Alumni Spotlight: Bianca Donegan
Bianca Donegan is an alumna of the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine.
Bianca Donegan was involved with Children's Theater of Maine*, onstage and off, from 2006 to 2011. She also worked as a youth staff member at the Museum from 2011-2012. She currently lives in South Portland with her husband, Zander and their four month old daughter, Saoirse. Since her time at CTM, Bianca has enjoyed participating in local community theater. She is also signed with Dirigo Talent Agency, and has been in a few local commercials and films. She currently works as a secretary to a cataract surgeon at Eyecare Medical Group in Portland. Bianca has very fond memories from her time at CTM, and thanks Reba for being such a huge support and role model to her!
What plays did you do with the Children’s Theatre of Maine?
My first show with CTM was Madeline's Rescue in 2006. I was involved with several shows up until 2011, Odd at Sea, Ferdinand the Bull, Everyone Knows What a Dragon Looks like, The Rabbit Who Wanted Red Wings, Pinocchio, Winnie the Pooh, The Polar Express, Santa's Reindeer Review, Youth Voices on Stage, and I was a member of the Kids on the Block Puppet Troupe. I also taught a few improv classes, and volunteered behind the scenes of several shows, running the light board and house managing.
What did children’s theatre mean to you?
The Children’s Theatre of Maine was my home away from home for many years. I made lifelong friendships and have so many memories I will never forget from my time there. For a lot of the shows I was in, I was the oldest member of the cast. The younger kids in the cast looked up to me and I liked being a good role model for them. My only hobby was theater, sometimes it felt like I lived at CTM! I loved show days and playing theater games in-between shows. I loved being a part of the CTM family. I also learned so much from Reba during my time with CTM. She taught me so many things that still stick with me to this day (chocolate butt stands out the most!) But almost every theater skill I know I learned from Reba. She was a huge role model for me and even helped me get internships by writing me letters of recommendation.
Bianca Donegan (left) as the Blue Fairy with Reed Foehl (right) as Pinocchio in a 2010 production of Pinocchio at 142 Free Street.
After CTM, I was involved with several shows at Portland Players and Lyric Music Theater. And I think the foundation I built from being in shows with CTM helped me when it was time for me to move on to other theaters (because I literally did CTM shows until I couldn't anymore because I was too old!)
I didn't end up pursuing a career in theater, as much as I wanted to, it just didn't make sense for me. I ended up staying in South Portland (where I've lived my whole life) and going to SMCC. But I ended up getting a job right after college at an optometry practice and was still able to do theater after work as a hobby. I'm currently signed with a local talent agency and have been in a few local commercials. I have a daughter of my own now and I can't wait until she is old enough for me to bring her to see shows at CTM!
What message do you have for a future generation of young actors?
My advice to future actors is to get as involved as you can. I enjoyed working behind the scenes on shows just as much as I did preforming on stage. And it was so great to get to experience the other side of theater, you learn even more skills and get to experience a different aspect of putting on a show. Also, don't get too discouraged if you are not cast in a show. No matter what, rejection is hard. But just because you weren't cast in one show, doesn't mean you won't be cast in another. I used to get so discouraged when I wasn't cast in a show, I took it too personally. But sometimes I'd end up working backstage on shows I wasn't cast in and that was still really fun and rewarding!
*In 2008, the Children's Theatre of Maine merged with the Children's Museum of Maine, and the organization was renamed the Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine.