Livia Bolster, an incoming musical theatre major at Florida International University (FIU), brings a strong background in stage performance from her home state of Georgia. She has participated in productions such as “Chicago,” “Wizard of Oz,” and “Sweeney Todd” during her high school years.
Bolster was chosen for the Georgia Theater All-State group, a program that selects fewer than 100 students annually across the state. The initiative allows participants to audition for various roles and secure jobs that contribute to their professional acting portfolios. Through this program, Bolster earned a part in a combined performance of “Wizard of Oz” and “Wicked” at the Georgia Thespian Conference.
“I love stage acting and I love theatre very much,” Bolster said. “It’s just a place to escape and embrace every aspect of yourself. If you’re feeling bad or having a tough day, when you’re on the stage, you become a completely different person. It can be challenging, but it’s also rewarding.”
Bolster began performing at age seven after joining Horizons Theatre Company in Atlanta. She later became active in all available productions at Midtown High School while maintaining academic achievements such as AP Scholar recognition and Honor Roll status.
She also dedicated time each summer over four years teaching English to children in Latin America, with a focus on Guatemala. This service work has been an important part of her life.
In addition to theater, Bolster spent years competing in ballroom dance events, favoring styles like bachata, salsa, merengue, and foxtrot. Her experience in acting, singing, and dancing led her to reach International Honor Thespian status through 2,000 hours of extracurricular theater activities.
“Doing musical theatre is perfect,” she explained about choosing her major at FIU. “It involves every single aspect of performance. Acting, singing and dancing. Each aspect lets you connect to the art in a different way, from a different perspective.”
When considering colleges, Bolster visited Miami with her mother and attended a salsa burlesque show that influenced her decision to study there. A personalized tour of FIU’s Theatre Department helped make the university her top choice.
“I expected a normal tour,” she recalled. “But when we mentioned that I was into theatre, the tour guide literally pulled us into the Theatre Department and asked folks there if they could give us a tour. They did. They spent genuine time with us. I toured the theatre areas, and I saw the stage [in the Nicole and Herbert Wertheim Performing Arts Center]. I liked getting that one-on-one tour.”
Looking ahead at FIU, Bolster aims to develop further as an artist by taking dance classes and participating in campus activities such as sorority recruitment.
“One of the things I’m hoping to do is expand my knowledge and abilities in dance,” she said.
Bolster ultimately hopes for a career in film acting but wants to keep options open across theater arts.
“Film acting,” she said about her goal. “That’s my goal. I like the idea of doing work with films, whether acting or behind the scenes. This degree is going to help me keep all my career options open. Whether I lean toward one area like theatre or dance or acting, I’ll be ready to do all three.”
