How a lover's preference helped a Broadway star find her true identity
In short: Before she was a Tony-nominated powerhouse, she was performing under a name that didn't quite fit. A simple romantic suggestion changed her professional identity forever, leading to a career that has spanned five decades of Broadway, television, and cabaret excellence.
Born Terri Sue Feldshuh in 1948, the American actress and singer spent the early part of her career performing under the stage name Terri Fairchild. The shift from her birth name to her current professional identity was sparked by a personal connection. She revealed that her partner at the time, Michael Fairchild, felt the name 'Terri Sue' did not suit her personality and suggested she use her Hebrew name instead.
This decision to embrace her heritage proved transformative. As Tovah, she became a mainstay of the Broadway stage for fifty years, earning four Tony Award nominations. Her versatility has seen her move from the titular role in the musical Yentl—a performance praised by author Isaac Bashevis Singer for its instinctive understanding of the character—to a record-breaking run in Golda's Balcony. The latter production set a Broadway record on January 2, 2005, as the longest-running one-woman play in the industry's history.
Beyond the stage, Feldshuh has achieved significant television success, including two Emmy Award nominations for her work in Holocaust and Law & Order. Her career has been remarkably prolific, spanning roles in series like The Walking Dead and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, alongside numerous feature films. Even in her later years, she remains active, notably hiking Mount Kilimanjaro in 2015 and preparing for a feature-length documentary in 2025 that traces her expansive journey through the performing arts.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Tovah Feldshuh
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