Acting is an outlet for the imagination, a way to escape into a fictional world and pretend to be someone else for a few hours. To some it is fun, to others it is therapeutic, to sophomore Maya Raman it is a way of life. Maya’s incredible acting journey began eight years ago. Her mother encouraged her to try acting and before long she fell in love with it. Curious to see where the path of the theater might take her, Raman continued to act all through elementary and middle school and currently in high school.

Raman has been a part of countless theater productions with several different companies. A few notable musicals include Shrek, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Wizard of Oz and Beauty and the Beast. With acting comes the importance of getting into character. Getting in and out of roles is no easy feat especially when it comes to figuring out the mindset of the person being portrayed. Some of Raman’s favorite roles include Babette in the Wilcox Stage Company’s production of Beauty and the Beast, and the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz.

Even though Raman enjoys acting, this year she is taking a step out of the spotlight and delving into the production side of theater. This fall, Wilcox is putting on a play titled Almost, Maine. Almost, Maine is essentially a series of short stories about love, loss and the oddities of life in a small town on the border of Maine. For this production, Raman is stepping up to the role of director. Directing is not an easy task but it seems like the next natural progression for Raman, she says, “I’ve been acting for almost nine years now and directing is something I’ve always wanted to do.” The role of director is accompanied by certain responsibilities. One of these includes assisting the Wilcox theater teacher Ms. Robson in the casting for the play. When asked what she is anticipating at auditions and from the actors in general, Raman says, “I’m looking for chemistry between the actors, energy, blocking and how they do on their own with little direction from me.” The play runs from November sixteenth to the eighteenth and will showcase Wilcox actors and Raman’s directorial debut.

Theater is not all Raman has been able to accomplish outside of school. At Wilcox Raman is part of Indian club and Thespian club. Additionally, at the end of her freshman year, Raman joined the Wilcox Chargerettes and can be seen performing at school rallies. Another accomplishment under the belt of the actress is the subject award for theater. Raman received the award from Ms. Robson as part of the theater two class. This is altogether impressive because freshman are usually encouraged to take theater one before advancing to theater two but Raman bypassed the standard, taking the class by storm.

Acting has always been, and always will be, a significant and meaningful part of Raman’s life. Whether she be acting with Roberta Jones Theater or Wilcox, Raman is always surrounded by a supportive cast of friends and fellow actors. Raman has voiced her dreams of one day acting professionally and if she chooses to pursue it her skill and dedication will certainly take her far, and Wilcox will always be behind her.