MARIA MENOZZI’s creative endeavors span both stage and screen. She is a professional stand-up comedian performing in comedy clubs across the country. She writes original comedy songs.  Maria is an award-winning playwright for her children’s play, "The Poet Who Wouldn’t Be King," published by Players Press. She continues to perform theatrically in Los Angeles as a theater company member (Theatre Creators Collective) and is currently writing her own one person show based on her experiences growing up in an Italian blue-collar family in Detroit entitled "Genius From a Blue Collar Neighborhood" which will be staged sometime in 2006.

Maria turned her talents to filmmaking in 2001 after appearing in a number of student films and indies. Her silent comedy shorts "A Pain In The Basket" and "My Left Feet" both under the collection, "The Adventures of Zoey, Parts I and II," first premiered at a monthly screening in 2002 with the L.A. Short Film Festival and in 2004 were Comedy Short Film Winners at the Telluride IndieFest. The "Zoey" character was created by Maria in homage to Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd and the silent movies she enjoyed while growing up in Detroit. As an extension of her improv training and performing and her stand up comedy, Maria wanted to challenge herself to tell a joke "filmically" using her physical as well as visual comedy skills.

Maria made her directorial debut on a dramatic short film she also wrote and produced entitled, "Mrs. Merriam’s Moment."  "Merriam" premiered at the West Valley Indie Fest in 2005 in California. "Mrs. Merriam’s Moment" is inspired by Maria’s own experiences interviewing for jobs and working in law firms.  It makes a subtle, but pointed statement about one woman’s stand for respect.

Maria is currently in preproduction on her next short film, a romantic comedy short called "The Husband Audition."  "The Adventures of Zoey, Part III" entitled, "Dog Park Afternoon," is currently in post-production and will have its premiere in 2006.  Maria’s sitcom pilot, "Secretaries’ Day" is finishing filming in February and will have its performance reading in May.  See Zoey News Page for details.  Also in the hopper:  a comedy spoof of the popular "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" television drama, entitled "BSI: Bull S@#$!t Investigation."  Look for a performance reading in the near future.

If you are interested in viewing any of the short films or reading scripts, please e-mail or call Maria.  We are always interested in financing of any kind for our projects and/or persons interested in working production.