‘Sesame Street’ actress leaving the show

Sonia Manzano, who has played Maria on ‘Sesame Street’ for 45 years, has announced that she is retiring. The 65-year-old told the audience her plan to retire at the American Library Association Annual Conference in San Francisco. Manzano as shopowner Maria in 1971 and has since worked as a writer on the show, earning 15 Emmys. The actress has not ruled out a return for the show’s 50^th anniversary in 2019.