What's in a name?

On Sunday, November 14, 2010, Nashville Children’s Theatre will host its annual fundraiser, Grand Day. While the event is taking on an entirely new persona this year with a pre-show tea party and a post-show carnival, there is still one element that remains the same – its spotlight on family. At Grand Day we celebrate that generations of Nashville grandparents, parents and children have come together to share numerous stories within the walls of NCT.
This year we honor grandparent Betty Witherspoon who, as a pediatric nurse, has spent her life caring for many of our own children when they needed love most.

I first met Betty five years ago just weeks after I had begun as Education Director at NCT. I remember sitting next to her in the two old chairs in the lobby (pre-renovation) and helping her select a class for Josh, a young man who she thought would benefit from acting classes. I helped her with the registration form and sent her on her merry way. I thought it lovely that she was creating opportunities for kids she knew and understood what the arts can do for them, but being new to Nashville and its darlings, I never thought twice about her name. Witherspoon.
Over the next ten weeks, Ross, who has been in many shows at NCT (and is now my husband who endlessly reminds me that he was here long before I arrived on the scene), taught Josh’s class. Josh and Ross, somewhat kindred spirits, quickly identified with each other, and Ross and I both were delighted to watch Josh’s work in class and onstage. And, of course, Betty was watching carefully, too.
Week by week, Josh emerged more confident and disciplined. He dug Ross, who embodies “cool” in a kind, responsible way and Ross saw in Josh his own shy 12 year-old self.

The class performed their scenes at the end of the session, and Josh came alive onstage. We all were immensely proud of him, but of course, none more so than Betty. After the show, Betty met me by the edge of the stage and thanked me for what NCT had given them. Betty wanted Josh to take more classes including an upcoming summer camp that interested him.
“The only problem,” Betty said, “is that it’s a two-week camp, and I can only bring him the first week. I need to be in California the second week to keep my grandkids.”
“Oh, your family’s in California?” I asked.
“Yes, when my daughter’s on set, I help with the kids,” she replied matter-of-factly.
“On set? Is she in movies?” And still, with her love of acting and children and her ability to recognize young talent and the name Witherspoon, I had never put it together.
“Yes, her name is Reese Witherspoon. You might have heard of her,” she replied innocently.
I might have heard of her? I might have heard of her? Three months after Reese’s Oscar for Walk the Line and her beautiful, perfectly Southern acceptance speech, Betty’s humility completely endeared me to her. Yes, of course, I had heard of her. And so had the kids and the parents who stood nearby as the conversation unfolded. While I smiled and was nearly at a loss for words (a rarity for me), I simply replied that I loved Reese’s work and that Ross and I would try to help her make sure Josh got to NCT.

Betty and I had become friends. Not because I was aware enough to even figure out that that she was a famous mom, but rather because she was exactly like every other mom or dad or parent or friend who brings a child to NCT. She believes that NCT is a place where young people build confidence, discover themselves and maybe even find their place in this world. Because, to borrow from Reese’s homage to another Tennessee legend, June Cash, we all “just wanna matter.”
After five years, I still see Betty as exactly the same person I did when I met her, as a parent who wants the best for her children and every child she loves.

Julee Brooks
NCT Director of Education