“It was like I was sitting in the theatre and a light bulb went off. I thought, ‘I can do this,’” explains Maria Goyanes of her first experience at a live theatre event: a trip to Manhattan Theatre Club for an Education Matinee. Currently an Artistic Associate at The Public Theater, Maria grew up in Queens and attended the Bronx High School of Science. In 1996, Maria’s English class participated in an MTC Core Unit which focused on the play Blue Window by Craig Lucas. A bibliophile by nature, Maria loved analyzing stories in her English class, so she was intrigued when teaching artist Chris Ceraso began working with her class in preparation for a field trip to see a show at MTC.

Through a series of hands-on exercises and writing assignments, Maria and her classmates were introduced to themes found in Lucas’ play. Armed with this knowledge, Maria was thrilled when she sat in the first row of Stage I and began to make a connection between her love of words, the work she’d been doing in class with Chris, and what she was seeing on the stage. Maria recalls her realization that in many ways watching theatre was like analyzing a book; even more amazing was the idea that a play had a visceral life that went beyond the written word. “There is something about theatre that’s so immediate. It was amazing to think that a playwright could mold a story on its feet.”

Maria was so electrified by her theatre-going experience that she encouraged her entire family (including her sister, see photo above) to return to MTC to participate in the Family Matinee program for Blue Window. Family Matinees occur on five Saturday mornings throughout the season. The free Saturday program enables high school students paired with an adult of their choice to participate in a morning theatre workshop focusing on the MTC production they attend in the afternoon. Maria recalls, “At the time I didn’t attend theatre so theatre people were intimidating, but MTC didn’t feel that way. The teaching artist that we worked with was warm and inviting.” Even eleven years later, Maria fondly reminisces about how the Family Matinee program was a wonderful opportunity to spend a day with her family, “I mean how often do you have a chance to spend time all together doing something fun?”

The love of theatre that was sparked by her experience with Manhattan Theatre Club has lead Maria to a professional life that keeps her at the forefront of new work. In addition to her job at the Public, Maria is a producer for the critically acclaimed theatre company 13P, in addition to being a co-director of the Soho Rep’s Writers Lab. Reflecting on the path her career has taken, Maria appreciates the symmetry of her connection to playwright Craig Lucas. Maria marvels, “The link between thinking ‘I can do that’ while watching Blue Window to thinking ‘I’m doing that’ while working with Craig on a new play was a bit trippy and totally thrilling.