By Kelly-Jane Cotter
Maya Ramdayal is drawn to what she calls the “world-building” aspect of theater—creating the sets that serve as the habitat for the characters in a play.
As a student concentrating in set design, she also has been able to prioritize the environmental impact of her designs, thereby “world-building” in an additional way.
“We throw away a lot,” she says. “It’s kind of impossible to save everything. Building our own shows, you learn how much waste can happen, but also how much you can recycle.”
The senior gets credit for making sustainability part of the planning process for theater at the university, influencing both Mason Gross faculty and her fellow classmates.
“Maya is the first person who really made it a priority and wanted to take action,” says David P. Gordon, chair of the Theater Department and associate professor of scenic design. He says Ramdayal brought the issue to his attention, and he has become more eco-conscious because of her influence.
Read more and view a short video about Ramdayal and the greening of the Theater Department at Rutgers Today.
Image credit: John Munson/Rutgers University