Hubbry Logo
Laura BonarrigoLaura BonarrigoMain
Open search
Laura Bonarrigo
Community hub
Laura Bonarrigo
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Laura Bonarrigo
Laura Bonarrigo
Laura Bonarrigo
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Laura Bonarrigo is an American actress.[1]

Key Information

Early life

[edit]

Laura Bonarrigo became a member of The Shoestring Players, a professional children’s theater group, while still in grade school.[2] While in high school, her family moved from Massachusetts to a large farm in Thomaston, Maine. She became involved in community theater and in 1981, decided to compete in the Miss Maine National Teenager Pageant. The first year she competed, she came in second and won the congeniality award. She ran again in 1982 and won the overall title in addition to winning the awards for most photogenic, citizenship and again, congeniality. She competed in the Miss National Teenagers Pageant in 1982.[3]

In 1986, she graduated from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, after studying acting, voice and movement. She returned to Maine to continue her acting studies at both the International Film and Television Workshops in Rockport, Maine and the School for Performance Studies. She moved to New York and after doing some modeling, she got an early acting role as the Mother in the independent film The Passing with Marian Seldes and Garrison Keillor.[citation needed]

Career

[edit]

Bonarrigo is best known for her role as the fourth Cassie Callison on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. Before landing the role of Cassie, Bonarrigo played the short-term role of Lindsay on the NBC soap opera Another World in 1991.

On One Life to Live, she succeeded Ava Haddad, who portrayed Cassie from 1983–1986, with a brief reprise in 1990. Bonarrigo portrayed the role from April 17, 1991 to January 1999, winning a Soap Opera Digest Award nomination in 1993 for Outstanding Younger Leading Actress. She left the show in 1999 when she was controversially fired while on maternity leave, something that was widely blamed on then-executive producer Jill Farren Phelps. She made several brief appearances on the series in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004. She returned once again on February 15, 18 and 26 and March 1 of 2010, when Cassie's family was being terrorized. After leaving One Life to Live in 1999 and giving birth to her son, Laura performed as Trish in Five Women Wearing the Same Dress by Alan Ball. Her daughter was born in 2001 at which time she took a break from acting to raise her children in Manhattan.[2][4]

She portrayed the title role in an off-Broadway play by Myra Bairstow entitled The Rise of Dorothy Hale from June 2007 to January 2008. On October 28, 2008 Bonarrigo returned to daytime television in the role of Rebecca Fowler on ABC's All My Children.[5][6]

She returned full-time to acting & modeling, playing Angie in the independent film Concerto, which was a Sundance 2009 Selection and Winner of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Award. She also starred as Kitty in the staged reading of Otherwise by Vincent Crapelli, with Karen Ziemba and Beth Leavel.[2]

In 2009, from June 17 to July 26, she portrayed the role of Elly in a production of Dance of the Seven Headed Mouse at the historic Beckett Theater in New York.[7] John Simon of Bloomberg News, said of her; "Outstanding is the Elly of Laura Bonarrigo, hitherto a model and TV actress; beautiful and talented, she deserves a rich theatrical career."[8]

From 2015 - today, Bonarrigo has established herself as a certified life coach and divorce coach. She holds certifications from the International Coach Federation (ACC),[9] the Life Purpose Institute,[10] and is a CDC Certified Divorce Coach©.[11] Her coaching practice focuses on supporting individuals through divorce, personal transitions, and creative challenges.

Personal life

[edit]

She was married to Marty Koffman from 1995-2013 and the couple have two children. She reverted to using her maiden name professionally in 2013.[2][12]

From 2006-2009 she started and ran Feed Your Mouths helping other moms feed their children healthy nourishing meals & snacks. Since then, she has worked closely with families & individuals interested in changing the way they shop, cook and eat in their own homes.[2][13]

She is a member of the historic acting club The Players.[3]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Laura Bonarrigo

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
''Laura Bonarrigo'' is an American actress and certified life coach known for her long-running portrayal of Cassie Callison on the ABC daytime soap opera One Life to Live, for which she won the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Younger Leading Actress in 1993. She originated the role in 1991 and continued through 2010. Bonarrigo's daytime television career also includes a recurring role as Rebecca Fowler on All My Children from 2008 to 2009 and an early appearance as Lindsay on Another World in 1991. Beyond soap operas, she has performed in off-Broadway productions, including originating the title role in The Rise of Dorothy Hale in 2007–2008, and in independent films such as Concerto, which screened at Sundance in 2009 and won the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Award. After stepping back from acting to focus on family, Bonarrigo transitioned to coaching, earning certifications as an ACC life coach through the International Coach Federation and as a CDC Certified Divorce Coach©. She founded doingDivorce School and related workshops to guide individuals through relationship challenges, separation, divorce, and personal reinvention, while also working as a writer and editor. Her coaching practice draws on her acting background to help clients communicate effectively and embrace resilience in life transitions.

Early life and education

Childhood and early interests

Laura Bonarrigo was born on October 29, 1964, in Brookline, Massachusetts. From a young age, she developed a strong interest in performance and acting. This early passion for the arts led her to pursue opportunities in children's theater, marking the start of her engagement with storytelling and audience connection. Her formative experiences in performance during youth laid the foundation for her later pursuits in pageants and formal acting studies.

Beauty pageants

In 1981, Laura Bonarrigo competed in the Miss Maine National Teenager pageant, a scholastic competition that judged entrants on poise, personality, appearance, and scholastic and leadership qualities. She placed second and received the Miss Congeniality award. The following year, she returned to the same pageant and won the title of Miss Maine National Teenager 1982, while also earning awards for most photogenic, citizenship, and congeniality. As state titleholder, Bonarrigo advanced to represent Maine in the national Miss National Teen-agers Pageant in 1982. During the national competition, she faced an unexpected challenge when her clothes were stolen. These pageant experiences marked her early exposure to public performance and stage presence.

University education and acting training

Laura Bonarrigo earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theater from Douglass College at Rutgers University, where she studied at the Mason Gross School of the Arts. She graduated in 1986 after focusing on acting, voice, and movement as part of her formal university training. Following her degree, she pursued additional specialized acting training at the International Film and Television Workshops in Rockport, Maine, and completed an intensive four-week course at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, Massachusetts. She also studied with several New York City-based acting coaches, including Kathryn Gately, Lloyd Williamson, Bob Krakower, Daniella Varon, Andrea Haring, and Penny Templeton. This combination of university education and advanced training prepared her for her relocation to New York City and the start of her professional acting career.

Acting career

Early television roles

Laura Bonarrigo began her television career with a guest role in the 1990 ABC legal drama series Against the Law, credited as Laura Koffman for one episode. In 1991, she appeared in a short-term role as Lindsay on the NBC daytime soap opera Another World, with credits for two episodes. Her stint as the minor character Lindsay, a rich college student, ran from January 18 to April 5, 1991. These early appearances marked her initial entries into television acting before her casting in a longer-running daytime role.

One Life to Live

Laura Bonarrigo is best known for her long-running portrayal of Cassie Callison (also known as Cassie Cramer) on the ABC daytime soap opera One Life to Live, where she was the fourth actress to portray the role. She joined the series on April 17, 1991, and continued in the part until January 1999, making it her most prominent and extended acting credit in daytime television. During her primary tenure on the show, Bonarrigo earned recognition for her performance and received a nomination for the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Younger Leading Actress in 1993. Her time on One Life to Live ended controversially in January 1999 when she was fired while on maternity leave, a decision widely attributed to then-executive producer Jill Farren Phelps. Bonarrigo later made brief returns to the series in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004, followed by recurring appearances in February and March 2010.

Later soap opera appearances

After her primary run on One Life to Live, Laura Bonarrigo returned to daytime television with a recurring role as Rebecca Fowler on All My Children. She appeared in the role from October 28, 2008, to 2009, for a total of 17 episodes. This stint represented her final daytime soap opera credit.

Theater and film credits

Bonarrigo originated the title role of Dorothy Hale in Myra Bairstow's off-Broadway production The Rise of Dorothy Hale, which ran at St. Luke's Theatre from June 2007 to January 2008. In 2009, she portrayed Elly in Carole Gaunt's Dance of the Seven Headed Mouse at the Beckett Theater from June 17 to July 26, 2009, earning praise from critic John Simon of Bloomberg News, who described her performance as outstanding. Bonarrigo also performed as Kitty in a staged reading of Vincent Crapelli's Otherwise, appearing alongside Karen Ziemba and Beth Leavel. On screen, she played the Mother in the independent film The Passing, sharing credits with Marian Seldes and Garrison Keillor. Credited as Laura Koffman, she starred as Angie in the 2009 short film Concerto, directed by Filippo Conz, which was selected for the Sundance Film Festival and won a Hollywood Foreign Press Association Award. In addition to her stage and film work, Bonarrigo has done modeling and appeared in a commercial for Black Flag insecticide.

Later professional activities

Family and health initiatives

During a break from acting to raise her children in Manhattan following the birth of her daughter in 2001, Laura Bonarrigo founded Feed Your Mouths in 2006. The initiative focused on helping other mothers feed their children healthy, nourishing meals and snacks. She ran the company from 2006, working closely with families interested in changing the way they shop, cook, and eat at home. Bonarrigo also coached a few nearby families on providing tasty and nutritious meals for children, drawing from her own emphasis on strict nutrition standards such as avoiding sugar and refined flours.

Life and divorce coaching practice

Laura Bonarrigo began her relationship coaching business in 2015, transitioning from her acting career to focus on supporting individuals through life transitions. She holds an ACC Certified Life Coach credential with the International Coach Federation (ICF), is a Certified Life Coach from the Life Purpose Institute, and is a CDC Certified Divorce Coach©. Bonarrigo founded doingDivorce School, an online group program designed to help men and women understand the divorce process and pursue healing to avoid future dysfunctional relationships. She also established The Scarlet D™ Workshops and The Scarlet D™ Letters to provide additional resources for those navigating divorce. In addition, she serves as Mentor Program Coordinator for the CDC Certified Divorce Coach© Training Program. Her coaching specialties include post-divorce coaching for men and women, starting over after divorce, dating after divorce, resilience and resourcefulness, surviving an unwanted divorce, life coaching for actors, coaching adults whose parents are divorcing, and coaching individuals who want to remain happily married. Her approach to coaching is informed by her acting experience, which she applies to help clients communicate effectively and adapt to new identities and goals. Laura Bonarrigo has contributed as a divorce expert writer to YourTango.com, authoring articles that provide guidance on divorce recovery, relationship dynamics, marriage challenges, and personal empowerment. Her pieces often draw on her professional experience to address emotional and practical aspects of these topics, helping readers navigate difficult transitions with clarity and self-compassion. Representative articles include "4 Things Divorced People Feel Such Deep Shame About — Even When They Know It Was The Right Move," which explores lingering emotions post-divorce; "5 Expert-Backed Reasons Why Saying 'I've Had Enough' Can Be Good For Your Marriage," examining when ending a relationship may benefit both parties; and "Divorce Coach Reveals 5 Sad-But-True Things To Expect When Your Marriage Ends," offering realistic expectations for the aftermath of separation. Other contributions cover dating after divorce and broader issues like self-esteem, trust, and financial well-being in the context of life changes. Through this platform, Bonarrigo shares insights aligned with her philosophy that divorce, while deeply personal and common, can lead to successful new chapters when approached with intentionality and support.

Personal life

Marriage and children

Laura Bonarrigo married Marty Koffman in December 1995. The couple has two children, a son and a daughter. Bonarrigo gave birth to her first child, a son, in 1999, while on maternity leave from her role on One Life to Live. This period marked a break from acting as she focused on raising her family.

Divorce and later years

Bonarrigo and Koffman have filed for divorce and are estranged. She uses her maiden name professionally.

Affiliations and interests

Bonarrigo maintains professional affiliations through her membership in SAG-AFTRA and Actors' Equity Association. She is also a member of The Players, a historic club dedicated to actors and theater professionals. In 1995, she served as Miss Azalea Queen for the North Carolina Azalea Festival. On a personal level, Bonarrigo enjoys wild flower gardening, beach sunsets, and hiking in the woods.
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.