Editor’s Note: “Hawks Uncovered” is a series that tells the often unknown stories of Hebron students and staff.
The auditorium filled with applause.
Max Turman, at 7-years-old, playing Mickey Mouse in a production of “Disneyland Game Show,” broke the script. “Guys stop,” he interrupted the audience. “We’re not done.”
Everyone chuckled at the little kid on stage, and that was the moment Turman fell in love with the sound of laughter.
Turman has been acting since he was young, putting on his own plays at family friends’ houses, directing all of the other children who were there and putting on fairy costumes. His parents knew he would do well in theater, and they put him in an after school drama program at his elementary school.
In his seventh grade year, his mother told him they couldn’t afford a private school anymore, which he had attended all his life. His family then attended Hebron’s production of “Newsies,” and Turman fell in love. He called the show “Broadway level,” and he knew this was the school he wanted to attend.
The first role Turman played at Hebron was Kyle in “Legally Blonde” last year. He worked out two hours a day, six times a week, had a diet regimen and was taking supplements to get in shape for the role. The role got him nominated for best supporting role by Broadway Dallas.
In his sophomore year, he joined tech theater and choir, taking both classes for one semester each. He eventually chose choir over tech theater because he wanted to sing better and get roles in musicals.
After a “lack-luster” sophomore and junior year, Turman played the lead role in “Clue” at the beginning of his senior year. He then played Mr. Wormwood in the department’s most recent production, “Matilda.” He said both roles were fun because he got to interact with the audience and be himself as an actor. He described his whole high school theater experience as one year of being forced to do nothing, two years of wondering why he wasn’t doing anything and one year of finally doing everything.
Turman has applied to 27 acting colleges. He was rejected from four schools during pre-screens, and received 24 call-backs – 15 of which he is doing this month. He is still unsure of which college he wants to go to, but he has been accepted to a few such as Marymount Manhattan College, University of Northern Colorado and Millikin University.
He wants to pursue acting as a career, and if that doesn’t work out, he wants to pursue directing. Turman said he could never see himself doing anything other than theater for the rest of his life.
