Because you know you don't want to leave your couch (and neither do I) Maya Contreras (Playwright and Performer) On Hulu: EL NORTE Summary: "...two indigenous youths who flee Guatemala in the early 1980s due to the ethnic and political persecution of the Guatemalan Civil War. They head north and travel through Mexico to the United States, arriving in Los Angeles, California, after an arduous journey." Totally relevant to what is going on this election year regarding immigration Can you stay on the couch?: Yes! It's on Hulu. On HBO: HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT Summary: "Filmmakers discuss how Francois Truffaut's 1966 book "Cinema... Continue reading

By Maya Contreras (Playwright and Performer) Follow Maya: on Twitter: @mayatcontreras on Instagram @mayacontrerascrace Website: mayacontreras.com Continue reading

(This was my last day in the service industry and a week before a moved to NYC. The Joy, the joy.) Would you like to hear the specials? By Maya Contreras (Playwright and Performer) Tomorrow my play opens at FringeNYC. While I'm looking forward to that, I wanted to look back, for a moment, when I owned a lot of cheap ties. I can tie a tie in about ten seconds without looking in a mirror. I don't know if that's a humble brag or just a sad fact. Like many performers and writers I worked in the service industry... Continue reading

Sewing props for the play because... of course. By Maya Contreras (Performer and Playwright) I’m writing this blog on an Amtrak back to Manhattan right now. I’d love to tell you it’s because I feel wistfully inspired looking out of the window at the Hudson River (it is a beautiful view) but that wouldn’t be the truth. The truth is – it’s the first time I’d have a moment to write this before it’s due. I know by the time I pull into Penn Station it’ll be 10:10pm, then I’ll need to run to the Ferry terminal to make sure... Continue reading

Be kind. By Maya Contreras (Playwright/Actor) The Republican Convention just ended. From what I could see, it was mostly empty, and to quote Nate Silver: Total shitshow. Melania Trump lifted some of her convention speech from our first lady Michelle Obama's well, 2008 convention speech: Trump tried to awkwardly kiss his VP pick Mike "lady hater" Pence. Ted Cruz got up in front of the whole GOP convention and basically said "Hell Naw" on that Trump endorsement: I'm a liberal (duh), but I have some friends and a few family members that are Republicans. I don't want to poke fun... Continue reading

FringeNYC is about to be upon us again! Let me introduce you to "The Devil." By Maya Contreras (Playwright/Performer) This year I have another play in FringeNYC. I love Fringe because it produces affordable independent theatre - which is incredibly important in a town where the average Broadway ticket is well over $250. FringeNYC is $18 and you have over 200 shows to choose from. FringeNYC gives a stage (well, 16 of them) to tell our stories that might not quite fit in the mainstream of Broadway, but are still compelling and necessary. My offering this year is Let The... Continue reading

Alton Sterling: Father, Brother, Partner. Systemic racism and despicable acts of gun violence is ALL OF OUR uniquely AMERICAN PROBLEM. My heart is heavy for Alton's children who will now grow up without their father, for Alton's partner who can no longer share her life with him and for his friends who will mourn his friendship. Rest in Peace Alton. We should not rest until there is Peace and Justice. Updated: As I was going to bed a report came in that 32-year-old Philando Castile was murdered tonight for a busted taillight in front of his girlfriend and child. For... Continue reading

(*First thing I did when I got back into town was put my feet up on my couch) I love my couch, it’s deep and it’s real, but it’s time to get up By Maya Contreras (Writer, Actor, Playwright) I love my couch. No, we don’t have an exquisitely comfortable couch; in fact as my husband puts it succinctly “This couch sucks.” What I mean is I like sitting on my couch because I know I'm home. I sit to write with my laptop on my couch. I watch Criterion films on my couch (O.K. new episodes of The Mindy... Continue reading

An inspiration for over four decades now by Maya Contreras (Writer, Playwright, Actor) I had my phone off for the duration of the morning. I spent the day filming an episode of 'Brewed in NY' for PBS today in Buffalo, NY. When we took a short break I checked social media and was blown away with what was happening on the floor of Congress. A sit-in led by Representatives Katherine Clark and John Lewis to protest votes on gun control took the media and it's viewers by storm. #NoBillNoBreak Rep. Tammy Duckworth removed her leg prosthetics and joined her colleagues.... Continue reading

Not if the media has it's way... Written by Maya Contreras (Playwright, Actor, Writer) I’ve been disappointed with media's 24-hour coverage of Trump. They've manage to blanket the entire political election season with the hourly nonsensical meanderings of a small handed narcissist. I feel the media has lost its way. So I’ve decided to pen them a letter expressing my concern. Dear Mainstream Media, First I want to say, I really appreciate you covering the political race with bated breath. I can’t image how difficult it’s been for you all since Ted Turner turned nightly news into a 24-hour news... Continue reading

Discussing depression can be a taboo subject, guest blogger Bobby Crace tackles it head on. By Guest Blogger Bobby Crace (Writer, Actor) Some notes on my experience with severe depression: -The feeling is an oppressive foreboding numbness that takes hold of you like food poisoning. You are unsettled to the point of not being able to sit still, but at the same time unable to bring yourself to do anything. You feel hatred for yourself that is only out done by the numbness you feel for everything. There is no happiness to associate with anything. Everything, every component of your... Continue reading

I love this photo. Bill Adler, the kingmaker By Maya Contreras (Writer, Actor, Playwright) Def Jam turns 32 this year. I can't believe it. I also can't believe that Def Jam is younger than me, but that's another story. I had the privilege of meeting Def Jam's legendary publicist Bill Adler a few years ago. He breezed into the room with the confidence of a football first draft pick. It makes sense as he was the publicist during Def Jam's golden era of 1984 to 1990. Bill Adler, or the 'Ill Badler' as he is known, worked intimately with Run-DMC,... Continue reading

By guest writer Bobby Crace (Writer, Actor) "I never got to see Prince live. A rather large regret. However, my husband Bobby Crace did... by total accident and only 15 yards away. While some of the names have been changed to protect the semi-innocent, this is a true story from Bobby's book, 'Full Breakdown.'" - Maya Contreras This is an excerpt from my book Full Breakdown describing the time I got to work an event where Prince preformed. RIP Prince. He stood across the street looking at the surprisingly large crew of cater waiters standing outside checking in, signing confidentiality... Continue reading

Just vote, seriously. By Maya Contreras (Writer, Playwright, Actor) First I'd like to sum up my week: I’ve almost finished writing a full-length film I started working on late winter. My play, ‘Let The Devil Take The Hindmost’ was selected to participate in FringeNYC this Summer and I argued with random strangers about politics on the internet. The first two I’m proud of, the last one, not so much. I love discussing politics. I do. Lately the discussions have been mostly fruitless arguments or rather food fights of little substance. I’ve been surprised by the #BernieOrBust movement (I'm sure there... Continue reading

(I never wore dresses as a child, but I loved this nightgown and this desk) By Maya Contreras (Writer, Playwright, Actor) “I will not have my life narrowed down. I will not bow down to somebody else's whim or to someone else's ignorance.” – bell hooks When I was a child, I never thought that much about my gender. I grew up with two brothers and we are close in age and connection. I always wore dirt-covered blue jeans like my brothers did (we grew up in New Mexico, we were always covered in dirt), played basketball, and break danced... Continue reading

“You’re not wearing those. They look old.” By Bobby Crace (Writer, Actor) “It smells terrible in here. I was gonna make some food,” Kayla complained as she opened the kitchenette window. “Well, I’m laying it on thick. I need these to last till June.” “We have enough to buy new boots. It’s for work. It’s not like we’re blowing money on going out.” “We don’t have enough and that’s exactly why I’m pushing these guys to the brink. It’s been way too long since we’ve done anything.” “You can’t help that one of the three bars you work at are... Continue reading

(my love for Charlie Chaplin is real) What have you got to lose? By Maya Contreras (Writer, Playwright, Actor) My husband has said to me on several occasions, ‘you really don’t care what people think about you do you?’ While that might seem discourtesy, it was statement of admiration (it's also evidenced by this, this, and this). I was laughing loudly with the barista at my favorite coffee shop. Apparently a few people were irked much to my husband’s chagrin. “Well, it’s not a library.” I mentioned to him as I sipped my coffee. My husband, raised by educators, grew... Continue reading

It's time we kissed, mamboed, and make up with Cuba By Maya Contreras (Writer, Playwright, Actor) Unless you’ve been living under a rock (and if you have been living under a rock, I’m very sorry to hear that) you know that President Obama and the first family took a trip to Havana Cuba yesterday. It was the first time a U.S. President has visited Cuba in 90 years! Was this trip a way for Obama to announce to the rest of the world that our relationship with Cuba has officially thawed or was it a sneaky way to get in... Continue reading

(Me, when I was single, my teddy bear Fred that I've head since I was 4, in my 3 foot tall Chinatown room) By Maya Contreras (Writer, Playwright, Actor) Excerpt from 'The Him Book' by Maya Contreras Moses traversed the desert for forty years before he was within sight of the Promised Land. Forty years in a desert with a few companions who were none too happy about sour water, a lack of food, and were wondering why in the world they chose to follow this guy around. Even God was annoyed with him, frustrated that Moses couldn't properly follow... Continue reading

You think you know, but you probably don’t and that’s OK, the internet is here to help. No, seriously. By Maya Contreras (Writer, Playwright, Actors) What has stood out to me like a sore thumb during this Presidential election year is the lack of historical knowledge pouring out of social media. Many Twitter and Facebook users are sharing their slapdash opinions quicker than Kelvin Herrera of the Royals fast ball (if you don’t understand that reference just watch the video below.) Maybe I'm talking about someone you know, or maybe I'm talking about you. If I am talking about you,... Continue reading

(Her name remained Hillary Rodham after she married Bill Clinton for many years) What’s in a surname? by Maya (Crace) Contreras (Writer, Playwright, Actor) Since tomorrow is ‘Super Tuesday’ I thought I would talk about the ‘Rodham’ in Hillary Rodham Clinton’s name. Rodham is her Maiden name, and back in the 1990’s many people took issue with the fact that she wanted to keep both her maiden and married name as her full moniker or as politics goes, her nom de guerre. Some looked at that action as emasculation to her husband. However, Hillary didn’t take her husband’s name at... Continue reading

By Maya Contreras (Writer, Actor, Playwright) Netflix, Hulu, Amazon & Chill Because of Netflix, Hulu and Amazon, original programming has never been better while traditional network television has never struggled more. Network television spends millions a year on shows that get cancelled after one season, sometimes after one month (I’m looking at you Manhattan Love Story). It seems while network television has been struggling to reboot many viewer’s interest have waned. Audiences are cutting the cord and signing up en masse for Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon sending network television executives in a panic. It appears that viewers grew wary of... Continue reading

I need to get back to work! But, lemme check Twitter one more time... Maya Contreras (Writer, Actor, Playwright) I have a love hate relationship with social media. I hate social media for some obvious reason: Totally time suck Getting trolled by total strangers Trolling total strangers Arguing with people who try to change your mind Trying to change the mind of people who are arguing with you Pictures of food With election season is in full swing I’m ashamed to say that I’ve been guilty of all of the above (with the except of #6). Do I have better... Continue reading

(Pro: I got a retweet from HRC. Sweet. Con: Then a whole lot of trolling after that.) Blocking fools on Twitter like Bruce Lee By Maya Contreras (Writer, Actor, Playwright) I had the flu this week. This is what happens to me when I get a bit stressed out. Let me just say that what I am stressing out about - is absurd. I work part time in artist management and it pays all my bills. I have a deadline to finish writing a new play and I'm already on Act 2 - a month ahead of schedule. As I... Continue reading

(L-R) Oscar winners Anthony Quinn, Miyoshi Umeki, Haing S. Ngor and Rita Moreno. The last Latino Actor to win was 2001) I'm talking about all people of color By Maya Contreras (Writer, Actor, Playwright) Let’s first define a few simple words that can have complex meaning but that we hear on a regular basis: Diversity: a range of different things. Normal: conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural. Representation: the state of being represented. Sweet picture isn't it? That's representation. I'll get back to that. Now, if you wouldn't mind, watch a few of... Continue reading