Despite having to overcome the “starving artist” syndrome, former Charles Gilpin Player and Prairie View A&M University alumna, Florence Garvey was recently selected by the Houston Press as the “Houston Best Actress.”
This is the first time the Houston Press has given this award and Garvey is very humbled by the experience.
“It felt really good because as an actor on stage and even on film there are not a lot of times where you are recognized for the amount of energy and work that you put into your craft,” said Garvey. “I love that people got to see the play I was in, really experience the role I played, and I never thought the role would get an award.”
Garvey received the award based upon her role as Hester in Suzan Lori-Park’s, “In the Blood.”
Remembering her time at Prairie View and her greatest influences as an actress she says, “My professor, Mr. Turner, at Prairie View, used to always say, ‘acting is completely the most self-motivating career ever.’ The best actress award from the Houston Press is like icing on the cake and for the most part getting any type of recognition helps an actor from getting tired.”
Being a Gilpin Player and her experience at Prairie View taught Garvey to discipline herself and develop work ethic.
“Mr. Turner, who was the director of the theatre department in 2006, was a very big personality so we had a work ethic that didn’t stop because we kept working and we were always working,” said Garvey.
Acting makes Garvey feel complete and is what makes tough days easier to handle.
“Being an artist, you have to have a love for it. When you have a love for something, it’s very hard to do something else. You try but then you feel really incomplete when you’re not doing acting. I know a woman that is in the show with me who had so many other jobs trying to get away from being an actor because it was so illogical. Yet, when it’s something that you’re truly passionate about and something you really love you just feel like you are not completing yourself. You have to do what feels right for your soul,” she said.
Garvey’s next production is Naciercema Society at the Ensemble Theatre opening Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. and is running through Oct. 21.