Episode 95 - Roma Torre

Roma Torre, a recipient of an Emmy® and more than 30 other awards, is celebrating her 25th anniversary at NY1, New York’s popular cable news channel, where she is an anchor and theater critic. Torre began her television career at CBS’ flagship station, New York’s Channel 2, becoming a news writer and producer. Then, with Cablevision’s formation of the country's first 24-hour local news station, News12 Long Island, Torre was among the first reporters hired. At the station, she reported, anchored and hosted a weekly news program. Torre was also its film and theater critic and her reviews were published in the television magazine, Total TV. After five years at News12, Torre returned to New York City in 1992 to join NY1, where she now anchors its "News All Day" and is its theater critic. She previously anchored the station’s award-winning "Inside City Hall," a hard-hitting political and public affairs program described by one critic as "the ‘60 Minutes’ of local television." She followed in the tradition of her mother, the late Marie Torre. A well-known syndicated columnist and amusements editor for The New York Herald Tribune, Marie was involved in a celebrated freedom of the press case. She was the first reporter to gain national attention for going to jail for refusing to identify a news source in a dispute involving CBS and Judy Garland. (It was a 10-day sentence.) But growing up, Roma Torre wanted to be an actress. Born in New York and raised in Pittsburgh, she later graduated from Tufts University. While in Boston, Torre started a theater company with fellow student Ed Lopez. The theater lasted three years but the partnership with Lopez thrived. They married in 1991 and now have two children, Alejandro and Alegra. Torre’s road to Broadway took a detour. After performing in numerous soaps and off-Broadway productions, she traded in the stage lights for the glare of television news cameras. Her theater years are still being put to good use in her role as NY1's theater critic. She regularly contributes to its weekly theater show, "NY1 On Stage." In addition, Torre continues to cover news stories and various special events, ranging from NY1's election night coverage to major parades. She has more than 30 broadcasting awards, including an Emmy for reporting and anchoring coverage of the Avianca plane crash disaster in 1991. Torre and "News All Evening" anchor Lewis Dodley were honored in 1993 by New York Magazine's "Best Of" edition as the best news anchors in New York. Torre was the recipient of the Newswomen’s Club of New York's 2003 Peggy Award for Broadcasting for her review of the Broadway show, Big River. She has co-produced a documentary entitled, “Shout Gladi Gladi” - a story of hope and survival - narrated by Meryl Streep. It profiles a Scottish woman who has dedicated countless hours and her own money to improving the lives of African women and children living in extreme poverty. A colon cancer survivor, Torre is a staunch advocate of early screening and has spoken extensively about the need to raise awareness and the importance of cancer prevention. She is a proud board member of the National Association of Women Artists (NAWA). Founded in 1889, NAWA is the country’s oldest organization that promotes and showcases women in the art world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices