Marie Barros is one of the actors in inspiraTO Creations Festival 2023, at Maja Prentice Theatre, in Mississauga. Marie is also a member of Crane Creations Theatre Company’s 2023 Summer Ensemble.
Marie Barros is an aspiring actor and writer from Oakville. Always having a flair for the dramatic, Marie began acting in plays at a young age in both schools and at the Oakville Performing Arts Centre. She loves taking on unique characters, getting into their minds and portraying them with both passion and integrity. Marie’s realization that acting is her future came in her high school theatre, standing alone centre stage staring out at the empty seats in elation.
Her dream is to create and write her own stories and then portray a character in the final products. Both on stage and in film; and she has many many ideas brewing. For her, art is a mirror. We hold it up to the audience and reflect the truths of the world and ourselves through the stories we tell. The art she wants to create is the kind that makes people think. It makes them step back and discover who they are and understand others better than before.
As a woman of colour, she wants to see stories that show the world as it is and how it could be. She can always find ways to relate to characters and stories and she wants to create more work that highlights the stories that have been sidelined in the past.
Marie has an Honours Bachelor Degree from Brock University in Dramatic Arts and also minored in English Language and Literature. She has trained in Tae Keon Do since childhood and in recent years became a Latin and Ballroom dancer and teacher. She also uses her vast knowledge to write articles and make tribute videos about popular films/television shows. Her biggest accomplishment to date is that she self-published her first novel “Ghostlife: The Underworld”, a paranormal/time travel epic, during the pandemic and is now working on the sequel. Marie is very excited to make her acting dreams a reality now too.
Summer Ensemble
Marie Barros has recently become part of the Crane Creations Theatre‘s prestigious Summer Ensemble 2023 as an actor. This unique program offers aspiring artists in the Canadian theatre industry unparalleled work experience. The Summer Ensemble specifically recruits talented individuals aged 18 to 30, providing them with intensive, full-time training over several weeks. Participants not only acquire valuable skills but also gain invaluable experience in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
Marie Barros is now collaborating with other talented actors. Her castmates include Celine Daaboul, Nikolai Afanasev, Reymark Andres, Sofia Farahani, Kay Vukelic, Boro Milosevic, and Hope Van Der Merwe who will together be creating an exciting and dynamic collaborative environment.
What Will Marie Gain In This Arts Job?
Artistic Skills: Explore classical and contemporary text, improvisation, and theatre around the world and their relevance and impact on art jobs and society today.
Orientation in Arts Jobs: Honest insight into professional organizations, structures and systems in place and how to navigate them successfully
Financial Skills: Budgeting and financial literacy delivered in a comprehensible and easy to understand way, tailored for theatre artists’ needs.
Leadership: Debate complex questions and develop ideas and strategies on how to build not only your career but the theatre ecosystem in Canada and Internationally.
Touring in Arts: Discover how artists around the world use international touring as a source of income, and learn how to create shows that can allow you to participate in that market.
Digital Skills: Discover how blog/content writing can earn you additional income, and promote your work, while mastering WordPress, one of the most desired skills in today’s job market.
Education
Marie has an Honours Bachelor Degree in Dramatic Arts and a Minor in English Language and Literature from Brock University. In her degree, she learned all aspects of the theatre such as: acting, directing, writing, stagecraft, lighting/sound, costume design, collaborative theatre, history, and education.
Experience
Marie Barros worked professionally as a Latin and Ballroom dancer and wedding dance choreographer for Arthur Murray dance studios. She has also self-published her first novel Ghostlife: The Underworld which is available to buy on Amazon. Recently, she directed/edited the first episode of the web series Both Sides of the Curtain premiering later this year.
About Marie. An Interview with Marie.
Do You Have A Favourite Book?
My favourite book is A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. I first read this book back in high school for an English class and not only finished it in a couple of days but went back and re-read it several times. The characters were interesting and complex. I loved reading a story told from the perspective of two very different women in the same situation. I was never left asking how many pages were left because each chapter had me constantly guessing what was going to happen next.
Over the years I keep returning to it and I constantly find more and more themes such as found family, sacrifice, the power of secrets, how love can save or condemn us, and more. My heart pounds at the beginning, I cry at the ending; it holds a powerful position as #1 on my list.
Do You Have Any Hobbies?
What is one project you worked on that you are proud of?
Earlier this year I directed and video edited the first episode of a web series called Both Sides of the Curtain. It is a one-woman show that explores the balance of pursuing dreams in the theatre world and getting a practical job that pays the bills. This show is special to me as not only was it written and performed by my best friend, but it was the first time I was hired for a theatre-adjacent job.
