Maggie Bera Discusses "Actor Aesthetic", Peter Pan, & Supporting One Another!

It is my honor to introduce you to Maggie Bera. Maggie is a working actress, blogger, and acting coach based out of NYC. In New York, she has been seen at The Playroom Theater, Snapple Theatre, and Manhattan Theatre Club Studios. Regionally, Maggie has performed for well-respected companies such as Fireside Theatre, Theatre Under the Stars, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Count Basie Theatre, and American Theatre for Actors. Maggie is a graduate of Texas State University with a BFA in Musical Theatre and has also attended The Paper Mill Playhouse Summer Conservatory. Maggie is a member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA. In 2017, Maggie founded "Actor Aesthetic" which she goes into greater detail about in Question 3.

Ms. Bera is a talented artist who has been on my radar for some time. Her drive is unlike any other, and I am very excited to see what the future has in store for this amazing artist. I am very happy to have the chance to feature Maggie!

How old were you when you knew you wanted to be an actress?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a performer. My parents bought a karaoke machine one year for our annual New Year’s Eve party, and well, the rest is history! I loved messing around with my voice to match the sounds of the singers I would hear on the radio. My thing became the "National Anthem" - I went on to sing it for major league teams around the tri-state area including the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and the NJ Nets.

But, it wasn’t until my parents saw an ad for a community theatre production of Annie that I got hooked on theatre. I was 10 years old, I sang a short rendition of “Maybe” (probably one of the only Broadway songs I knew at the time), and I booked the title role! Theatre opened my eyes to a whole new world of performing.

Are there any teachers or mentors in your life who truly helped you become the amazing performer you are today?

From 10 to 18 years old, I spent every summer training at the Paper Mill Musical Theatre Conservatory. I will forever be grateful for all my teachers there, including Paper Mill artistic director Mark Hoebee and associate artistic director Patrick Parker, for believing in me. Every year, they provided a fabulous environment for young performers to learn, grow, and succeed in the theatre industry. I will always attribute the reason I continue to pursue theatre today to my training at Paper Mill.

I also have a special place in my heart for my professors and classmates at Texas State University. In 2017, I graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre under the direction of Kaitlin Hopkins. I had never been more challenged in my life, both as an artist and individual, than during my time at Texas State. Not only did we receive extensive training in all areas of musical theatre, but we also learned the ins and outs of the business itself - something I’m incredibly grateful for today. I graduated from the program with all the tools I needed to have a sustainable career in the arts.

We are living in some unprecedented times in the world. For all artists (especially performers) it is definitely a time of uncertainty. What has your everyday routine been like during Quarantine and what are some things you do to keep your spirits up?

Currently, most of my days are spent working on my business, Actor Aesthetic. I began Actor Aesthetic in 2017 as a way to bridge the informational gap between college training programs and the real world. Actor Aesthetic is now a blog, podcast, and online learning community providing education to artists pursuing a career in the theatre industry. I now proudly offer 4 online courses accessible to students across the world and an eBook entitled Marketing 101 For Actors: An Actor’s Guide To Successful Branding.

When I’m not blogging, podcasting, or coaching for Actor Aesthetic, I am staying active in the entertainment industry as much as possible. I am constantly on the lookout for new opportunities or ways to create my own opportunities. I self-tape, take classes, and continue building my online presence.

I’ve even created a group called Virtual Play Time where a bunch of displaced actors get together every week to read a different play aloud. We’ve now covered over 30 or so plays since the pandemic hit. It’s a fun opportunity to unwind, learn, and connect with others during unprecedented times.

Are there any roles or performances you have done in your career that will always be near and dear to your heart?

I will never forget my time at Connecticut Repertory Theatre. I was cast as Wendy in Peter Pan. It was directed and choreographed by my professor and mentor Cassie Abate, and I played opposite Riley Costello (Wicked) as Peter and Broadway legend Terrence Mann (Les Miserables) as Captain Hook. The experience was truly magical. Peter Pan was the first show I had ever seen on Broadway, and I’m a huge Disney fan, so to play a character in such an iconic musical was a dream come true. That production taught me to be bold, work hard, and dream big!

What advice would you give any young aspiring artists in these challenging times?

Theatre will return bigger and better than ever, but in the meantime, we must stick together. Our community is a strong one, but we won’t make it through this without each other’s support.

Lean on friends when you need help, lend a hand when you can, continue working hard, and advocate for underrepresented artists. Let’s make the industry better than we left it in March 2020.

To learn more about Maggie and her business Actor Aesthetic respectively make sure you visit her website(s) at www.maggiebera.com & www.actoraesthetic.com