There was a time when Maya Buffomante was afraid to order her own meal at a restaurant. Today, she is an actress living in New York City, auditioning for roles, rehearsing for Off-Broadway productions and pursuing the dream she has carried since childhood. The journey between those two moments began with six words from her grandmother, whom Maya called Nani.

Those words became Maya's mantra—and eventually a philosophy that would shape not only her career, but the way she approaches life.

When Maya was 8 years old, her parents enrolled her in community theatre, hoping that performing might help their shy daughter come out of her shell. Instead, something unexpected happened. She fell in love with it.

One of her earliest roles required her to tuck her hair under a baseball cap and portray a young boy in front of an audience of about 100 people. For a child who had struggled with anxiety and self-doubt, stepping onto a stage could have been overwhelming. Instead, Maya discovered freedom.

"I found comfort in the ability to escape, the ability to step into someone else's life," she said. "Once I found courage on stage, I felt more powerful than I ever had before." That courage followed her.

Maya went on to study theatre at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Drama as an Honors Acting Specialist, along with degrees in Psychology and Educational Services. Her studies in psychology deepened her interest in human emotion and relationships, which she now brings to her work as an actor.

Today, Maya is building her acting career in New York City, where the reality of pursuing the performing arts is far less glamorous than the finished performance might suggest. 

Some mornings begin at 4:30 a.m., when Maya leaves home to spend as many as 12 hours in a crowded audition holding room for the chance to sing for less than five minutes. Other days are filled with rehearsals, sometimes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. When rehearsals don't begin until later, she spends her mornings filming self-tapes, submitting auditions, teaching voice and acting lessons, recording content, contacting agencies and networking. And then there is the work of taking care of herself.

"As an actor, it is incredibly important to take care of your body," Maya said. "It is your instrument." She makes time for yoga, running, cooking and journaling, while trying to protect time for friends and the people she loves. "Living as an actor in New York often feels like a 24/7 job," she said. "But I try to protect time for the people I love too."

Maya's ambitions extend beyond simply landing the next role. She wants to tell stories that make people think, challenge assumptions and create empathy. Her favorite roles have included Wendla in Spring Awakening, Cinderella Understudy in Cinderella and Ted in Peter and the Starcatcher. She recently made her New York Off-Broadway debut in Find Your Light: Songs from the Musicals of Tomorrow, a showcase of new musical works.

And Spring Awakening has become particularly meaningful to her. The musical is Maya's all-time favorite, and she is currently rehearsing for her third production of the show. Her first production marked her first professional credit in Chicago while she was a college freshman. Her second was her final show at UW–Madison, when she played the lead role—one of the most physically and emotionally demanding roles she had taken on.

Now, her third production marks another milestone: her first full-length Off-Broadway production in New York City. The production is also making history as the first fully South Asian cast of Spring Awakening. For Maya, the show represents more than a series of career milestones. "Spring Awakening means so much to me," she said.

Since moving to New York after college, Maya's grandmother's advice has taken on an entirely new meaning. Leaving the familiarity of home. Entering one of the most competitive industries in the world. Balancing multiple jobs while pursuing acting. Moving five times in eight months because of work. Learning to live with uncertainty. Each has required courage.

"There are so many moments in this career where you don't know what's coming next," Maya said. "And 'One Brave Thing a Day' reminds me that I don't have to have everything figured out." She has also learned that bravery doesn't mean never feeling afraid. "Bravery isn't the absence of those doubts," she said. "It's choosing to keep creating anyway."

That philosophy has influenced the kind of artist Maya wants to become. She is drawn to work that explores identity and connection, asks difficult questions and encourages empathy. "Being brave isn't just about taking risks professionally," she said. "It's about allowing yourself to be vulnerable enough to tell honest stories."

Growing up in White Eagle, Maya was surrounded by a family that encouraged big dreams. With the support of her parents, Tony and Nita, and the encouragement of her brother, Gian, who is pursuing a career in professional motorsports, she has continued to pursue her own dream of performing on Broadway. Maya doesn't take that support for granted.

"I would be nowhere today if it weren't for my family and my friends who believed in me when I didn't believe in myself," she said. Her advice to other young people who dream of pursuing the performing arts is equally thoughtful. "It's okay to be scared," she said. "Pursuing a career in the performing arts is a leap of faith that is a really scary thing." But she also believes passion needs to be paired with practicality. "Passion is what keeps you going through auditions, rejection and uncertainty, but logic helps you build a sustainable career," she said.

For Maya, success over the next five to 10 years isn't necessarily about fame. She wants to build a career where she is consistently working, financially secure and telling stories that leave people better than they found them. She also wants to build a life in New York that allows her to remain ambitious without allowing her career to determine how she feels about herself. And then there is the dream she has carried since childhood.

Whether on Broadway, a national tour or another professional production, playing the beloved character from Aladdin has long been Maya's ultimate dream role. "To know me is to know my Jasmine dream," she said.

For Maya, the dream isn't simply about playing a famous character. It's about what representation can mean to someone watching from the audience. "I know what it feels like to see yourself reflected in a character onstage," she said. "If one day I have the chance to be that person for someone else, I think that would be pretty extraordinary."

For now, Maya continues to audition, rehearse, teach, perform and build a life in New York—one uncertain day at a time. And the advice that started her journey remains the same: One brave thing a day.