"Effie" Actress, MC, Motivational Speaker

Mary Coustas is the star of Out of Work, Acropolis Now, Wogarama, Hercules Returns and Greeks on the Roof, to name but a few. An icon of Australian comedy, she has won two awards for Best Comedy Performer, a Logie Award as voted by the Australian public and a Variety Heart Award from her industry peers. She is one of Australia's best-loved character actors and comics.

Her new show 'A Corporate Date with Effie' is sure to lighten up any corporate event as she shares her views on selling yourself in a dog-eat-dog world, pursuing what you desire and closing the deal in her inimitable style.

Also an extremely talented master of ceremonies and compere, Effie the Greek Hair-Gel Goddess will have your audience falling off their chairs with laughter. She's also superb at building staff self-esteem, corporate dinners, awards nights, hypotheticals, and debates.

Mary began her performing career with the innovative Handspan Theatre in Melbourne. An invitation to join the cast of Wogs out of Work saw her create her own characters including the inspirational Effie. Confronting Anglo Saxons (Skips) with the own prejudices, Wogs out of Work became the most successful original Australian theatre show ever produced, breaking box office records and touring nationally for over two years.

The show's phenomenal success led to five seasons of the hit TV sitcom series Acropolis Now in which Mary played Effie Stephanides, the Greek hairdresser who stole the show with her big mouth and refusal to take lip from anyone.

From there Mary went on to star in Wog-A-Rama, Waiting for Effie - her one-woman show - and the critically acclaimed Effie X-Posed. In 1998 she performed in the comedy Sylvia for the Melbourne Theatre Company, which received rave reviews. The same year she also hosted the Australian Film Institute Awards.

Mary and Effie's other numerous television appearances include Effie Just Quietly (SBS), Good Guys Bad Guys, Water Rats, Wildside, the animated film The Magic Pudding, the documentary The Ties That Bind, a guest appearance on Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Australian host of the Eurovision Song Contest, and regular roles on Grass Roots and The Secret Life of Us.

Mary wrote and performed her own TV show Greeks on The Roof based on Effie's family home TV studio. As Effie has so much to say, Mary allowed her to write a book, Effie's Guide To Being Up Yourself. Effie also worked on Melbourne's FOX FM breakfast team and recorded the hit single Amigos Para Siempre (Friends for Life) with Norman Gunston. Her film credits include Nirvana Street Murder, Hercules Returns and Mull for which she received an AFI nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Presentation Topics Include

• Staff self-esteem building
  
• Corporate dinners
  
• Awards nights
  
• Community uplifting
  
• Boardroom bonding
  
• A Corporate Date With Effie (hilarious comedy routine)
  
• It's all about Me!
  
• The Effie Effect

Testimonials

“We should pay Effie double - she was quite simply FANTASTIC - particularly Effie's line - "It's not DOG eat DOG - it's WOG eat WOG"!! Everyone I've spoken to also thinks it was the best ever!! - it was a great night."
About Effie hosting The Prime Minister’s Press Gallery Ball

“People are RAVING about it being the best one ever. Seriously raving. It's great. Effie was a sensation & they're raving about her too. And everyone has a hangover."
Chief Political Correspondent SBS Television

“Guys and gals. What a great night! Feedback this morning has been outstanding.... The best Ball ever, is the common view. Effie slayed 'em. As John Howard said, the Ball has become THE Canberra event to attend."
Chief Political Correspondent, The Australian
Chief Political Reporter, Daily Telegraph 

“ Your presence and the comedy spot you delivered were instant hits with our clients and staff members alike. We are still in awe of the way in which you spiced up the information we gave you and delivered it with such aplomb."
Minter Ellison Lawyers

“Thank you again for bringing Effie along to our Consumer Finance “Expo" last week. The feedback from staff has been incredible – they loved the fact that a ‘star’ of Effie’s calibre would come along to an event like this and be so tuned in to the theme of the event."
ANZ Managing Director

“You were a wild success with our students and staff who were inspired by the messages you presented to them."
MLC Principal

“I would like to thank you for your participation in the National Conference, ‘Quest for Excellence’ which contributed to the success of the event."
COO Mortgage Choice

“The standard of entertainment was second to none. As Master of ceremonies, you delighted the audience as well as conveying all our key messages in your uniquely wicked way. It was a night we will all remember."
CEO 2002 Gay Games

“The 11th Annual Mother’s Day Comedy Debate was a great success. I would like to sincerely thank you for the time and effort you put into this event. We thoroughly enjoyed your performance."
Prof. Lorraine Dennerstein AO

“ I want to thank you so much for the wonderful way you helped to carry the debate during our evening of Real Kulcha. Your humour and irreverence were greatly appreciated by the audience and aside from being witty and entertaining, you wowed the crowd with you erudition and understanding of the issues under discussion."
EO English Teachers Assoc. NSW

“Last night was a great success all round, Effie was fantastic and made the event. Everyone was happy." Felicity Reynolds
AMES

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your highly entertaining and professional performance as Master of Ceremonies at the 2005 Pharmaceutical Industry Charity Ball"
MD Princeton Pharmaceutical

“ Wow – what a night! The feedback from guests and staff has been absolutely incredible. Your comical anecdotes were a great hit and your banter with Larry was very entertaining. I can’t begin to thank you for your contribution in making our Client Appreciation Party a night that will be remembered for many years to come."
Comm. Mgr Australia Post

“Just a quick note to thank you for participating in the hypothetical last week. We were very happy with how things went."
AAV Business Comm.

“Thanks so much!! We had an awesome day and Mary made it all the more successful – she was a huge hit."
Senior Mktg Exec Adshel

“Please once again pass our thanks on to Mary for coming down to the lunch. Mission Australia feedback has been fantastic - this is the first time all the kids have left something and been enthused. They thought the whole day was great and absolutely loved Effie. Hopefully if the message has got through to even one of these kids it was worth all the effort."
Macquarie Bank Ltd 

“Just a quick informal note to say Mary did a fantastic job! She was the perfect host for our purposes and she has helped in a big way to make the entire expo a huge success. As a Marketing Comms consultant, I move around many companies and I will not hesitate to suggest to use Mary again." Joanna Cody
ANZ Expo

“My personal thanks and appreciation to Mary for a great, inspirational presentation. Enjoyed by all in attendance. Mary is a lovely, lovely person and I was pleased to have the opportunity to hear her speak and also to meet her personally afterwards."
L.J. Hooker

“Everything went so well at the conference. “Effie" was awesome – she was an absolute hit with everybody!"
Fernwood Women's Health