 | |
| PERFORMER | Sonia Manzano |
| DEBUT | 1971 |
Big Bird poses with Maria and Luis on their wedding day.
Maria with baby Gabriella in the window of her apartment in 123 (Episode 2616).
Maria portraying Charlie Chaplin.
Maria Rodriguez (née Figueroa) first appeared on Sesame Street in 1971, arriving on the street as a Puerto Rican teenager and taking a job at the Library. The library was later converted into the Fix-It Shop, where Maria was hired in Episode 0832 (and later promoted to full partner in Episode 1563).
Maria often mediates disputes among the Muppet characters, sometimes becoming flustered by their chaotic nature. She has been the target of the Amazing Mumford's magic, Sonny Friendly's ridiculous traveling game shows, Grover's lectures with incorrect facts, and Oscar the Grouch's cynical wisecracks. Oscar often addresses her with the nickname Skinny and in general seems to thrive on his encounters with her.
For a number of seasons, Maria also appeared regularly in pantomime skits as Charlie Chaplin's character The Tramp.
Although she held a romantic relationship with David for a time in the 1970s, she married Luis in 1988, becoming Maria Rodriguez. Her mother came over from Puerto Rico for the ceremony. Later, Maria's pregnancy became a storyline on the show, and Maria and Luis had a daughter, Gabi, in 1989.
For several years, Maria and Luis ran the Fix-It Shop together, where they repaired an assortment of items, including a vast number of toasters. In 2002, they converted the store to the Mail It Shop, only to revert it back to the Fix-It Shop in 2006. When the shop became the Laundromat in 2008, Maria and Luis would still be seen fixing various things around the street until 2011, when Gordon hired Maria to be the superintendent of 123 Sesame Street in Episode 4275.
Maria and her Sesame Street friends visited her family in Puerto Rico in 1979, for the first few episodes of Season 11.
Manzano commented in 1987 on how her character had changed since debut: "I wouldn't even tweeze my eyebrows then."[1]
In June 2015, Manzano announced her retirement from Sesame Street, making Season 45 the last to feature Maria as a recurring character. Manzano reprised the role in the 2019 special Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration and in the 2020 CNN town hall special Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism.
Notes[]
- A passing reference was made in "The Cursed Prince" to Maria taking karate lessons uptown.
- In Episode 3060, it is acknowledged that Maria lived in the Bronx as a child (a reference to where Sonia Manzano grew up).
- As of 1973 (as seen in Episode 0536), Maria lived in an apartment in 123 Sesame Street in the back corner of the second floor facing the yard. Buffy and her family would typically stay with her during their visits to Sesame Street. Later, when she and Luis were wed, Luis moved into her apartment.
- Dancer and actress Carla Pinza appeared in two episodes of Season 2, as a Puerto Rican resident of Sesame Street named Maria. Only one of this character's episodes survives.
Songs[]
Maria has performed many songs on the show, including:
- Specials
Appearances[]
Maria and Luis
Maria and Elmo
- Sesame Street (1971–2015)
- Christmas Eve on Sesame Street
- A Special Sesame Street Christmas
- A Walking Tour of Sesame Street
- Don't Eat the Pictures
- Follow That Bird
- Getting Ready to Read
- I'm Glad I'm Me
- Learning to Add and Subtract
- Sing Along
- Big Bird's Story Time
- Big Bird's Favorite Party Games
- Sesame Street, Special
- Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting
- Sesame Street Home Video Visits the Hospital
- Big Bird's Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake
- Sesame Street Stays Up Late
- Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration
- The Best of Elmo
- Elmo Saves Christmas
- Lead Away!
- Big Bird Gets Lost
- Fiesta!
- Elmopalooza
- The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland
- The Street We Live On
- What's the Name of That Song?
- Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration
Album appearances[]
- Sesame Street LIVE! (1973)
- ¡Sesame Mucho! (1974)
- Bert & Ernie Sing-Along (1975)
- Aren't You Glad You're You? (1977)
- Happy Birthday from Sesame Street (1977)
- Sleepytime Bird (1977)
- On the Street Where We Live - Block Party! (1978)
- Big Bird's Birdtime Stories (1980)
- Getting Ready for School (1981)
- Grin & Giggle with Big Bird (1981)
- Sesame Street Sing-Along! (1982)
Book appearances[]
- Big Bird's Busy Book (1975)
- Sesame Street Goes West (1977)
- The Sesame Street Bedtime Storybook (1978)
- Fix It, Please (1980)
- The Count Counts a Party (1981)
- I'll Miss You, Mr. Hooper (1984)
- Big Bird Brings Spring to Sesame Street (1985)
- Ernie Gets Lost (1985)
- A Bird's Best Friend (1986)
- Bert's New Collection (1988)
- Oh, I Am So Embarrassed! (1988)
- I Can't Wait Until Christmas (1989)
- Halloween Party (1991)
- Elmo Saves Christmas (1997)
- Sesame Street comic book Issue #1 (2013)
- Other illustrated appearances
Sources[]
- ↑ Hellman, Peter. "Street Smart." New Yorker Magazine. November 23, 1987. p. 54