For our Passion Issue this August, we’re all about celebrating the beauty of arts and culture. With that, we’re putting the spotlight on different artists from the region, who, as they strive to hone their crafts, inspire us to live a colourful and meaningful life following our passion-filled pursuits.
Pursuing a path in the arts isn’t always easy. People will say that it’s not practical, that it isn’t as lucrative as the more conventional careers, and it's more suitably pursued as a hobby. But some people decide to work through it, nevertheless, and choose the life that makes them happy.
One of those who followed their love for the arts is Missy Maramara, who has spent almost all of her life doing what she loves: acting. Now a seasoned actor and director who has taken part in numerous productions, local and abroad, Missy shares with us the ups and downs of her life in the theatre.
Where it all began
When did you start pursuing acting?
My first role was Anastacia the Step-Sister of Cinderella in my pre-school when I was 5. I loved that show very much. There’s a whole story behind it too, which I put in my one-woman show, Love Liz.
Later on, I joined the theatre group of my high school, where we did Shakespeare and original plays. It was so much fun! In my senior year, when I got cast in our neighbouring high school’s theatre group as Lady Macbeth, I knew I was going to do theatre for the rest of my life. Luckily, Ateneo de Manila University had just officially opened a Theatre Arts program, so that’s the course I took as my first choice. I was active in Tanghalang Ateneo, the longest-running theatre company in my university, and by my third year, I was acting for professional theatre companies like Tanghalang Pilipino in CCP and New Voice Company with Monique Wilson. I haven’t stopped since. After graduating from college, I continued acting professionally and directed student plays in two of the major universities in the country and ended up teaching in my home college.
