I tell epic stories about epic women, on stage and on the page. After growing up in a small sleepy town in southwest Oklahoma, I went to college at William Jewell in Kansas City, Missouri sooo... go Royals, obviously. My journey then took me abroad to attend Oxford University and grad school at the Birmingham School of Acting. I've also been fortunate enough to perform with companies such as Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Kitchen Theatre, Know Theatre of Cincinnati, Human Race Theatre Company, StageOne, Birmingham Old Rep, Kentucky Shakespeare, Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park, and The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. 

I'm a passionate performer, educator, produced playwright, and lover of intersectional feminism, tacos, horror movies, and The Golden Girls. If you want to make some art with this chaotic good lover of stories, get in touch and let's chat.​

… a bonafide star.

She is the most dynamic character in the story and has the most to do and Rader makes the most of the opportunity. She really impressed me in A Streetcar Named Desire at the Covedale earlier this season and her streak of terrific performances continued with The Comedy of Errors. With this show, her stock just continues to rise.

—Kirk sheppard, the sappy critic

Little Women

Maggie Lou Rader is a glorious Jo. Impetuous, impulsive, confused and prideful, she also is wickedly smart and desperate for a world that is more just for women.​

Rader's presence dominates the stage. Emotional, impatient, impassioned –

it is a fabulous performance. Whenever things slow for a moment, you long for her to return to the stage and get things moving again.

—the cincinnati Enquirer

Mary’s Monster

Rader’s dialogue is impeccable, weaving her own words and Shelley’s together into a stunning, often macabre tapestry. Her performance is resilient and emotionally exhausting.
Loss after heartbreaking loss strikes, and

Rader lassos the atmosphere of the space, steering its descent into anguish and fear.

— ArtsWave

Maytag virgin

She's a perfect fit for the quirky, endearing role of Lizzy, full of opinions and creativity, who more than once dances right up close to a relationship with Jack, then veers away… Rader does an excellent job of playing a nervous woman who's very guarded about happiness and closeness, things she's never been able to sustain.

— Rick Pender, Talkin Broadway

Grounded

Maggie Lou Rader’s performance as “The Pilot” is a tour de force in what is

nothing short of a master class in character embodiment.

— David Brush, League of Cincinnati Theatres

Maggie Lou Rader commands the stage as the fighter pilot… the next hundred minutes fly by as she navigates through her story which will leave you on the edge of your seat. 

— Liz Eichler, League of Cincinnati Theatres

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

As Maggie the Cat,

Rader commands your attention.

Sexy, confident, defiant, and yet exposing her desire to be loved by the very man who seems to hate her.

— Behind the Curtain Cincinnati

Rader, who brings a varied cadence to [Maggie the Cat’s] passionate emotions, imparts a much-needed complexity to the intense show.

— CityBeat

A streetcar named desire

Rader's Stella is bright and exuberant and open, everything Blanche is not. And while you may fret for her future in this abusive marriage,

Rader brings a strength to the role that gives you hope for Stella.

— The Cincinnati Enquirer

Rader is a breath of fresh air in this dark, hazy place. She is full of love and sees Stanley for all his good points, so much that she overlooks his very, very bad ones.

—Kirk sheppard, the sappy critic

Frankenstein

...Elizabeth, played with luminous grace and dignity by Maggie Lou Rader.

— LEO Weekly

Pulp

Rader is the height of noir-like sultriness. In the early scenes, as she is trying to seduce Riopelle, it almost feels like she’s caressing her words.

— The Cincinnati Enquirer