Celeste Placy Pereira was born on August 14, 2001 and she completed her primary education in Deepvikar High School, Sada-Vasco. Thereafter, she moved to St Andrew’s Institute to pursue her higher secondary studies. During her childhood, Celeste had ample opportunities to showcase her musical talent and right from nursery, she would participate in singing competitions and win prizes. Teachers were equally encouraging and would prompt her to sing and shine in school.
Celeste’s mother, Philomena Anastacia Pereira, who is an ardent
lover of tiatrs, shares, “my daughter would love singing at the tender age of
3-4 years and her voice would be heard loud and clear in the church,.” For
various festive occasions, she would also be part of the church choir.
Celeste’s entry into tiatrs came about when Rio de Cortalim
introduced her to Rony Succor from Mandur. The director roped her in his tiatr
‘Dev Borem Korum’ staged at the annual Kala Academy’s tiatr competition. At
that point of time, Celeste had no knowledge about comedy and comical acts by a
female artiste in that tiatr was the requisite. Comedian Pitush, who was part
of the tiatr, encouraged and guided her. “It was not only Pitush,” Celeste
shares, “but along with him there was Elver, Lourdes, Eleuterio D’Costa and
Sonia, all part of Rony Succor’s troupe, who encouraged me to pick up the role
and forge ahead.”
Celeste’s first entry on the commercial stage came about when
Pascoal de Chicalim took her as a substitute in tiatr ‘Sopon’ staged in 2017.
It was rendition on stage and comedy and she gave her best performances. Since
then Celeste continued with the same director for more productions, which
included ‘Kolakaram’ (2018), ‘Rochnna’ (2019), ‘Anj Boddvo’ (2021) and ‘Hanv
Goencho Saiba (2022).
In 2017, Celeste found an entry in Lenten show ‘Kumsar’ by
Velencio de Caranzalem, where she doled out the role of a comedienne and a
serious role, besides renditions. Menino de Bandar introduced Celeste in his
tiatr ‘Tum Sun vo Avoi’ as a comedienne and she shared the stage with comedian
Allwyn. In 2019, Celeste also found an entry Myron Travasso’s Lenten show ‘Tum
Poilo Za’, wherein she rendered the opening song, a solo and two duets. And
then outbreak of pandemic resulted in closure of theatres and auditoriums,
including entertainment through tiatrs.
Celeste also found a place for herself in ‘zomnivhele fell’
staged during the Carnival festival across Goa. She made her appearance in a
serious role in Salvador Afonso’s troupe when three folk plays, namely ‘Amkam’,
‘Tumkam’, ‘Soglleank’ were staged in the villages. Celeste also featured in
Silva de Benaulim’s folk plays ‘Apsvarthi Zainaka’, ‘Familichem Nanv Rakh’ and
‘Odd Tuka Odd Teka’. In the forthcoming Carnival festival, she has already been
booked by Milagres de Ganapoga.
In 2019, when Herald Group organised ‘Goencho Avaz’ for budding
and upcoming artistes, Celeste was one of the semi-finalists. In 2020, she won
the best trio award for Pascoal de Chicalim’s tiatr ‘Rochnna’ at the Tiatr
Academy of Goa (TAG) organised annual Popular Tiatr Festival. When it comes to
singing and acting on the Konkani stage, Celeste is comfortable in singing. But
now that she has stepped into the acting shoes, apart from comedy; she would
also like to try serious roles, especially negative ones, to bring out the
best.
After
completing a one year course in beauty care and cosmetics at Vasco, Celeste
started serving as a beautician privately. Recently she also found an entry in
‘Blooming Dale’ at Baina, Vasco, where she grooms kids.