Maria Cominis Reveals The Power of Reinvention and Trusting Your Process

What happens when the lessons you learn as an actor lead you to discover your voice as a storyteller and to trust your instrincts.

On the latest episode of VersaVision, I talk to the multi-talented Maria Cominis - actor, playwright, author, and educator, whose on-screen credits include Desperate Housewives, Hacks, New Girl, All My Children, and One Life to Live. But Maria’s creativity extends well beyond acting. Her original play, Women of Zalongo, inspired by her Greek heritage and her grandmother’s stories, received a National Endowment for the Arts grant and earned recognition from the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference and the Bay Area Playwrights Festival. She has since adapted the story into The Cliff, a screenplay that is continuing to earn recognition on the festival circuit.

We talk about the journey that keeps you creating when the industry doesn't always open the doors you deserve. Maria also shares invaluable lessons from studying with legendary acting teacher Uta Hagen, why actors need to start trusting their instincts, and how to keep reinventing yourself at every stage of your career. Maria is proof that the artist's journey never stops evolving - and the next chapter is always yours to write.

 

WORD OF THE WEEK:  BALANCE

 

A huge thanks to our team:

Producer: Devyn Arnold | Intro: Tamika Katon-Donegal

Assistant: Ian Butter