{"id":137125,"date":"2026-01-30T03:03:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T03:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/137125\/"},"modified":"2026-01-30T03:03:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T03:03:09","slug":"tampa-actor-max-carley-turned-his-life-around-and-rediscovered-theater","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/137125\/","title":{"rendered":"Tampa actor Max Carley turned his life around and rediscovered theater"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AMax Carley at Dave Decker Photography in Ybor City, Florida on Jan. 12, 2026. Credit: Dave Decker \/ Creative Loafing Tampa Bay<\/p>\n

Creative Loafing Tampa Bay\u2019s spring arts issue features more than a dozen artists to watch this year and beyond. Meet Max Carley.<\/a><\/p>\n

His roaring 20s: \u201cI went to FSU for a few semesters\u2014I didn\u2019t last because I liked to drink and do drugs a little too much.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then he found theater (again): He\u2019d done a few shows at Early Bird Dinner Theatre when he was 19. \u201cI had a ton of fun\u2026 but it wasn\u2019t till I got sober in 2022 that I decided to rediscover these things I enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Back to school: He went back to college and got his BA from USF, and for a while was waking up at 4 a.m., working till 5 p.m. (his current job is selling doors), going to class, then to rehearsals for community theater.<\/p>\n

Then came Cratchit: In his biggest professional gig yet, Tampa Rep\u2019s live-radio-play adaptation of \u201cA Christmas Carol,\u201d he was equally convincing as Bob Cratchit, Marley\u2019s Ghost, and old Fezziwig.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Next up, Higgins: When a friend heard that Max was auditioning for \u201cMy Fair Lady\u201d at Eight O\u2019Clock Theatre (opening Feb. 27), she told him, \u201cYou\u2019ll never get Higgins, you need to go for Freddy,\u201d Eliza\u2019s young suitor. But Max is the kind of actor who could be any age, from 20s to 40s to, well, whatever age Henry Higgins is\u2014and that\u2019s the part he got.<\/p>\n

And then on to New York City: He just won a full scholarship to the Atlantic Acting Program, an affiliate of the renowned Atlantic Theater Company. He and his girlfriend, who\u2019s a nurse, plan to move to the city in the fall.<\/p>\n

Pitch in to help make the Tampa Bay Journalism Project a success.<\/a><\/p>\n

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This article appears in Jan. 29 \u2013 Feb. 04<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

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