Talent

Mariann Aalda

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 A graduate of Southern Illinois University and New York’s Negro Ensemble Company theater trainingprogram where Robert Townsend and Laurence Fishburne were classmates, Mariannmade her stage debut with the legendary Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee in TAKEIT FROM THE TOP while honing her comedic skills with the NYC sketchtroupe OFF-CENTRE THEATRE, which spawned John Leguizamo, and touring with theimprov group THE PROPOSITION, which spawned Jane Curtin. However, it isMariann's work in television for which she is most noted: an AFTERNOONTV Award-winning role as "DiDi Bannister" on the soapopera, EDGE OF NIGHT; series regular roles on THE ROYALFAMILY as the daughter of Redd Foxx and Della Reese; three seasons onHBO's FIRST & 10 opposite O.J. Simpson as his beleagueredwife; Mo'Nique's arch-nemesis, "Hannah Foster" onTHEPARKERS;  host of DESIGNS FOR LIVING on USA, andrecurring on DESIGNING WOMEN as "Lita Ford,"the high-maintenance girlfriend of Meshach Taylor, with whom she re-teamedin the Kidd ‘n Play cult-comedy CLASS ACT as Kidd’s cluelessmom...and of whom NY TIMES reviewer Janet Maslin said "...provided thefilm's funnier episodes."  

Developing her empty-nesting,"Little-Woman-Gone-Wild" stage character in the one-woman show, BLACKDON'T CRACK...BUT DON'T TRY AND SPREAD IT TOO THIN, she expanded on itwith the sketch troupe 3 BLACQUE CHIX. THE LOS ANGELES TIMES hailed herperformance as  "...galvanic! ...a perkily libidinous Mary TylerMoore," while LA WEEKLY proclaimed her "a hammily hilarious DonnaReed." As the relentlessly upbeat "Ginger Peechee-Keane,"Mariann continues her intrepid navigation thru the minefields of mid-lifein M.O.I.S.T.! -- the sex-istential musical-comedycelebrating the  vibrancy, vitality and viability of the mature woman,which  she co-wrote with Iona Morris and which she is looking to bring toChicago after its successful nine-month run in LA -- all in the pursuit ofputting a positive and humorous spin on aging...which she feels as a"calling." 

Citedby the California State Assembly and named "Volunteer of the Year" bythe Los Angeles Dept. of Children's Services, Mariann has appeared onABC's NIGHTLINE and written articles for THE LA TIMES and SOAPOPERA DIGEST on the impact media can have on at-risk youth.  Also anactivist in the prevention of HIV/AIDS, she was a contributor to GilRobertson's anthology NOT IN MY FAMILY about the toll AIDS has had on theAfrican-American community and is developing a "Be Sexy...Be SAFE" initiativearound M.O.I.S.T.!  Now an empty-nester, herself, she is theproud "Nana" of Bryce & Sydney.