Every so often, New York welcomes an artist whose story feels destined for its stages. Some artists arrive in this city with a plan. Others arrive with something rarer, and far more powerful: an unshakable certainty that they belong to the stage. Beatriz Silva belongs to the second group. Born and raised in Fornos de Algodres, a small town in the interior of Portugal, she grew up feeling that a much bigger world waited beyond the hills of her home region. Today, she performs in that bigger world. Moreover, she does it with a clarity of purpose that many actors spend decades trying to find.
Her journey reads like a story she might one day perform. First, she discovered theatre through a youth project at Teatro Viriato. Then, she founded a theatre company with friends in her hometown, because no such company existed there. Afterward, she toured Portuguese municipalities in productions that blended acting with music, movement, and folklore. Eventually, her ambition carried her to London, where she trained at East 15 Acting School. Finally, New York called, and she answered by earning her degree at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Since graduating, her rise has been steady and remarkable. In February 2026, she appeared as Martha in Time Went By with Break a Leg Productions. Shortly after, she portrayed Cassandra in The Trojan Women, an Actors’ Equity production by Eclipses Group Theater New York at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center. Critics and collaborators took notice, and so did the international press. Publications such as BroadwayWorld, Greek Reporter, and The National Herald covered the production and her work in it. In addition, the Episcopal Actors’ Guild honored her with the Mart Hulswit Award for artistic merit and dedication.
Now she prepares for her most personal project yet. The Guests, an original play she created with Portuguese playwright David Calão, explores grief, memory, and saudade, that untranslatable Portuguese longing for what remains loved yet distant. The 2026 New York Theatre Festival selected the piece for performances this December. Meanwhile, she continues to build bridges between her Portuguese roots and her American present.
We sat down with Beatriz to talk about small towns and big dreams, about Cassandra and comedy, and about why leaving Portugal made her fall in love with it. Throughout our conversation, she spoke with the same openness and generosity that her collaborators so often praise. What follows is a conversation full of warmth, honesty, and the restless curiosity that defines her as an artist. It also offers a portrait of what courage looks like when a dream finally refuses to stay small.
Roots and Beginnings
New York Art Life Magazine: You grew up in Fornos de Algodres, a small town in Portugal. How did that shape you as a person and as an artist?
Beatriz Silva: It shaped me in ways I only understood much later. Above all, I grew up in a loving family that always encouraged my creative and curious nature. However, small communities often come with expectations about who you should be and what kind of life you should build. For a long time, I felt frustrated by those limitations. I sensed a much bigger world waiting beyond the one I knew, and I wanted to reach it.
At the same time, that environment gave me hunger. Because opportunities did not simply appear, I learned to create them. Additionally, growing up surrounded by folklore, traditions, and strong community ties gave me a deep well of stories. Today, I carry those stories into every rehearsal room. So, in a strange way, the place that once felt too small, together with the Portuguese spirit and roots it gave me, became one of my greatest artistic resources.
New York Art Life Magazine: When did you realize you wanted to become an actress?
Beatriz Silva: Honestly, acting was always in my heart. I grew up with stories, Disney movies, and endless games of playing pretend, so the dream of becoming an actress was there from the start. However, it felt too impossible at the time, because a career in the arts seemed unrealistic for someone from my background. That is why I felt I had to think about other options. Even so, whenever I considered other paths, such as journalism and radio, they were always connected to creativity and communication.
Then the pandemic changed everything. Suddenly, I confronted how fragile life really is, and I asked myself a question I had always avoided. What do I want to do every single day for the rest of my life? The answer became impossible to ignore. Since childhood, stories had shaped how I understood the world. Moreover, I realized I did not just want to consume stories. I wanted to live inside them. That moment was not a decision so much as a recognition. There was no internal debate. I simply knew: this is it, this is who I am. Acting was my calling, and I have never looked back.
Once I made that decision, staying where I was no longer felt like an option. Immediately, I knew I needed to challenge myself, learn from extraordinary teachers, and experience different artistic cultures. As a result, I began preparing to train abroad, first in London and later in New York.
New York Art Life Magazine: Was there an early sign, looking back, that pointed you toward this path?
Beatriz Silva: Funny enough, yes. In school, I was a good student, but I did not truly enjoy studying most subjects. However, one class genuinely excited me: Portuguese literature. There, we analyzed stories and characters in depth. Meanwhile, most of my classmates hated that class. It was not easy, and I was not even the best at it. Still, I looked forward to it every week.
Looking back, that should have been my first clue. Furthermore, I spent my childhood fascinated by films, television, music, and books. Characters made me laugh, cry, and dream. In addition, I have always felt restless when life becomes repetitive. I never wanted a career that would keep me in the same place doing the same thing. Acting eventually brought all those pieces together. It combines storytelling, human connection, constant learning, and the chance to step into completely different lives.
First Steps in Portuguese Theatre
New York Art Life Magazine: Your professional journey began with K Cena, a Lusophone youth theatre project at Teatro Viriato. What did that experience mean to you?
Beatriz Silva: K Cena transformed the way I understood theatre. In that project, we developed a production inspired by Gráficos da Cidade e das Coisas, a literary work by Gonçalo M. Tavares. Under the direction of Graeme Pulleyn, we built the piece through a collaborative devising process. Consequently, improvisation, physical theatre, and ensemble creation became my first professional languages.
For me, the most meaningful part came during rehearsals. Several of my improvisations and creative proposals became part of the final production. As a result, I experienced my first taste of being not only a performer but also a creative collaborator. Also, working in a professional theatre outside my small hometown opened my eyes completely. Looking back, K Cena laid the foundation for the collaborative practice that still shapes my work today.
Additionally, the project showed me how a professional production actually functions. Filipa Fróis handled stage management, and I watched how every department supported the storytelling. Because of that, I never saw theatre as an individual pursuit again. Instead, I learned to treat every production as a shared creation.
New York Art Life Magazine: Afterward, you helped found TAFA, an amateur theatre company in your hometown. Why was that important?
Beatriz Silva: Because that experience inspired me to create opportunities where none existed. Together with fellow artist friends, I helped establish TAFA, the amateur theatre company of Fornos de Algodres. Our goal was simple yet ambitious. We wanted to bring performing arts to a small countryside community where theatre opportunities were nonexistent. Moreover, we wanted that space to last beyond us.
One of our first original productions, Entre Lendas e Mulheres, premiered during the 2022 Algodres Medieval Fair. Inspired by local folklore and Portuguese traditions, the piece marked a turning point for me. I played Agnes, a woman accused of witchcraft and condemned to be burned at the stake. The role demanded psychological complexity and emotional vulnerability. Thankfully, audiences responded with overwhelming warmth. That response gave me the confidence to pursue emotionally demanding dramatic roles. Today, TAFA continues to grow, and some of the original members are still involved. In fact, one of my friends, who founded it with me, still leads the company. I remain proud of the community we built.
New York Art Life Magazine: You then joined ALTO, a large-scale production with ContraCanto. How did that project expand your range?
Beatriz Silva: ALTO introduced me to an entirely different theatrical language. ContraCanto specializes in musical theatre, so the production combined acting, singing, choreography, and ensemble performance. I should say that I am not a musical theatre actress, and ALTO remains the only musical I have done. However, I love music and I sing, so the project let me integrate all those disciplines simultaneously for the first time. Additionally, I worked alongside established Portuguese actors, including Pedro Pernas, André Henriques, Rafaela Monteiro, Hugo
Rendas, and Helena Montez. Therefore, the project became a bridge between my early experiences and my professional training. The recognition also surprised us. The production toured several towns across the Upper Mondego region and drew significant public attention. Later, our cast performed an excerpt on Praça da Alegria, a nationally televised morning program on RTP1. Meanwhile, director António Leal spoke about the project on air. Following that success, invitations to regional cultural events kept arriving. For a young actress, watching a regional production reach a national audience felt extraordinary.
New York Art Life Magazine: During that period, you also explored physical theatre and toured with Os Sons da Estrela. What did those experiences teach you?
Beatriz Silva: They taught me that the body can speak as powerfully as the voice. First, I performed in Herminio, a touring film performance created within the project Sabores da Terra. Under the artistic direction of Cheila Pereira and Cláudio Vidal, we told stories through movement, choreography, and visual imagery, without dialogue. Consequently, I developed a strong foundation in physical theatre and nonverbal expression.
Almost simultaneously, I performed in Os Sons da Estrela, where the team selected me for the lead role of Rosa. Both productions toured the same municipalities across the region. Being consistently chosen for these projects, and then trusted with another leading role after Agnes, meant a great deal. Above all, it confirmed that my work was gaining recognition. Furthermore, it strengthened my belief that emotion and narrative can travel through the body alone. That lesson still informs everything I do on stage.
Besides, touring taught me discipline in a very practical way. Every town brought a different stage, a different audience, and different conditions. Therefore, I learned to adapt quickly and to protect the heart of a performance no matter the circumstances. In my opinion, no classroom can fully teach that skill. Only experience can.
Training Abroad
New York Art Life Magazine: You trained at East 15 Acting School in London and then at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. How would you briefly describe that academic chapter?
Beatriz Silva: Briefly, those years gave me structure, discipline, and range. At East 15, I studied Acting and Theatre Arts and performed in productions including The Unraveling, The Last of the Pelican Daughters, and Hamlet. Performing Shakespeare challenged me deeply, yet it strengthened my confidence with classical text. Afterward, I auditioned for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts while still in London, and they accepted me.
In New York, I completed my degree in Acting for Theatre, Film and Television. The conservatory training covered Meisner, Uta Hagen, and Stanislavski approaches, along with voice, speech, movement, Alexander Technique, Shakespeare, camera technique, and more. I studied with wonderful teachers who will always stay in my heart, such as Nurit Monacelli, Janice Powell, David Dean Bottrell, Susan Pilar, and Samrat Chakrabarti. I was already deeply in love with acting when I arrived, but I did not really know anything yet. The Academy was where I truly began learning the craft, and those years mean everything to me.
New York Art Life Magazine: London was not always easy for you. What did that difficult chapter give you?
Beatriz Silva: Resilience, more than anything. Although I learned an incredible amount in London, the city never truly felt like home. I struggled to find my place, and at times the journey felt lonely. Nevertheless, I would not change that experience. It taught me independence, courage, and humility. Additionally, it showed me that growth is often uncomfortable.
Most importantly, London prepared me for what came next. Because I had already “survived” one enormous leap, the second one felt possible. When I arrived in New York, I came without expectations. Instead, I carried an enormous desire to learn, see, experience, and grow. I wanted to savor every bit of it. In hindsight, the loneliness of London made the belonging I found in New York even sweeter.
New York Art Life Magazine: What changed when you moved to New York?
Beatriz Silva: Everything changed. For the first time, I truly felt that I belonged. At the Academy, artists surrounded me who were just as passionate, curious, and committed as I was. Consequently, the school became a place where I could experiment, take risks, fail, improve, and discover new parts of myself. During my training, I portrayed Portia, Juliet, Agnes in Agnes of God, Bec in 4000 Miles, and Cassandra in The Trojan Women, among many others.
Meanwhile, distance transformed my relationship with home. Living so far away made me appreciate my country and my family more than ever. I became deeply aware of their sacrifices for me, and I missed them intensely. Ironically, it was only after leaving Portugal that I truly fell in love with it. I realized I had never been trying to escape my country. Instead, I had been running from the fear of never becoming the person I knew I could be.
The training also revealed unexpected strengths. I have always felt naturally drawn to emotionally demanding dramatic roles. Then, to my surprise, I discovered a genuine instinct for comedy, something I had never considered a strength. Honestly, I believe comedy can be even harder than drama. Above all, that discovery reminded me that acting constantly challenges the way we see ourselves.
Arriving on New York Stages
New York Art Life Magazine: Shortly after graduating, you played Martha in Time Went By with Break a Leg Productions. How did that opportunity come about?
Beatriz Silva: That story still makes me smile. Rather than auditioning, I received the role directly from Valerie Adami. She saw me perform at an Open Mic for members of the Episcopal Actors’ Guild, where I performed for an invited industry panel of three professionals: an agent, a producer, and a casting director. Valerie was one of the panelists. Afterward, she offered me the part of Martha in Time Went By, a play by Thomas J. Misuraca. The production ran in February 2026 as part of the Love Fest 2026 program, under the direction of Peter Burford.
The festival celebrated contemporary plays about love, loss, and human relationships. Moreover, it brought together wonderful performers, including members of Actors’ Equity. For me, the production
marked my first collaboration with Break a Leg Productions. Above all, it became an important first step into New York’s professional theatre community. Sometimes doors open because someone simply watches you work. Therefore, I try to give everything, even in the smallest room. After all, you never know who is watching, or which performance will change the direction of your career.
New York Art Life Magazine: Earlier, at the end of your conservatory training in 2025, the Episcopal Actors’ Guild honored you with the Mart Hulswit Award. What did that recognition mean to you?
Beatriz Silva: It arrived as a complete surprise, and it moved me deeply. The Guild presented me with the Mart Hulswit Award toward the end of my conservatory training, in recognition of artistic merit and dedication. Naturally, any award feels encouraging at that stage of a career. However, this one carried special weight for me.
The award has also gone to Jennifer Fouché, a distinguished Academy alumna and Broadway actress who now serves as Vice President of the Guild. Knowing that connection made the honor feel even more meaningful. Additionally, the Guild has continued to open doors for me, including the Open Mic that led to my first professional New York role. So, beyond the recognition itself, the award reminded me that a community was watching and believing in my work. For an artist living far from home, that belief matters enormously.
New York Art Life Magazine: Your Cassandra in The Trojan Women drew international press attention. What made that role and that production so significant?
Beatriz Silva: Cassandra sits among the most demanding roles of the classical repertoire. She is a princess and priestess of the god Apollo, gifted with prophecy yet cursed never to be believed. She is eloquent and lucid about the future, yet often delirious and possessed by divine forces. Moreover, she has witnessed the complete destruction of her city and her family, and she is about to be sold into slavery. Still, she draws strength from knowing that her path will lead to the downfall of the king who conquered her city. It is not a role to attempt lightly.
Consequently, it requires technical precision, both physical and vocal, great emotional depth, and the ability to switch from one state to another in an instant. Remarkably, this was my second time playing her. I first explored Cassandra during the classical series of my training, also under the direction of Ioanna Katsarou. Later, she invited me to reprise the role professionally with Eclipses Group Theater New York.
The production ran Off-Broadway as an Actors’ Equity showcase at the Little Theater of the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center in Queens, with a new translation by Demetri Bonaros. More than twenty artists participated, including live musicians. International outlets such as BroadwayWorld and other publications also covered the production, alongside Greek Reporter and The National Herald. Ioanna’s rigorous approach pushed me to deepen every aspect of my performance.
Afterward, both she and Demetri offered generous praise, which I will always treasure. Ioanna highlighted my talent, emotional depth, stage presence, and professionalism, and she described my work as an invaluable contribution to the production. I do not take those words lightly, especially when they come from Ioanna. She rarely gives compliments like that, because with her there is always something we can improve. Meanwhile, Demetri noted an artistic maturity that he finds uncommon in young actors. Of course, words like those from artists of their caliber give me enormous motivation to keep growing.
Identity, Craft, and What Comes Next
New York Art Life Magazine: Your upcoming original play, The Guests, explores the Portuguese concept of saudade. Can you tell us about this project?
Beatriz Silva: The Guests is the most personal project of my career. I created this original English-language play in collaboration with Portuguese playwright David Calão. Together, we explore grief, memory, identity, and saudade. That word resists translation, yet I describe it as a nostalgic longing for something or someone loved and now distant. Some call it the love that remains. The play blends psychological realism, dreamlike storytelling, and surreal imagery, with roots in Portuguese culture.
The inspiration came from losing my grandfather while living abroad. For the first time, I transformed a deeply personal story into theatre. Additionally, I serve as artistic and executive producer, guiding casting, rehearsal methodology, and production planning. We rehearse at the SoHo Shakespeare Company studio in New York. The writing itself, however, took shape with David over video calls, since he is a Portuguese playwright living in Portugal.
I created this play out of love and passion, channeling those emotions into something creative to process what I was going through. It began as something deeply personal, and only later did I realize it was worth developing and sharing. That is when I looked for a Portuguese writer to help shape the idea. I did not know David before this, yet after speaking with several writers, he was the one I trusted most with the process. We clicked immediately because he is wonderfully creative and sensitive. Recently, the 2026 New York Theatre Festival selected the play for performances on December 8, 11, and 12.
Producing also changed me as an artist. Suddenly, I had to think about budgets, schedules, and the needs of an entire team, not only my own performance. Consequently, I gained a much deeper respect for everyone behind the scenes. In the future, I want to keep creating original work, because building something from nothing is one of the most rewarding feelings I know.
New York Art Life Magazine: How does your Portuguese identity shape your work as an actress in New York?
Beatriz Silva: It shapes everything, and that discovery surprised me. For years, I associated Portugal with the limitations I felt growing up. However, distance gave me a completely different perspective. Now I understand that my Portuguese identity is not something I left behind. Instead, I carry it into every room, every rehearsal, and every performance. It shapes the stories that move me and the perspective I bring as an artist.
Moreover, I actively look for ways to honor that heritage. For example, I performed poetry by the acclaimed Portuguese author Maria do Rosário Pedreira at Salon SYmphoNY 2026, during an International Women’s Day celebration. She personally granted me permission to perform her poems, which touched me deeply. Rather than limiting me, my origins have become one of the qualities that makes my voice unique. Funny enough, moving away from Portugal made me fall in love with Portugal. It was only after leaving that I truly began to appreciate where I came from. In other words, New York did not distance me from my identity. On the contrary, it brought me closer to it.
New York Art Life Magazine: What excites you most about the future, and what do you hope audiences take from your work?
Beatriz Silva: Curiosity excites me most, because it has remained constant through every stage of my journey. I never want acting to become comfortable. Instead, I want every role to challenge me, surprise me, and teach me something new. Lately, I feel increasingly drawn to psychologically complex characters and to genres like psychological thrillers and horror. Ironically, I used to avoid those stories as an audience member. Now they fascinate me as an artist, because they explore fear, trauma, moral ambiguity, and the depths of the human mind.
Also, I have not yet settled on who I am as an artist, and I see that as a gift. There are still so many stories to tell and so many parts of myself I have not met. When I act, I feel completely alive. Although I step into someone else’s shoes, that is precisely when I feel most like myself.
Furthermore, I believe artistic growth and personal growth are inseparable. Every rehearsal, every role, and every collaboration changes me, not only as an actress but also as a human being. Ultimately, I hope audiences leave my performances feeling more connected to the story, to each other, and to their own hearts. Readers can find me on Instagram, though I confess I am not very active on social media. The stage is where I truly share my journey. New York challenges you every day. Yet it also reminds you, every single day, why you chose this dream in the first place.
Backstage profile: https://www.backstage.com/u/Beatriz_Silva_/
Actors Access: beatrizfonsecasilva
