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

Hi Maggie, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
When you’re pursuing a career in the arts, you quickly realize that rejection is a huge part of the process. And as artists, we are inevitably more in touch with our emotions, so these rejections can certainly take a toll on your overall spirit. When I first started out in New York City, I was pounding the pavement every day auditioning for musicals and plays, sometimes 5 auditions a day, and it was emotionally and physically draining. When I wasn’t seeing the immediate results I’d hoped for, I made a game changing decision. Not to box myself in. I was putting all my focus on one area of the business, and I realized that the type of artist I really wanted to be…was a well rounded one. When I invested time in voice over and producing, and writing, and creating my own content, I became more fulfilled than I had imagined. I created opportunities for myself that, during the time, no one else was offering me. I decided that if I wanted to star in a short film, I’d write it and produce it myself! By doing so, I opened up a door that lead to more opportunities than I could have imagined. There are commercials and TV shows that I’ve been lucky enough to be cast in, but it’s the work I’ve created for myself and for my friends that I am the most proud of. There’s nothing more fulfilling than having creative freedom and making something that not only teaches you professional lessons along the way, but makes a difference in your community.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Every artist has their own unique voice and I’ve been lucky enough to tap into mine! I can look back at my journey from right after college and be proud of way I went after what I wanted with determination and courage! And when things got tough, I always tried to make the most of it and learn something valuable. I’ve always had a love for comedy, so when I co-founded my production company, NikoFrank Productions, I created a platform for me and my friends to create comedic content with a focus on female writers, directors, and actors. I’ll always be so proud of the work that me and my co-producer, Spiro Marcos, did together. We were in over 22 international film festivals, having won 4 of them. We produced a series, “Ladies in Action”, where we produced 4 short films, all written by, directed by, and starring women in which Tony Award Winner Victoria Clark made her directorial debut. We created a mini comedic series for Amazon Prime called “Theatre School Dropouts” which was a compilation of our short comedic sketches. We produced a podcast, “The Cool Kids Table” for Radio Free Brooklyn in New York and welcome guests each week who had a reputation for kindness. In 2021, we released a book, “Dear Future Producer” a guide to creating your own content. It’s available in paperback and kindle on Amazon.

Most recently, I’ve been focused on a new pilot I’ve been writing called “Trying” based on my personal fertility journey. While it’s not overtly a comedy, I hope it sheds a light on this difficult topic that so many couples face and brings relatability and hope.

More than anything, I hope that other women are inspired to go after their dreams, create their own work, and be their own best cheerleaders!

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?
Having only recently moved to the Atlanta area, I’m so excited to show my friends around! I’m just getting to know the city myself, but there are a few places I’d absolutely love to show off. First of all, I’d definitely bring them to Ponce City Market. Being a New Yorker, it reminds me of Chelsea Market, and it’s just a great place to shop and get food. Right above Ponce City Market is an entrance to the Belt Line, and who doesn’t love a beautiful summer walk with some fun stops along the way!

One of my favorite restaurants I’ve been to in the Atlanta area is La Semilla, a plant based restaurant in midtown. Once upon a time in my college years, I used to LOVE a Crunch Wrap Supreme from Taco Bell. These days, I stay away from the fast food, but La Semilla has a vegan Crunch Wrap and HONEY there are ZERO regrets.

There are also some really great local gem night spots that I’ve enjoyed- like Lady Bird on the Beltline, and you can’t go wrong with a little Putt Shack!

One of the things I loved most about NY was there was always somewhere new to go and try. I’m really looking forward to discovering my new city this year.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
“It takes a village”, am I right? There are so many people who have contributed to projects I’ve had the pleasure of working on and creating. Collaboration is such a gift in this industry and the more we all support each other, the more successful we will all be. I always have to give a huge shout out to my producing partner and writer, Spiro Marcos. Together, we co-founded NikoFrank Productions, a production company whose mission is to create more opportunities for women in film.

I’d also be remiss not to mention Jordan Battiste, a director of photography and editor that I’ve worked closely on many projects. He’s someone who has gone above and beyond to help make my visions come to life and his expertise has been greatly appreciated and has inspired me for many years.

I also have had the privilege to work with one of my mentors and close friends, Victoria Clark, who recently won her second Tony for her performance in Kimberly Akimbo on Broadway. I studied voice with her many years ago in NYC and we quickly became friends and later collaborators. She’s taught me so many valuable lessons about the business, especially navigating it as a woman.

And of course, my darling husband, Michael Stiggers, who has not only lent his acting talents to many of my projects, but he’s also supported and encouraged me every step of the way. He inspires me everyday to push myself.

Website: www.maggiepoliti.com

Instagram: @maggiestiggers

Other: Dear Future Producer: https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Future-Producer-content-creative/dp/B08JF5M63M The Cool Kids Table Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cool-kids-table/id1462546023 NikoFrank Productions: www.nikofrankproductions.com

Image Credits
Gus Stratigeas Photography Spiro Marcos Photography

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