Nursing administrator acts in iconic musical [VIDEO]

For Mari Miranda, acting is her passion. It’s her life.

She’s been performing since she was 10-years-old…entertaining audiences in many plays and musicals.

“Acting inspires me,” said Miranda, administrator specialist at USF Nursing. “Getting into different characters allows me to forget myself and bring out a whole new character out of me. It’s a beautiful feeling.”

Miranda loves musical theater. She’s played different characters in more than 37 shows over the years. One of them was the iconic American romantic musical, Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”

“I love the beautiful story of ‘Beauty and the Beast’,” said Miranda. “It’s a romantic story about not judging somebody by the way they look. And I think that’s an important message. Theater teaches as well as entertains. And I think this romantic musical does both for the audience.”

The show was presented by New Tampa Players at the University Area Community Development Corporation. She played the narrator and a few other parts in the ensemble. She performed in nine shows throughout summer.

“I do voice-overs for USF Nursing, so I applied that talent to this particular role,” said Miranda. “I was backstage setting the scene for the entire story. It felt amazing to use my voice to start the magic of this musical. I also played a townswoman, a tavern wench, and an animated object.”

Miranda said acting gigs help her balance work and life. Acting it’s therapeutic for her, she said. “It helps me forget the daily routine, stress and responsibilities, even if it’s for just a short period of time.”

USF Nursing has embraced her passion for acting. “The college has been very supportive, and I am very thankful,” Miranda said. “My coworkers have also come to see my plays. And that makes me very happy.”

In the fall, Miranda is set to play a part in the American musical “Into the Woods.” Shows begin Nov. 4 through Nov. 13 at the University Area Community Development Corporation. For more information about the musical, visit www.newtampaplayers.org.

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Story by Vjollca Hysenlika
Video by Vjollca Hysenlika & Ryan Noone