Taylor makes impact on and off the stage

As she balances her work as Hosparus Thrift Shoppe coordinator and her heavy involvement in  community theater, plus parenting two young daughters, Moira Taylor feels fortunate, she said, that her calendar is packed with meaningful work.

Sarah Berkshire

Moira Taylor delivers lines during a rehearsal for "Macbeth" at the Hardin County Schools Performing Arts Center at John Hardin High School. Taylor has been active in community theater and plays Lady Macbeth in the upcoming production.

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Jill Pickett

Moira Taylor talks about performing arts and her work at the Hosparus Thrift Shoppe in her office at the store.

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Sarah Berkshire

Moira Taylor has played many roles in community theater productions and is on the Hardin County Playhouse Board of Directors. Her husband, Aaron, is technical director at the PAC. Their daughters, River, 1, and Harper, 4, feel at home in a theater.

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Sarah Berkshire

Moira Taylor spends a moment with her daughter, River, 1, as she waits to go on stage during a rehearsal of "Macbeth" at the PAC.

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Taylor, 33, has been active in local community theater since 2008. She’s a regular in Hardin County Playhouse productions and a member of the organization’s board of directors. Most recently, she’s joined the cast of Hardin County Schools Performing Arts Center’s Pro-Am production “Macbeth,” which opens next month. She plays Lady Macbeth.

While her on-stage personality is not her own, she said acting increases self-awareness and perspective.

“It’s kind of where you find out about yourself,” she said. “It’s funny that you learn about yourself by being someone else, but there really is a connection there.”

Being on stage is like emotional exercise, she said. Releasing the emotions of a character has a way of helping in daily life when she comes across situations in which she needs to maintain control.

Theater has been a part of her life for many years. She acted throughout high school and college and then, after college, she took a job doing marketing and administration with a theater group.

“It’s just always been something I felt I needed to do to round out my life,” Taylor said of performing.

Ron Blair, who has performed with Taylor and plays Macbeth in the PAC production, said she is a professional who is always prepared and focused.

Blair also noted Taylor’s caring personality, saying she is often quiet but shows her care in her actions.

“I think that’s rare these days. Most people can’t wait to tell you how much they care about this or that but rarely take action to show it. Moira is the opposite. She never boasts about her altruism; she shows it.”

That focus and sort of selflessness also was noted by Lisa Sanford, Hosparus of Central Kentucky’s senior manager of advancement and community relations.

“She enters into any situation with calmness and she is one of those people who stay focused on the mission,” said Sanford, who described Taylor as “delightful.”

For three years, Taylor has managed the thrift store. For all her love of theater, she said, she’s as passionate about hospice care.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in music therapy from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and her focus was music therapy in hospice care. Although she preferred to return to Kentucky after college over a career in music therapy, hospice care continued to be important to her. In fact, hospice care is important to her entire family, as her mother benefited from it before her death seven years ago.

Managing the store — with a three-person staff and a crew of about 35 that logged 7,600 volunteer hours last year — is a way for Taylor to harness that passion, she said.

Last year, Taylor said the thrift shop raised $95,000.

What she did not mention, but Sanford did, is that the store has made gains each year Taylor has managed it and 2012 was the store’s most profitable year to date.

Taylor also is committed to her family. She and her husband, Aaron, have two daughters, Harper, 4, and River, 1.

The Taylors all recently attended a Macbeth rehearsal. As Taylor ran through her lines, Aaron, technical director at the PAC, worked with River perched on his hip as Harper played off stage.

When Taylor reflects on parenting, she thinks of the line from Spider-Man. “With great power comes great responsibility.” Part of that responsibility is setting an example for her daughters that will encourage them to do what they are passionate about.

“Doing what makes you happy and helping other people,” she said. “It’s a recipe for a pretty good life.”

Sarah Berkshire can be reached at (270) 505-1745 or sberkshire@thenewsenterprise.com.

Getting to know Moira Taylor

Music: She likes acoustic folk music. Also, she plays guitar, piano and various other instruments.
Television: “Dr. Who” is one of her favorites. She and her husband have hosted weekly television- and movie-watching sessions for almost five years. It’s been a great way to carve out time for friends.
Pets: Two rescued dogs: a boxer named Peanut and a Boston terrier named Root Beer.
A perfect Saturday afternoon: When she and her husband are both off work on a Saturday, they like to take their daughters to the library and Funtopia. Then, they’ll go to Red Mango or Sugar Fashion Cakes for a snack.