The Biography

Melissa Vera "Missy" Maramara is a Filipino actor, theater director, Intimacy director and coordinator, improviser, and educator. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Drama (Performance) from the University of Arkansas (Fayetteville) through the International Fulbright Scholarship Program. She is also trained in mask work and silent play from the L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris, Moment Work from Tectonic Theater Project in New York City, and Intimacy Work from Intimacy Directors and Coordinators (IDC) and Theatrical Intimacy Coordination (TIE) in New York City. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Fine Arts and English Department of the Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater Arts, a Master of Arts in English Literature and Cultural Studies, and a Doctor of Philosophy in English Language and Literature. Her most recent acting credits include Marie Curie in Lauren Gunderson’s The Half Life of Marie Curie, Sister Lucia in Floy Quintos' Grace, Uncle Jane in Nelsito Gomez's Uncle Jane, and Maro Liwanag in Joshua Lim So's A Color for Tomorrow. She received the LEAF Award for Most Outstanding Actress for Callie in Diana Son's Stop Kiss (2019), the Aliw Award for Best Featured Actress for Mitch in Floy Quintos' The Kundiman Party (2018). She is a proud member of SPIT Manila, Southeast Asia’s premier Improvisational theater company, and a teacher in Third World Improv. She is currently the president of the Philippine Theater Actors Guild (TAG Ph).