Carol Teegardin

By Jenn Goeddeke

Carol Teegardin

I recently met up for lunch with Carol Teegardin at Bobcat Bonnies to chat about her life and work.

Although physically small in stature, Teegardin has a huge personality with plenty of stories. She progressed from being a young, married woman to a single mom of two children, basically fending for herself. Along the way, she developed outstanding skills in writing, acting, and teaching – plus she made quite a few friends too.

Her initial college education was at Oakland University, where she earned a degree in journalism. Following this, Teegardin worked for the weeklies but said the pay wasn't great, so she contacted the Detroit News. Fortunately, there was a position open there as a 'fashion writer's assistant' under Marji Kunz. She recalled at that time it was mostly mac & cheese for dinner!

FOR THE NEXT 23 YEARS, TEEGARDIN WORKED SOME LATE HOURS for the News, Free Press, and Metro Times papers combined, and claims it was a good experience. She developed a reputation as a gossip columnist, and had her finger on the pulse of high-profile local/social news. During this time, she took on a few acting roles to keep herself extra busy. She was also working as an adjunct professor at U of D Mercy, and even though just a part-time role, she loved it!

She is still in touch with many of the staff members from the newspapers. Teegardin stated, "I had a lot of chances to remarry. Following a brief marriage in 1989, I never really wanted to again. My children and I just did what we wanted to do – I took them nearly everywhere with me!"

In 1999, Teegardin left the Free Press due to a strike, and gained her master's degree. Her next job was at a Dearborn High School (with a pay cut), teaching English and journalism, and she bought a house. Teegardin's following adventure was moving to LA with her daughter for a few years, where she taught creative writing and play direction at a high school.

Six years later, Teegardin came back to the Metro Detroit area, "I didn't want to move back, but my mother died and I had missed out on a lot." She secured a position at Lakeland High School in the Union Lake area, but then became ill with kidney failure. "My dad had died from this condition and I was very sick. I didn't work much for a few years, while I was getting treatment, but I did do some subbing. The kids were great and we made deals!"

TWO PROJECTS WERE KEY FOR TEEGARDIN: the true-crime book she published in 2011 called "Strawberry: How an Exotic Dancer Toppled Detroit's Hip-Hop Mayor” (Malloy books) and a play she wrote on the same theme named "Strawberry: What Party?". The theme was the rumored party held by former Detroit mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, at the Manoogian Mansion in the Fall of 2002. An exotic dancer there by the name of Tamara (Strawberry) Greene was allegedly assaulted at the party by Kilpatrick's wife, Carlita, and was murdered the following year in 2003. She recalled it took five years to write the book, as she researched the topic extensively. The copies sold well.

The play was written more quickly, after an intensely writing-focused trip to Florida. The premier showing was held at the Marlene Boll Theatre (Detroit YMCA) in January of 2017, with further showings later that same year. She is planning further showtimes this September/October, under the direction of Mary Bremer-Beer, at The Marygrove Theatre in Detroit (see below for more details). Teegardin voiced her hope that bringing back the play might help shed some light on the cold case of Greene's murder, 21 years ago. She also expressed hope that she may directly be able to interview Kwame Kilpatrick later this year, as he makes his pastoral comeback.

Tickets will be available online at Eventbrite, and at the door of the Marygrove Theatre: 8425 W McNichols, Detroit 48220. Please reach out to Carol Teegardin with any questions: carolteegardin4@gmail.com.