User:Maranew

Mara NewAlso known as MARA BELTRAMI-NEW

Born in Milan, Italy and hailing from the Beltrami House of Fashion that was launched in the early 1900's, Mara's family began as tailors and shoemakers and evolved into clothing designers and manufacturers in the early 1920's. To day the House of Beltrami is still active in Italy. In 2004, Mara's passion for clothes had her start the Golden Needle Awards to recognize and award emerging designers. www.thegoldenneedleawards.com

Moving from Italy to France, From France to Australia where she graduated in Architecture and studied acting with Diane Cilento and dance with Roger Hazel, Mara Appeared in many shows and television during her stay in Australia.

Moving to Canada to join a new Dance Group and being sidetracked into radio with her own Radio Show, she took a position with MTV (Multicultural Television) in Toronto, and during her stay in Canada, after seeing the Liberace show; she became friends with his protégée Marco Valenti who later became her brother in law. For two years she booked Marco Valenti on several national tours and got the title as "Road Manager" with the Liberace Show. (Thank you Lee for the introduction).

Happily Married to Ron for over 21 years, Mara is still acting and performing live theatre, doing 3 to 4 plays per year with her favorite theatre called The Sectret Rose, in the NOHO Arts District.

Believing always that "Giving is Receiving", Mara stays active with several charities.

She was given an award, in 2004 as "One of the Most Influential Women in LA; along with Doris Roberts, Carol Connors, Alma Bloomberg, Rhonda Fleming, Barbara Fodor and Margaret Kott.

In June 2006, she was given the Y.E.S. Award (Young Educated Singers) along with Dionne Warwick and Chief Bernard Parks at the LA Blues Festival.

Also in June 2006 she received the "Angel Award" from Reef Check honoring Jean Michel Custeau, along with Cheryl Holdridge-Post and Suzan Hughes.

On December 1, 2006, on the 70th Anniversary of the Southern California Motion Picture Council, she received the Golden Star Halo Award for her preformance in theatre in the role of "Wife" in the play by A. R. Guerney "The Problem". Other recipients were: Jayne Meadows, A.C. Lyles, Stella Stevens, Anne Jeffreys, Katie West, Gregg Palmer, Richard Anderson, Billy Davis Jr. and Marilyn McCoo, Morgan Woodward and Richard Anderson.

Other awards are listed under the category "Awards".

She is an accomplished Painter having won several European Competitions and she had the priveledge to meet Pablo Picasso with her mentor Huala Dio whom she became good friends after she was one of the judges at the Pro Loco Painting Competition.

Mara and her husband are currently involved in producing CD's for Jazz/Blues Artist Barbara Morrison and recently promoted the "LA Blues Festival" with great success.

They are also proud of their Art Collection, several of their paintings have been loaned and displayed in different museums throughout the country while touring with "The Spirit of Art Nouveau".

She is currently busy with her internet TV show called "Boutique Discovery" and preparing for her next original stage production of "COCO" where she will be playing a one woman show. Opening at the Sectret Rose Theatre, Spring 2007. Currently rehearsing for the Play by Art Shulman "The Rabbi and the Shiksa", opening at The Secret Rose Theatre, February 28, 2008. www.secretrose.com click The Rabbi and the Shiksa.

Her dream? Acting in the Theatre and to start a museum dedicated to Art Nouveau and to open a theatre in Hollywood with International Productions. Brush up on her piano and dancing and most of all to spend more time in her country home in Tuscany.

!n 2010 will be starring in two features films, one independent and one with Global Star Films.