Meet Adam Adolfo | Stage Director & Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Adam Adolfo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Adam, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
Great artists exist all around us and as a director, my inspiration usually comes from the brilliance of artists and their work. Everything from photography to contemporary dance, symphonic music and modern art – I never know where my next project will find its inspiration but when it does hit, the only thing I can do is hold on tight and enjoy the ride.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Strong well-informed leadership is vital for the excellence of any arts organization and it must be matched with ambitious groundbreaking art in order to achieve the intended goal – the goal of all art – to provoke thought and provide entertainment. The fusion of artist and administrator is the architecture of Artistic Direction. It is my hope to be part of a theatre that is capable of cultivating a local and regional following that celebrates the intelligence of the theatre makers and the vision of the director all for the education and enjoyment of the audience. What defines a director is the style in which he brings the story to the audience. As a director, I seek to celebrate theatre and its importance in our culture as a powerful device that reflects who we were, are, and will become. Theatre, Opera, Ballet are all, at their very core, storytelling. It is my chief duty as a director to sift through the actions and words in a script to find the story and make it live. When a fierce commitment to staging style and a keen sense of actor development are unified with the design elements of the physical world, and then these are balanced with the fiscal responsibility to the production, theatre not only lives, but thrives. My style is a balance of classical storytelling and contemporary theatre devices, energetic in spirit, distinctively bold and inventive, artist driven, and often highly theatrical in execution. Epic stage pictures; theatrical staging; uninhibited emotion; integration of movement and music to enhance the world of the performance; and an open acknowledgement of the conventions of theatre are all staples of my productions. My ambitious and imaginative story telling style allows the audience to experience the magic and power of theatre. A director can be accused of having a schizophrenic personality, part teacher, coach, circus ringmaster, psychiatrist, and total artist. He must blend a cast’s strengths and weaknesses to paint an image of truth. A performer’s willingness to bare their insecurities, vulnerabilities, and strengths in the rehearsal process for the integrity of a production is a trait I admire in all performers, and I do not take my responsibility to them lightly. Education in the arts is at the very core of my artistic process. I should enhance performers’ skills, making them stronger and better trained then how they arrived to my process. It is that synthesis of student and artist that allows for compelling art. It is not enough to supply an actor with design; we must build a physical world that provokes active participation. Lighting, costumes, and scenic elements are not only for the audience – they must aid the actor in their personal journeys. When working with designers, I challenge them with a phrase that I use to challenge myself, “Reinvent. Do not reinterpret.” The idea being that we do not need to change the story, but rather we need to change how we see the story. In that way, we turn ourselves into something more than designers, directors, or actors: we become the artists that I call theatre makers.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Without a doubt the Donor Reflecting Pool at the Winspear Opera House. It is my favorite spot in the entire city. I suppose it helps that I was able to conceive a full theatre Production utilizing Contemporary Dance, Opera, Musical Theatre, Shakespeare, and Spoken Word to create a unique theatrical experience in that beautiful space.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Artes de la Rosa Cultural Center for the Arts had a huge contribution to the creation of my brand and artistic voice. it was almost like a studio or lab where I was experimenting with art in form and context to create my visions of beauty, theatricality, and ideal art.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adam_adolfo/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DirectorAdolfo
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/director.adam.adolfo