Live Arts: Maggie Bera On The 5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career in Theater
An Interview With Savio Clemente
A sense of humor. We sing and dance for a living. Sometimes we change lives… sometimes we entertain. Having a sense of humor about it all is important. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
As a part of our series about creating a successful career in theatre, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Maggie Bera.
Off-Broadway: Powerline Road (BwayWorld Award Winner — Best Performer Off-Broadway), The Baker’s Wife, Helen on 86th Street. Regional: The Little Mermaid, Phantom (Fireside Theatre), The World According To Snoopy (TUTS), Peter Pan, Les Miserables (Connecticut Rep) and Grease (Count Basie) TV: Showtime’s “The Big C” with Laura Linney. Maggie can be heard voicing the role of Jane in Lady Jane’s Radio Takeover on the musical podcast, One Million Musicals. BFA Musical Theatre from Texas State University. Maggie is also the founder of the popular blog + podcast, Actor Aesthetic. BFA Musical Theatre from Texas State. Proud member of Actor’s Equity and SAG-AFTRA.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I grew up in Central Jersey (if you believe in it!) in a town called Sayreville. My grandparents lived around the corner, my aunts, uncles and 4 cousins in the same town, and my other set of grandparents in the town over. My sister is only 3 and a half years younger… so we are very close. I was raised by the best parents you could imagine… hardworking people who I looked up to from the moment I could walk. My mom is a principal with two masters degrees, and my dad has had a very successful career working for Schindler Elevator for almost 25 years. And even though my parents weren’t necessarily “theatre people” before they had us, they believed that we were capable of anything we set our sights on.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
When I was young, my parents would host holiday parties at our house for our family. They bought a karaoke machine and I LOVED it. I was 9 years old when my grandpa found an article in the paper that was looking for folks to audition to sing the National Anthem at a Somerset Patriots game. I don’t even think I knew the full song at the time. So I crash-coursed it and my parents brought me to a mall where over 100 people auditioned. I got it.
I ended up singing the anthem everywhere I went. Local events, my cousins’ little league games, fireworks, the high school football games…. and somehow eventually for the NY Mets, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Nets when they were still in New Jersey. We even made shirts that read “Maggie’s Star Spangled Banner” tour. It was legit.
I’ll never forget what it felt like to sing for the Mets. I think I was only 12. It’s still the largest stadium I’ve performed in. And I remember thinking to myself… I want to do this as much as I can, and for the rest of my life.
It wasn’t until I started working with a vocal coach and signed with agents in the city that I thought I might be able do this for a living. Growing up in NJ and being so close to the city meant I had the theatre industry right at my finger tips. I was auditioning for all sorts of projects, film, television, musicals. This was a whole new world to me.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
My grandparents are responsible for so much of what I do. To have people in your life that are so selfless, so encouraging, so supportive… it’s a gift. I can’t even begin to tell you the number of auditions my grandpa took us to in New York growing up (my younger sister is also an actor). He would pick us up from school and take the train with us into the city. He knew the subway system because he had worked there for years before he retired. Both my parents worked during the day. Without my grandparents, I simply wouldn’t have been able to pursue my passion at a professional level when I was young.
You probably have a lot of fascinating experiences. Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
My very first professional job out of college came from an open call. I was not a member union yet, I couldn’t get seen at most auditions in the city at the time unless I had an appointment through my agents, and I was starting to feel like my efforts weren’t worth it. And I mean I went to every professional audition in the tri-state area.
Though I was losing steam, I pushed myself to go to one more open call.
I arrived early, signed up on a list with the monitor and waited my turn. The monitor — who I began to chat with before the audition — I later realized was the director and artistic director of the same theater I was about to audition for. I also knew the accompanist in the room, he worked with my sister on the national tour of Little House on the Prairie The Musical.
Luck would strike that morning and I booked the show that would earn me my Equity card. I’ll never forget it.
You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?
“Success” is messy. You’re going to fall flat on your face. You’ll question yourself. You’ll hit a wrong note. You’ll forget your lines. But what matters is how you respond. How you consistently get back up will define who you are in this industry.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in the live performance industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
You may book one job right after the next, be working constantly. And then suddenly… weeks or months go by and you’re desperately wondering when your next show is. For me, “burn out” creeps up when I don’t take the time to relax. In those seasons where I don’t have as many auditions, or when I’m not working on a show, I must find time to actually live my life. To take care of myself mentally and physically. To pour into my relationships with my family and loved ones. To find a healthy routine. So that when life gets a little busier, I am full!
What are your “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career in Broadway, Theater or Live Performances” and why?
- Passion. For me, theater isn’t just a career choice; it’s who I am. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been drawn to the stage like a moth to a flame. The industry is SO hard. Without that passion, I would much easier choose something else to pursue.
- A thick skin. It’s no secret actors deal with rejection daily. So much of our job is spent auditioning, putting ourselves out there to be critiqued. Sometimes it’s hard to just separate yourself from your work.
- Resilience. There are a lot of us, and not that many jobs. But I believe there is room for everyone in the industry. As long as you are willing to be patient. What is for you will not pass you by. You just need to stay in the game if you want to see long term success.
- Versatility. No one stands on a stage and sings anymore. Nowadays, folks are expected to do it all (or close to it). The more versatile you are, the more opportunities will come your way. I can’t stress enough the importance of a well-rounded education! Get in dance class, take voice lessons, study Contemporary theatre, traditional theatre, Shakespeare. Pick up an instrument.
- A sense of humor. We sing and dance for a living. Sometimes we change lives… sometimes we entertain. Having a sense of humor about it all is important. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”?
Either you fail or you learn.
We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why?
There are so few female-identifying directors out there. And yet a record 4 of the 5 people nominated for the Tony award best director of a musical are female. Maria Friedman (“Merrily We Roll Along“), Leigh Silverman (“Suffs”) Jessica Stone (“Water for Elephants”) and Danya Taymor (“The Outsiders”). I’d be honored to have the opportunity to meet with (or work with!) any one of them.
How can our readers continue to follow your work online?
You can find me at maggiebera.com or on social media @maggiebera. To follow my actor blog and podcast, Actor Aesthetic, visit actoraesthetic.com or @actoraesthetic.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
About The Interviewer: Savio P. Clemente, TEDx speaker and Stage 3 cancer survivor, infuses transformative insights into every article. His journey battling cancer fuels a mission to empower survivors and industry leaders towards living a truly healthy, wealthy, and wise lifestyle. As a Board-Certified Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC, ACC), Savio guides readers to embrace self-discovery and rewrite narratives by loving their inner stranger, as outlined in his acclaimed TEDx talk: “7 Minutes to Wellness: How to Love Your Inner Stranger.” From his best-selling book to his impactful work as a media journalist covering resilience and wellness trends with notable celebrities and TV personalities, Savio’s words touch countless lives. His philosophy, “to know thyself is to heal thyself,” resonates in every piece.
