AUBURN – Ian Mulligan, a seventh-grader at Auburn Middle School, recently made his professional acting debut as Charlie in “Marvin’s Room” at the Public Theatre, Lewiston-Auburn’s professional theatre company.

“Marvin’s Room” opened on Jan. 30 to sold-out audiences, and his classmates at Auburn Middle school made a special field trip to see his performance.

Rehearsing and performing with professional actors is an opportunity that Ian said he is grateful to have had and will always remember.

Until his professional debut, Ian had performed in local productions with the L/A Arts Summer Theatre Program and with his Destination Imagination Team, which came in third in last year’s state competition.

Ian has also been in several productions with Community Little Theatre and at Auburn Middle School, where he most recently played Malvolio in “Twelfth Night.”

It has been a long wait since he auditioned for the play (with a broken ankle) in September. Ian won the Auburn Book Award last spring, earning the opportunity to have his book published.