Maria Costa ..... Shades of Machos
“ Shades of Machos ” is Volume 2 of my last show , “ Macho Men and the Women Who Love Them ”. I delve more deeply into the idea of being a career driven woman who is also , in some ways , very domestic because of my very traditional upbringing and how I try to I balance the two worlds . In the first ‘ Macho ’ show I focused only on Latino family dynamics . In volume 2 , I definitely explore marriage and dating amongst Latinos as the main topic , however I also examine machismo in the African American culture – and other communities ” by : Victor Padilla
Victor Padilla : Tell us about your Family and where you come from . Maria Costa : I ' m mullatta , my mother is Hungarian and my Father is Cuban . My Hungarian Grandmother helped raised me for most of my life so I speak the language fluently and cook a mean goulash , my ropa vieja is not to bad either from my Cuban side . My grandmother was from the old country and was in denial that I was anything other than Hungarian . I remember one time I came home and said Grandma someone called me the N word today and she was like “ what are they bind , you are not Black , you are Hungarain , just Hungarian with a few too many days on the beach in Aruba .” She also nurtured the artists in me because she was an opera singer and ballet dancer in Hungary and with the war had to give that up and flee the country to go to Argentina to help my Grandfather support her children as a nurse until they brought the family to America . So I think because of that , she put me in , ironically enough Hungarian dance classes when I was little Brown girl with all the blond haired Hungarian girls trying to do the dances but my hips were moving a little too much . It would drive my grandmother crazy she would be like please Marika , no more side , side with your hips honey please .” I think that is where my connection and love for movement and music began as well as my spark for the performing arts . Thank God I found Salsa dancing so I could set my hips free .
My grandmother also instilled strong values in me . She would say “ respect yourself and respect others , no running in streets with boys , you have things to do in life , focus on that because that is what God put you here to do .” She was very strict on me growing up and in my teen years but now I can appreciate the lessons she taught me . Mostly she taught me to be truthful to myself and my calling .
Victor Padilla : What Inspired you to become a Comedian / Actress . Maria Costa : Since I can remember random people tell me about their life , strangers and people I know , some of them profound stories , some of them funny stories , some of the sad . I think everyone has a story and I use my creative voice and platform to tell the stories that I think are interesting and will inspire other in some way . I think that is what I am meant to do and to make people laugh in the process . It ' s also part of my own personal growth . I was always writing growing up . I was shy in some ways so when I was performing that helped me come out of my shell , through writing I was able to tell my story an speak my truth .
I ’ d watch Lucille Ball , Carol Burnett , Gilda Radnar growing up and was inspired by how expressive and funny they were and would think to myself I want to do that one day . I was amazed at how they were so comfortable in their skin and uninhibited in every way . There was much more to them then just their beauty . I was also inspired by Lucille Ball as a leader in comedy and great business women . I loved that she took a stand for Desi Arnaz to play her husband on the show and together they brought Cuban Culture to mainstream television . I admire that she was a producer on her show and went on to produce other TV series , even own a studio . She made some amazing industry changing moves .
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