Sonia Manzano Sonia Manzano ( b . June 12 , 1950 ) is an actress who played Maria on " Sesame Street " from the show ' s third season in 1971 until her retirement in Season 45 in 2015 . She has also written for the show and authored several books including a memoir " " released in August 2015 . In addition to her portrayal of Maria , Manzano showed her versatility in pantomime segments , impersonating Charlie Chaplin ' s " The Tramp " in several segments . She also played Wanda Falbo ' s mother , and like other cast members , frequently narrated film inserts . Born in Manhattan to Puerto Rican parents , Manzano attended the High School for the Performing Arts as a teenager . While going to college at Carnegie Melon University , she originated the eponymous role of Sonia in the off - Broadway musical " Godspell " ( appearing on its original cast album as well ) , and continued to play the role through her first season on " Sesame Street " . She became part of the increasingly ethnically diverse cast and recalled that " It was such a social force . . . I never wanted to be on a kids ’ show , but I always wanted to be on " Sesame Street " . " In the 1980s , Manzano tried her hand at script writing , and became a key member of the " Sesame Street " writing staff . She shared several Emmy awards with the writing staff , and scripted a number of " Sesame " videos , including " Sesame Street Visits the Hospital " . She also wrote lyrics for " Muppets Rhyme in School , " " You Say Hola and I Say Hola , " " Thirteen , " " Yell , " and " Don ' t Be a Tough Nut to Crack . " Other writing credits include episodes of the Nickelodeon animated series " Little Bill " , a parenting column for Sesameworkshop . org , an essay in the Marlo Thomas anthology " Thanks & Giving All Year Long " , and the 2004 children ' s book " No Dogs Allowed " , adapted as a stage musical in 2010 . Manzano has received two Emmy award nominations for Outstanding Performer in a Children ' s Television Series and received the 2002 Hispanic Heritage Award for education , in addition to other awards and shows of recognition . Married to Richard Reagan , president of the Norcross Wildlife Foundation , Manzano gave birth to daughter Gabriela Rose Reagan in 1988 , a year before Maria gave birth to Gabi . Her real - life daughter played the part in Season 21 and Season 22 . The majority of Manzano ' s screen acting career has been spent on " Sesame Street " and related projects ( including both " Follow That Bird " and " The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland " ) as Maria , and voicing some characters including Smart Tina and Rosita ' s Abuela . She also made appearances as herself in the documentaries " Sesame Street Unpaved " and " " . Her other credits run the gamut , and include bit parts in the Michael Winner action films " Death Wish " ( as a grocery store clerk annoyed by Jeff Goldblum ) and " Firepower " ( with James Coburn , as a stewardess ) . In television , she guest starred on " B . J . and the Bear " starring Greg Evigan ( as Chattanooga in the 1981 episode " Snow White and the Seven Lady Truckers " ) , on " Law & Order " in the 2004 episode " Hands Free , " and on the Nickelodeon series " The Loud House " , voicing Rosa Casagrande in the episodes " The Loudest Mission : Relative Chaos " and " City Slickers . " On stage , she performed in " The Vagina Monologues " and " The Exonerated " . On radio , she has been a frequent narrator for the NPR dramatized fiction series " Selected Shorts " . Manzano announced her retirement from " Sesame Street " in June 2015 and discussed her decision with various media outlets while promoting her memoir . " The Daily Beast " explained that " leaving " Sesame Street " was a move Manzano had been planning for years — she just hadn ’ t gotten around to picking a date . But with fewer episodes and fewer human - driven segments being produced each season , along with an ever - expanding cast of Muppets , she had begun to feel that there was “ less to go around ” for each cast member . " Interviews . The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation interviewed Manzano in 2004 for the Archive of American Television . The hour and a half interview was posted on YouTube in 2008 . External links . _ _ NOWYSIWYG _ _