Meet Maggie Gilroy | Actor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Maggie Gilroy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maggie, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Very simply it is the thing that brings me the most joy. I have always felt most at home on a stage ever since I was little. I watched Cathy Rigby in Peter Pan and decided then that this is what I wanted to do and how I wanted to live my life. Since then I have learned a lot about this career and have become fascinated with every aspect. I love to learn and in this career, you never stop learning. With every character, there are always new things to uncover and I find it so exhilarating when I have cracked the code to a character. I also love the community that theatre brings to people; so many people are able to be seen and heard in a way that other spaces don’t provide. I have always felt accepted in the theatre world and it gives me the space to take risks and learn more about myself every day. There are so many reasons I do what I do, but it all comes down to the joy it brings me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am most proud of where I have gotten so far. I never thought I could play a dream role at 22, much less be around the theatre as my entire job this early in my career. I believe I have gotten where I am by not being able to take no for an answer. There is so much rejection in this line of work and in my world, every no gets me closer to a yes. It is certainly not easy balancing all the work you do as a theatre artist to be able to do the art that brings you the most joy. I have searched out my own training when others wouldn’t give it to me; like dance, I never called myself a dancer until this year when I stopped wishing and made my want a reality. Or, when my dad got put into a wheelchair my senior year of high school I had to change my dream of going up North for school and readjust to what was plausible for us financially and mentally as I wanted to be near him in case anything else happened. I have found the notion of “if you could see yourself doing anything else do that” to be short-sighted because we all have so many passions, as well as the reality that the exact thing you want to do will most likely not be the thing that pays all your bills. I am an actor, but I also love running social media for theatres, and I am passionate about show choir and my work in choreography, and I love teaching theatre to the next generation.
I believe that bringing others joy is the key to what I do professionally and I seek out the work that will fill people (including myself) up with gratification and delight.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My best friend and I as complete theatre nerds, so every time they are in town we find a show to go to; every theatre in Atlanta does great work and I love supporting the local theatres. Our favorite place to eat is Sumo Hibachi and Wings in Brookhaven; it is right up the road from where I live and they have great wings if you are a wing nut. I love to find a park to roam around in, bring my hammock, and have a relaxing day.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people that have gotten me to where I am today. Professionally I would be nowhere if it weren’t for three people: Tori Lee Averett, Allison Hetzel, and Christian Tripp. These three people came into my life at very pivotal times and helped me find who I was, where I needed to be, and how to get where I wanted to go in my career. Also, my partner, Cody Floyd, who has been my best friend for years and is always there to support my aspirations as an artist and person. I am forever grateful for these people.

Website: https://www.maggiegilroy.com/

Instagram: maggie.gilroy

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggie-gilroy-868135167/

Image Credits
Casey Gardner Ford, Benjo Shelton-Verge