Julie Hersh doesn’t consider herself much of a talent when it comes to taking center stage in the spotlight, but those who work behind the scenes with her at Dallas Children’s Theater know her as a triple threat. When it comes right down to it, this mother/writer/philanthropist paints with even broader strokes, insisting on community resources for children of all interests, all incomes and all abilities. Whether she’s hard at work writing her first book in her Preston Hollow home (which she shares with husband Ken, partner/CEO at NGP Energy Capital Management and children Daniel, 13, and Rachel, 11); making million-dollar donations to Dallas Children’s Theater and local schools; or working to raise the profile of Dallas Children’s Theater as its board president, this is one lady who never settles for second best.
Give us a snapshot of what Dallas Children’s Theater is doing now that many Dallasites might not be aware of. First is the foundation of our teen program, Young Adult Relevant Theater (YARD). There is a real lack of quality, thought-provoking entertainment for tweens and teens in our culture. If things don’t blow up or show skin, it’s not considered entertainment. Our shows allow families a venue to discuss issues and solve problems before they erupt into crises.
So many people hear “Dallas Children’s Theater” and think kids in bed sheets or sock puppets. DCT is a professional theater that hires trained working actors who you’ll see in shows at the Dallas Theater Center, Theatre Three and other professional companies. When people come to our theater, they are blown away by the breadth and depth of our programming.
How is your own family involved at DCT – audience, program participants, volunteers? It’s kind of funny. My Dad was a phenomenal athlete and pushed me to play softball, which I hated. I was always short, pudgy and had mediocre coordination. I wanted to write poetry and be in plays. My kids both love baseball. Rachel is still playing on an all-boy team, and Daniel is pitcher and shortstop on his St. Mark’s team. In my family, it seems artistic focus skips generations.
As a parent, I felt it was important to let my children pursue their interests, regardless of financial incentive and whether I was personally interested in their activities. I’ve definitely exposed them to theater, and they like it, even if it is not a main interest. My hope is they, through these experiences, will have a greater appreciation for the arts.
As board president, you’re obviously putting DCT center stage in your community work for the present. Your family has also given significant gifts to St. Mark’s School of Texas and St. Alcuin Montessori School. Besides DCT, what other organizations and causes hold important places in your philanthropic and family focus? Ken and I have talked about this a lot lately. Our giving is oriented to the development of the whole person; because we believe that a person who is spiritually, intellectually and physically well can help solve the world’s problems. Because of this, we give heavily to educational organizations.
Our family loves sports, but personally I feel children in our community are pushed so hard into sports, but don’t explore other parts of their being. Competition is great, but competition without awareness of the needs of others, or an appreciation of the beauty of nature or the arts creates a myopic person. That’s why we are philanthropists in the arts – Dallas Children’s Theater and the Dallas Museum of Art, specifically. Ken serves on the board at the DMA.
You’ve admitted to struggling with depression – yet here you are as a leader on a number of community fronts. How does your volunteer work contribute to keeping a healthy, positive outlook? It was incredibly difficult for me to go from a successful businessperson to being a full-time mom. I fully intended to go back to work after Daniel was born, but when the time came, I could not figure out how to balance work and home life. Every woman I know with children struggles with this; no choice is perfect. My work at DCT has given me feedback that I’m smart, capable and I can accomplish things. It’s also given me a feeling of community, a feeling that I am helping to build something greater than myself.
How do you balance your community involvement while supporting your husband’s demanding work life and a busy family schedule? Balance is hard, especially now that our kids are teens. I can’t say I do it well. I limit myself to one or two things in terms of volunteering. Between sports, social events, working on my book, I am wiped out and often don’t want to cook. I try to create menus at the start of the week and I order everything to be delivered through Central Market. But don’t hold me to this. I can see my children laughing as they read this!
