I had the pleasure of chatting with Gloria recently. Fun conversation and I miss seeing her. AND --- Gloria’s background is amazing.
She was born and raised in the Bronx and attended St. Nicholas Elementary School , and started her acting career by playing the Angel in her kindergarten school play, followed by a new play every year. In High School, she participated in school plays and choir performances, as well as being active in the drama, music, and ecology clubs. Gloria received her B.F.A. in Acting from Long Island University where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. In college, Gloria’s portrayal of Ariel in “The Tempest” earned her an Irene Ryan Nomination where she placed as the 1st National Alternate.
After college, Gloria embarked on a national tour (“Great Scientists Throughout the Ages” by the National Theatre for the Performing Arts), and two regional tours “Halfway There” with the Periwinkle National Theatre Company, and various plays in repertoire with the George Street Playhouse Touring Company. Afterwards she settled back to NYC where she worked consistently in theatre doing both plays and musical theatre throughout the NY and NJ area, while constantly in acting and dance classes. In NYC, Gloria landed the role of “J” in NYC’s Off-Off-Broadway hit “Mono” (Critic’s Pick of the week by Time Out NY, Paper Magazine, and NY Magazine in 2004).
In 2004, while still living in NYC, Gloria was cast in “Two Sisters and a Piano” by Nilo Cruz at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, CA. Having had great success in NYC, she relocated to California and immediately got an audition for Jim Carrey’s “Fun With Dick and Jane”. Gloria landed the role of “Blanca”, Mr. Carrey’s nanny. She then guest starred in NYPD Blue.
Gloria continued acting in studio films including “Mother and Child”, starring Annette Bening, Jimmy Smitts, Kerry Washington, Naomi Watts, and Samuel L. Jackson, “Henry Poole Is Here”, directed by Mark Pellington and starring Luke Wilson, George Lopez, Cheryl Hines, and Adriana Barraza and “Fixing Paco,” which was- nominated for an IMAGEN Award for Best Webseries in 2013 and 2014and Gloria played the lead!
Gloria is an acting coach and has private and group classes. Her website is www.gloriagarayua.com, and has a video series for beginning actors.
