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18 | GRAVITAS MAGAZINE GravitasMag.com hen the curtain rises at St. Petersburg's Jobsite eater, Maggie Mularz is there, poised to shine. Since her first break as a five-year-old at the Sarasota Opera House, Mularz has been consistently gracing local theater stages. After graduating from Berkley Prep and Davidson College, Maggie Mularz returned to the area to appear in local productions, such as "A Christmas Carol" at the Straz Center (formerly the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center) and William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" with Jobsite. Yet this Tampa native's passion for the stage extends far beyond it. Months spent volunteering at an orphanage in Latin America inspired her to work with young children, whom she believes are natural storytellers and performers. Here, she shares how she loves working with children, role models on stage and how she lives her dream life after the curtain comes down. What was your first performance on stage? It was a play called Arabica. It was about coffee. It was the most amazing experience. e callbacks were on my birthday and all the older kids wished me a "Happy Birthday," so it was very touching. What is your favorite musical: I always say if I could do nothing but musicals and Shakespeare for the rest of my life, I would be so happy. It's such an odd combination. Who are some female role models that you admire? Bernadette Peters. She's always been one of my favorite actresses. She's so technical but you never know it and she's a joy to watch on stage. e great Julie Andrews is another favorite. She did all of the roles that I grew up watching. You're not just passionate about the stage. You're also passionate about children. Tell me how you became involved. After all the experiences I had in college and studying abroad [Davidson College and British American Drama Academy], I needed to take some time off and give back. I love kids and I wanted to work on my Spanish, so I started googling orphanages in Central and South America. I emailed about 100 of them and heard from 15-20. I had a very specific criteria: I wanted to live on site because I was traveling alone; I wanted to be there for six months, and I didn't want to pay to volunteer. What I found was the perfect place in Francisco Morazan, Honduras, the Orphanage Emmanuel. Describe your experience volunteering at the orphanage. It was incredible. I taught ballet to children ages 3-10. I translated letters. I worked in the dental clinic helping to explain the procedures and what was happening to the children (they couldn't speak English). I washed dishes. I sang in the choir. at experience shaped me. When you're not on stage, you're a kindergarten teacher. How did you decide to become a teacher? e experience at Orphanage Emmanuel led me to teaching. I went back to school to get my master's degree in education and today, I teach kindergarten at Crestwood Elementary School in Tampa. How would you describe your perfect day? Waking up in the morning, reading in bed, cooking pancakes for breakfast, taking a long walk by the water with my dog, kayaking or paddleboarding, then lunch and a play at the end of the day. If you weren't actress what would you do? I've been an actor for so long. I can't even imagine. I think I would be a social worker, working with foster kids, or in the legal system as an advocate for children. Maggie Mularz Actress Tampa my BEST life " " Share your love. There are so many people who need love and don't get it. Whether it's children without parents or an actor having a bad day, it's about giving of yourself to others. By Katherine Ferrara Johnson Personal Motto W

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