Meet Maricruz Menchero | Actress. Architect. Artist.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Maricruz Menchero and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maricruz, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I just looked up risk in the dictionary and was surprised to see all the negative connotations associated with the word. “The possibility of loss or injury. Someone or something that creates a hazard. The chance that an investment will lose value” (Merriam-Webster). This is pretty incredible. Our dictionaries do a wonderful job of reinforcing the value of security, hinting that anything that steers us away from comfortability and certainty is nothing short of hazardous.

I see risk in a different light. Is it a stepping away from something known and familiar? Sure. It’s also, though, a stepping into a realm of possibilities, a venture which can be terribly scary but endlessly fruitful.

I think risks are necessary for personal growth and expansion. Being too comfortable can lend itself to stagnation – physically, emotionally, intellectually…you name it. Think of a river. It’s full of life! It’s constantly in motion – bending with the earth, splashing against the rocks, running up and down the terrain. It does all this while housing numerous animals. The moment it stops, though, life stops. The water reeks; it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and insects. You want to talk about hazards? Let’s talk about stagnant water.

We are meant to move and transform, and that involves taking risks. I akin risks to doing something that takes me out of my comfort zone, doing something that challenges me or simply trying something new. It can be anything from skydiving to taking a different route home. It doesn’t have to be major, just a step in a new direction.

I wouldn’t be pursuing acting professionally today if I hadn’t taken a risk. My background is in architecture. I graduated from The University of Notre Dame and worked professionally as an architect for several years. I’ve always been a creative, deemed by my family as “la artista” since a very young age. I loved math and I loved drawing, so architecture seemed like the obvious career choice. However, there was always something about acting… I auditioned for my first musical after being scouted at a local oratory competition in Laredo, Texas. Since then, I’ve been hooked.

I love the community of people that the theatre brings together – individuals with a passion for creation, a love for the art of storytelling. It’s a seemingly magical place where you dress up and play pretend for a few hours, but also a space where one hopes to challenge, effect change, or inspire some sort of healing. I think it’s the best place to listen and to learn, and I’m not speaking from the perspective of the audience. Acting is a noble profession, but it’s not one that’s always rewarded, and it certainly isn’t stable. Jumping from a stable profession to an unstable career was a huge risk.

I don’t want to look back at the end of my life thinking “what if.” I see a lot of friends stuck in unhappy jobs because the idea of stepping into the unknown is more scary that being unhappy and comfortable. If you are reading this and if you feel any sort of restlessness to try something different, this is your sign to go ahead and do it. You don’t have to have it all figured out. All you have to do is take that first step in a new direction.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I like to say I’m an artist in every sense of the word. I’m an actress, an architect, and an artist – a different type of triple threat.

As I mentioned, I graduated with a degree in architecture from The University of Notre Dame and worked professionally for several years. Two of those years I was in New York City. I worked at a firm during the day and took acting classes at Stella Adler in the evenings. After graduating from the evening conservatory, I decided to try my hand at grad school. During the height of the pandemic, I graduated from The Theatre School at DePaul University with an MFA in Acting. A little over a year ago, I moved back to New York City.

For the past year, I’ve spent most of my time finding my two feet, grounding myself in a familiar but different environment and really settling into the city. The work for the most part has been learning to juggle my day job with my artistic career. I’m currently the executive assistant to the co-owner and creative director of The Lowell Hotel, a high-end hotel in the Upper East Side. Think: Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada, but with a kind Meryl Streep. I’m working somewhere where I can exercise my design background, but also have the flexibility I need to pursue acting.

As an architect, I’m fascinated by old buildings that are re-purposed for new functions. You see this all the time in New York City. An Apple store that used to be a bank, for instance, or a bank that is now a CVS. For my thesis, I designed a culinary retreat in Southern Spain that incorporated the ruins of a tower used to make olive oil. Why throw away what’s old when you can integrate it into the tapestry of something new, ultimately creating something with richer character and historical weight?

As an artist, I tend to lean towards the impressionistic. Instead of producing a color copy of reality, I like to depict a heightened experience of it – especially through the use of color. Bold color. I take time with my sketching, but execute little to no foresight when it comes to color application. I’ve always found painting, especially with acrylics and oil, incredibly freeing.

As an actress, I’m drawn to new work. Why continue to rehash what’s already been done again and again? There are a lot of new, different voices that need to be heard! I gravitate towards underdog stories, as well as narratives centered on gritty, resilient women and big, complicated families. I love the thrill of epic fantasies, but find endless inspiration in pieces based on real events, on real people. I have aspirations to write and to produce documentaries in the future.

If this past year was about finding my feet, this next year is going to be about stepping into the playing field. New York City has so much to offer, including a vast network of hardworking, passionate creatives, individuals who, like me, lead double lives in pursuit of their dreams. I always enjoy making genuine connections. Whether in the city or not, please feel free to reach out!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m currently based in New York City, where there is a plethora of things to eat and places to explore. If a friend comes to visit, our itinerary really depends on what they enjoy doing. Do they want to stay indoors or outdoors – visit museums or explore the parks? Do they want to spend the day as a tourist or as a local New Yorker? There are so many possibilities!

I personally love spending time in nature, so I enjoy walking the Hudson River Greenway or wandering around Central Park. When I’m in the mood for good food, I’ll make my way to Astoria and eat at my favorite Greek restaurant, Taverna Kyclades. For ice cream, I go to Cones in West Village and, for cupcakes, to The Little Cupcake Bakeshop in Soho. My favorite museums are The Frick and The Met, and I’m always up for a night of live music and theater. That being said, I also love being a tourist in my own city. I recently had a friend from Amsterdam visit and she took me to all her favorite spots. We explored the vintage stores in Williamsburg, took the ferry to Governor’s Island… It was really nice.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to, first and foremost, dedicate my shoutout to my parents, who have always shown me unconditionally love and support. It is because of them that I’ve had the opportunities that I’ve had – to study, to travel, to pursue my creative endeavors. They are my rocks and my crying shoulders.

I would like to shout out my acting guru, Helena Wash, who I started studying with during the height of the pandemic. It is actually thanks to Covid that we met! How else would I have worked with a teacher based in Ireland while at home in San Antonio, Texas if not via Zoom during quarantine? It is because of Helena that I feel more curious, more alive to the million intricacies of both life and story.

I, lastly, would like to shout out the friends who’ve been there during the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. They are my patrons, my cheerleaders, my confidants. To the arkies, the actors, and everyone in between – you know who you are.

Website: www.maricruzmenchero.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maricruzmenchero/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maricruzmenchero/

Image Credits
Matt Wade, Jonathan McInnis, AK47 Division, Kyle Bajor, David Noles.