Christine Buck: We’ve got a treat for you. Joining us is St. Louisan and well-known actress Annie Wersching who’s in town to tell us about a scholarship in her parents name at Southeast Missouri State. Welcome!
Annie Wersching: Thank you!
Christine Buck: Your mom was a special person. I didn’t know your dad Frank, but I knew your mom Sandy from many years ago in the Central West and when she owned the [flower] shop called Surprise! She was a very special person and it’s wonderful that her legacy lives on. Tell us about what you’re doing.
Annie Wersching: Yeah, we’re establishing a scholarship. Both my parents graduated from Southeast Missouri State in the 60′s and I’m establishing a scholarship there in their name, so it’s a fundraiser that’s coming Friday night to benefit that, and the scholarship will go to St. Louis youth that wants to go to Southeast Missouri State and study theater.
Christine Buck: That’s terrific. And you’ve had such success with acting and your career just took off with that role on 24. Everybody knows you from that role. Renee, you were something else!
Annie Wersching: (laughs) Yes. It was a pretty special role.
Christine Buck: That’s going to be a hard role to sort of top in your career, don’t you think?
Annie Wersching: Yes, yes. I like not to think of it like that, but it was pretty special. (laughs)
Christine Buck: But you are going on to do many things and already have filed something to do with ABC, right?
Annie Wersching: I’m going to be on the show Body of Proof coming up when that starts again in JAnuary. And actually, from St. Louis I’m heading to Dallas to join the cast of Dallas. So that’s fun cause I used to watch that with my grandma and grandpa.
Christine Buck: That’ll be really fun. Do you know what your role is and are you ready to talk about it or not?
Annie Wersching: I do, I can’t say much but it’s going to be a good one. (smiles)
Christine Buck: We appreciate you wearing the Cardinals t-shirt.
Annie Wersching: Oh yeah, we’re gonna pull it out tonight.
Christine Buck: Yeah, you’re from St. Louis and once you’re from St. Louis you’re a Cardinals fan forever, right?
Annie Wersching: Yeah. I represent in LA for all Cardinals fans. (laughs)
Christine Buck: So remembering your mom and your dad in this special way, it really is poignant cause it’s a legacy that will continue to live on. And there’ll be so many kids that’ll get opportunities they didn’t have before, and when it comes to theater and acting it’s hard to break into it, so it’s nice that you’re offering that.
Annie Wersching: Yeah and my mom was an elementary education teacher as well. She loved school, she loved children, she loved reading. So I love that it’s sort of a combination of their two passions cause she loved kids.
Christine Buck: Weren’t your folks involved in theater as well?
Annie Wersching: Oh yeah, my dad directed at a theater in Saint Charles for a couple of years, he taught opera at Washington University in St. Louis, and they took a committee dell’arte troupe to Italy and performed in the street. They did it all in the short time that they had together.
Christine Buck: I see where your influence came from for theater. I’m so happy that your mom was around to see you in the roles that you played and to be so proud of all that you accomplished as an actress. She must have adored watching you.
Annie Wersching: Oh, she was in heaven, yeah.
Christine Buck: And she’s in heaven now. It’s really terrific that her name will live on. Thank you so much. And it’s at Southeast Missouri State, so there is going to be a reception held at Mary Strauss house who does everything for everyone. And so people can get involved and give to the scholarship.
Annie Wersching: Yeah, visit STLCares.com you can come out and party with me Friday night. And I’m going to sing.
Christine Buck: You are?
Annie Wersching: I’m going to sing a couple of songs, do a tribute for my parents. It should be a really fun party, so come!
Christine Buck: So there you go! Go to KPLR11.com and you can find out all about it. Best of luck to you. Thanks for joining us today.
Annie Wersching: Thank you so much.