Maria Nalieth

Hello! I’m Maria Nalieth, pronounced Muh-ree-uh Nal-ee-ith. I am a New Jersey/NYC based actress, currently completing my B.F.A. in Musical Theatre at Pace, where I will be graduating in May.

I was born in Hell’s Kitchen, NY, to an Indian immigrant Catholic Priest at the Actor’s Chapel, and a shy MTQ (Musical Theater Queen) from Texas who met him while attending said church.

Behind the staff, you will find me following my father’s footsteps as “Priest #2” in Jesus Christ Superstar, as well as my mother’s footsteps as “always hiding behind something.”

My mother became a wardrobe supervisor, which meant a lot of time in Broadway theater basements (and some fire Halloween costumes.)

My brother and I with Georgia Engel in the basement of The Drowsy Chaperone, circa Halloween, 2007.

I owe my love of theatre to my mother. She exposed me to the magic of musical theatre and how to respect the work that goes into it. She showed me how important every single person is to making theatre magic. She also taught me to ALWAYS BE KIND TO YOUR DRESSER! (As well as everyone, obviously.)

We moved to West Orange, NJ, where I grew up in a culturally rich and diverse community that cultivated my love for performing.

In my free time, I love to write sad songs, crochet funky sweaters, and catastrophize about our societal reliance on technology.