Asterilla Monteiro grew up in an environment that was inspiring -- or absolutely daunting, depending on perspective! She, of course, rose to the challenge and now, at the young age of 24, she's traveled from India to make her mark on the arts in Northwest Arkansas.
Monteiro's mother had six -- count 'em, SIX -- university degrees; her father went back to college when she was a teen; and as a child, she spoke four languages -- Hindi, Marathi, Konkani and English, with English so high on the list that she doesn't miss a beat, even in the South.
She also had the best kind of family support. When she and her brother started college, her family moved from their smaller hometown to Pune, a major western India center of education, manufacturing and computer technology, just to save them the headaches of commuting.
Having completed undergraduate studies there, Monteiro didn't just earn a master of fine arts at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, she earned a dual master of business administration. She doesn't just handle the mundane needs of TheatreSquared, a professional theater in Fayetteville, as office manager; as company manager, she is the liaison that connects guest actors, designers and directors to T2 and makes them comfortable during their stay in Northwest Arkansas.
"It's hard to describe a typical day since there really isn't a typical day, which is probably what I really enjoy about it," Monteiro says with a chuckle. "I will say that what I do is pretty tied to where in the production process we are."
At the beginning of a show, that means arranging flights and housing for actors, getting them settled in and introducing them to T2 staff at a meet-and-greet before the designers start to arrive in town-- and then taking care of them.
"Then it's setting up for tech and then celebrating the journey of the team on opening night," she says. "With the rest of the run, my focus shifts to making sure that the actors have everything they need to continue being their best selves."
"Asterilla is such a natural fit for company manager at TheatreSquared," enthuses Shannon Jones, general manager of T2. "Not only is she an incredibly organized person, she's also compassionate, detailed, gregarious and personable. Being in a new environment can be overwhelming, and you definitely want someone like Asterilla on your side to make sure that you aren't having to worry about extraneous details. She's always one step ahead and anticipating needs -- even when it's a weird request!"
"As a company manager she was probably the most helpful, patient, loving, sincere, kind human I've ever come across, truly -- and I don't say that lightly," agrees Hyunmin Rhee, a member of the cast from the recent T2 production of "Tiger Style." "From toiletries to audition spaces to setting up my voice-over booth, she always came through," adds his cast mate, Brian Kim McCormick.
But that's only half of Monteiro's job.
"I also manage the needs of the office as a whole," she explains. "That can include setting up for staff meetings, making sure all our supplies are stocked, helping set up for other events when needed, fielding calls from the general public. And I absolutely have so much help doing all of this. It helps to work in a place where everyone does everything.
"But ultimately it ends up creating this wonderful balance that allows me a break from either end of the spectrum," she adds. "If the more monotonous parts of the job start to create an itch for something more, I can shift my focus onto the big picture things. Or if the more creative aspects get overwhelming, I can cool off a little by doing a rather simple task. That variety helps my brain stay focused overall."
"The role of company manager is one of the unsung heroes of the theater," Jones puts in. "Not all organizations have them, but once they do, they'll wonder how they existed without one. I can attest that for a long time, TheatreSquared did not have a formal company manager, and now, looking back, what were we thinking?!
"When you have artists and guests visiting your theater from all over the world, you want someone tasked with their well being and comfort," she goes on. "Imagine moving to a new city -- you don't know anyone, you're learning your way around, trying to find your niche in a space -- that's daunting when you have to figure everything out on your own. Now imagine if you had a helpful guide, someone to make sure you were taken care of until you could comfortably settle in. A lot less daunting now, right?"
"Working with Asterilla was a dream," says Stephanie Shum, also from the cast of "Tiger Style." It was her first out-of-town contract, Shum explains, "but I felt right at home thanks to Asterilla. Beyond working juggling personal arrangements, travel and helping us around the city, Asterilla welcomed us with warmth, support and open arms. One of my absolute favorite memories from my time in Fayetteville was when Asterilla had our cast over to her apartment for a delicious home-cooked Indian meal. I miss the show and theater, of course, but more so, people like Asterilla that made the place and experience so special."
The road to T2
Monteiro grew up in Mangalore, India, about an hour outside Pune, a city of nearly 4 million, where you "drive for two hours and you're still in Pune," she describes. Her childhood, she say, was "very normal," focused on school and basketball.
"I got into music when I was, I guess, in second grade, so around 6 or 7," she explains, taking keyboard lessons from a local priest. "So I guess that was my first entrance into the performing arts was learning music." As he usually was, her brother, two years older, was right beside her. "We were siblings in every definition of the word," she laughs. "And we're both still alive!"
He's a geologist, moving to the United States this year to start a doctorate at Penn State. But her parents, Monteiro says, didn't push either sibling in any particular educational direction.
"For a while I wanted to be a journalist, a lifestyle broadcaster to be specific. And then after that, I jumped to psychology. And when that didn't work out, I was like, 'Oh, I guess the arts have sort of always been a part of my life. I guess I can turn that into a career.'"
They've always been supportive, she says of her parents. "They've always been like, you can make your decisions as long as you can be independent, support yourself and you're happy. That's all they wanted. So that's great."
Monteiro applied to five arts administration programs in the United States. Her goal, she says, was "to live in a different environment and gain experiences. And be more independent. And see what I can do." The graduate program at the University of Alabama was the only one with the dual MFA-MBA.
"I had a very supportive professor at my MFA program, who continues to support and mentor me, which made the choice easier," she says. "I was also offered a full research assistantship and served as the education and outreach manager for the department, which helped with both degrees. Plus, I realized pretty early on why they are offered together! They help with a very wide range of skill sets.
"I'd say that the MFA is pretty specialized in that you learn about the nuances of managing a nonprofit organization and even more specifically, a nonprofit arts organization. The MBA degree on the other hand was very helpful with learning and understanding the mechanics of operating a business. There are a lot of skills like analyzing financial statements, financial math, communication, project management and general economic principles that are very helpful that I developed through the MBA program.
"I absolutely want to stay in arts management. There is so much more to be explored with how broad a field it is."
The road ahead
"The role of company manager is not for the faint of heart, and not something that everyone can do," says Jones of TheatreSquared. "Being a genuinely kind and compassionate human being is not a skill you can learn in a classroom setting. It takes time, energy, effort and natural ability -- and Asterilla has them all, which makes her so valuable to our team. It's a demanding job, where you're constantly on call and catering to the needs of your guest artists -- and she does it all with a smile on her face. People don't understand how much nuance goes into navigating working with hundreds of guest artists in a year, and Asterilla flawlessly navigates through the many personalities with ease."
"I've really been enjoying the growth I've had on personal and professional fronts," Monteiro says. "I love continuing to work in an artistic and creative atmosphere and getting to meet so many beautiful souls and learning more about their lives, stories and journeys. I love getting to put into practice knowledge and skills I spent the last three years building in grad school."
Where her future takes her remains an unwritten act in her story.
"I would love to eventually return to academia and higher education," she muses. "I got to teach parts of the undergraduate theater management course [at Alabama] and I loved teaching! Additionally, there's something special about academic theaters and museums. They're so beautifully conducive to and supportive of growth in the early stages of a person's career.
"For now, though, I am enjoying working and putting into practice things I've studied, and learning and developing my skills. I'm not necessarily tied to a location. I've been enjoying living abroad and exploring new places and cultures. But I would mostly move where my job takes me -- a job that lets me grow and makes me happy."
Life in Fayetteville does suit her just fine, though.
"When I am not at T2, I love cooking. I love experimenting with local foods and ingredients. But also keeping in touch with my roots and traditions and cooking all the Indian food I can. I love having an Indian grocery store I can drive to," she enumerates. "I've also really been enjoying the amazing coffee and beer here in Fayetteville and the beautiful outdoors. It's breathtaking here, and I'm excited to explore more of the outdoors through hikes and trails. I have my eyes set on Devil's Den next.
"I've also taken some improv classes at TheatreSquared, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and am looking forward to the second level class. Besides that I've gotten to travel a bit around here. I got to go to Dallas and see some Van Gogh paintings at the Dallas Museum of Art, and I got to ring in the New Year in Tulsa. I'm excited to explore more of Arkansas and the bigger cities nearby."
Home is still Pune, of course, but due to pandemic concerns, her last visit was in 2019.
"It's always surprising to see how quickly things grow and change," she says. "Pune is a lively and beautiful city which changes a lot, and it was fun to see all the new things. I also missed my parents and brother dearly, so it was really good to see them again. It was still comfortable to be back home. I'm hoping to make a trip back home this year."
Looking into the immediate future, Monteiro's focus will change from "The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity," which closed May 8 at TheatreSquared, to "Miss You Like Hell," the newest musical from the Pulitzer Prize-winning co-creator of "In The Heights," which opens June 1. She'll have new people to settle into their temporary homes, a new company of actors and technicians to bring together -- and a new audience for her Indian cooking.
"I would love to be able to build on my skills and lead an arts organization one day," she says. "The whole world is my oyster, and I want to see how far it can take me!"
It is Monteiro’s job as company manager of TheatreSquared to be the liaison for actors and technicians who come to Fayetteville to work for T2. Here she’s pictured with the cast of “Tiger Style,” whose members sing her praises as “truly loved and incredible.” (Courtesy Photo/T2)