Avera received a B.A. and M.A. in Theater Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He made his Broadway debut as a dancer in "One Touch of Venus'' with Mary Martin and had lead roles on Broadway in "Carousel'' and "Oklahoma." He was a charter member of the Actors Studio in New York City, where he studied with Elia Kazan and Lee Strasburg. Between stage engagements, he was a singer/pianist on major cruise lines and at premier resorts.
