Maria Zurita Ontiveros is an international student, University Scholar, and award-winning director from Mexico City, Mexico. She is a Theater Studies and History double major with a minor in German. Previous work includes directing Hoof’n’Horn’s production of In the Heights by Lin Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegria Hudes, directing Duke Players’ production of Title of Show by Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell, as well as stage managing, performing, puppeteering, makeup designing and lighting various shows with Duke Players, Hoof’n’Horn and Duke Theater Studies.
Her interest in directing stems from a profound love of research and storytelling, and the need tell stories that have been sidelined and underrepresented. As a Latina director, she hopes to bring to light untold stories which are as relevant and as moving as the established and predominantly white theater canon. She has trained as a Theatermaker in Mexico City, London, and now the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center.
Maria is also one of the two Executive Producers of Duke’s oldest theater group Duke Players, and an instructor of a house course on education and inequality in Durham.