City Faces in Different Places
By Julie Perine on January 12, 2021 from City Faces
Meet this week's City Face, Emily Moore!
How long have you lived in Bridgeport? If not a lifelong resident, tell me what brought you here.
I moved to Bridgeport in 2016 when we moved our very young family to Maple Lake with our first home purchase. We were thinking ahead to a strong school system and a place we wanted to settle down permanently with our family.
Are you married, have kids? Tell me about your family. I have two children, Dawson (8 years old) and Caspian (5 years old) and a supportive partner, Ryan Tolley.
What about pets? I have a one year old “Whoodle” named Annie who is a mix of Wheaten Terrier and Miniature Poodle. She was named after the first musical theatre production I produced with Robinson Grand Community Theatre in December of 2019—Annie.
Where do you work and what do you do there? I work at the Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center in Clarksburg, WV, as their Sales & Marketing Manager and Program Director of Robinson Grand Community Theatre. I wear many hats as we are a small three-person team. I handle sales and marketing for all the live public events and movies, rental booking, coordination, and management of private events, social media management, box office management, volunteer coordination, and graphic design for the marquee and other digital media. I have also recently added virtual series writing and production to my resume with our latest Ghostlight Series.
What are your hobbies/favorite past times? I thoroughly enjoy attending live theatre productions, traveling to new places, hiking in our beautiful state of West Virginia, and reading.
Favorite Bridgeport spot? Maple Lake is definitely my favorite spot in Bridgeport. It’s such a wonderful community for raising a family. The kids ride their bikes, we walk our dog, and in the warm months, we swim and enjoy the lakeside almost every day.
What do you like about Bridgeport … why is this a good place to live? Bridgeport, like most of north central WV, is a progressive community with people who take pride in where they live. Neighbors look out for neighbors. There are always family-centered activities being planned by the city and you see all of the city businesses take an active role in participating. Also, I cannot say enough good things about my sons’ school—Johnson Elementary. Every single teacher, staff member, and administrator we 
have interacted with in their education thus far has been phenomenal. Johnson has created an inclusive, supportive environment for all of their students even amid a pandemic.
have interacted with in their education thus far has been phenomenal. Johnson has created an inclusive, supportive environment for all of their students even amid a pandemic.
One – or more – of your favorite memories of something that took place in Bridgeport ... Perhaps my favorite event in Bridgeport every year is Light-Up Night. My boys loved walking through the city streets and stopping at all of the vendors and hearing all of the performers singing—especially the carolers. There is such a sense of community in the air mixed with holiday spirit that those memories hold a fond place in my heart. I also have wonderful lasting memories of Bridgeport Little League and watching my boys play on their respective t-ball and c-ball teams learning the rules of the game, taking direction from their coaches, and getting their first crack of the bat for the season. It’s something we look forward to every spring.
What is your favorite WV spot outside of Bridgeport? My partner’s family has a beautiful cabin in Canaan Valley and we all love to go out there and enjoy a weekend in mountains hiking trails, sitting by the fire, and depending on the season, swimming in the river or sledding down snowy hills.
How about your favorite place outside of WV? I find myself being drawn back to New York City and those Broadway lights. Of course, during the pandemic, that hasn’t been an option. If given the choice, I would go to see a Broadway show any day. NYC, for me, is a place I love to visit and enjoy for a few days, but eventually, I always feel that call from those West Virginia hills that beckons me home.
What are some of your favorite things? “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens” …haha, just kidding. Sorry, that question brings me back to my on-stage performance days! I love ah-hah moments on students’ faces and an uproar of audience applause after a powerful number on stage. I love snuggles from my boys on the couch as we read our bedtime story each night. My favorite shows are Schitt’s Creek and Outlander.
Food/restaurant? In Bridgeport, I really enjoy Cody’s restaurant and my favorite meal is probably a steak cooked medium with mixed veggies and a great side salad.
Favorite color? My favorite color is a deep red/burgundy color.
Music genre/artist? I love music that makes me FEEL which can be a multitude of genres. Some favorite artists of mine are Adele, Haley Reinhart, Ed Sheeran, Ellie Goulding, Sara Bareilles, Ben Platt, and Taylor Swift, and Lin Manuel Miranda.
What is your best childhood memory? The lifechanging moment for me as a young teen was discovering my love for theatre my sophomore year of high school. My friend Rachel convinced me to audition for my school’s production of “A Christmas Carol” and I almost didn’t do it because I was such a shy person. Needless to say, I auditioned, I made it, and that show changed me at my core. And here I am, over twenty years later, managing a performing arts center.
Interesting fact about you and/or something you would like to add… I was a teacher was ten years prior to becoming Sales & Marketing Manager of the Robinson Grand. I taught at Robert C. Byrd High School for six years as a senior English teacher and ran their theatre program.
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