not sure how to answer it. I love being Zoe’s ‘wing mom’, pushing you to talk to an actor, or a director, a playwright…anyone who is good interview material. I also like to ‘fan girl’, because…who taught me that??? ZOE! And I love watching you as you are stepping further and further out to embrace the theatre community and be an ambassador, a teller of stories, and a bringer of truth and joy. 

What about theatre most resonates with you?

Well, having studied Fine Arts, for me, I am always drawn to set design. And then there’s costumes…but, I think the most wonderful thing about theatre is the magic! Being in a theatre, seeing live theatre, there’s this sense of magic that happens that you don’t get anywhere else. It’s real. It’s palpable. It’s a diverse group of people coming together to not only tell a story, but to include you in that story! It’s stunning! 

Thanks for being my theatre buddy.  Any final words on that?

Theatre, for me, embodies community. You told your story. And for me, as your mom, I watched as a whole community of people came together to help one of their own. Not only help, but save. That’s a beautiful thing! It was as if all

these people came together and wrapped you in this protective cocoon. And what emerged, over a (very) long period of time, was this beautiful butterfly, that became you! What more can I say?

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My mom has seen me through everything in my nearly thirty-six years.  It’s only natural that she’d take on this role as my theatre buddy, as my “wing mom”, and in general, the only person in the world who would spend car rides at all hours talking about shows for my blog posts.  I have her to thank for so much of this…and I hope that now that you’ve read all this, you can truly see how special she is.  Love you, mom!