Maria Angelica

Maria Angelica Kirke was born in Manhattan, in the East Village at Beth Israel Medical Center. She is from Cuban, Greek, Italian descent but her exotic looks are often mistaken for Brazilian, Argentinean, Russian, Czechoslovakian and French; therefore the term, "ethnically ambiguous" suites her. Her Greek mother, Sophia Pantages, was an actress until she decided to become an English schoolteacher. The Pantages Theater was founded by her relatives. Maria's father, Juan Figueredo, left Cuba and came to America in 1960. He became an electronic engineer and helped construct the space helmets for the first American astronauts that walked on the moon, Gemini 8. Maria studied at the School of American Ballet and danced in "The Nutcracker" at the age of 11. (New York State Theatre in Lincoln Center) When she was 12, 13 and 14 she won three awards in her school's (Declamation) Monologue Contest. The first one she did was from Tennessee William's, "This Property is Condemned." Maria graduated