Earning Your Tags, The tradition of #War
Or Why Doing an Adam Adolfo Show
is Like Going to War
Much has been said about the powerful dogtag image being used to
market the Artes de la Rosa production of Man of La Mancha. It is
simultaneously iconic, edgy, and elegant. It also is part of a greater story that
only actors, designers, and musicians who have worked with me before know.
Ask any actor who’s done one of my shows what it’s like and they won’t
flinch as they respond proudly, WAR. What began as a bit of a joke has
transitioned into something that is both inspirational and a source of pride
for theatre artists.
In the Heights actress and Tony Award winner, Karen Olivo, famously
called the process of rehearsal and performance, “Battle”. She says, “My desire
to share my experience, my heart, and my pain became a need. Every evening I
would call our show 'going into battle'. My cast-mates would laugh or sometimes
agree depending on their level of fatigue or illness. However, I meant it. I
was at war with myself.”
The phrase actors in my shows use is, “Doing an Adam Adolfo show is
like going to war…” it even spawned an unofficial rehearsal hashtag (#war). One
snarky actor went further by saying “…specifically the Vietnam war, because it’s
all conflict, there’s no resolution, but you know without a doubt something
important has happened.” The metaphor for the rehearsal process is oddly
appropriate. Tensions are high, and demands are higher. There is a constant
struggle to achieve better and produce stronger, and yet the drive behind it
continues. While it is not life and death like a solider, the commitment
and pride it can elicit are quite similar.
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| A moment from Stolen Shakespeare Guild's HENRY V |
Several years ago, I directed a production of Shakespeare’s HENRY V
for Fort Worth’s Stolen Shakespeare Guild, which I set in a fictional world
that combined imagery from World War II with Elizabethan costuming. The effect was a fairly elegant image of
war. On opening night, I gave the cast a
‘Good Show Gift’, they were dog tags. On the tag was the name of the show, and a
line from the script, “How sweet a thing it is to wear a crown.” To say they
liked it was an understatement, they flipped out and asked if they could wear
them under their costumes… and thus a tradition was born.
Everyone who works on an Adam Adolfo show must earn their dog tag and
they receive their tags on opening night.
It has become something that actors who have been through multiple ‘wars’
look forward to, this opening night tradition that signifies accomplishment.
Adrian Godinez, member of Artes de la Rosa’s Resident Acting Company,
and currently scarring audiences as The Captain of the Inquisition in Man of La
Mancha says, “The dog tags bring back the memories of the show. Dog tags
must be earned after weeks of work and dedication.” Adrian is now on his 5th
or 6th tag. Faith Hope who received her first dogtag with Man of La
Mancha offers, “When you join the military you know full well you are setting
yourself up for exhaustion and pain. You know in the end there will always be
two camps the ones who love and the ones who oppress but you do it anyway
because of the Love you have for this great
country. It is no different in an Adam Adolfo show. You WILL suffer, you will
suffer tears and pain and sometimes even blood but in the end it's worth it all
for the craft we love so dear! We won't always agree with the road taken to the
final product but all roads lead to a group of virtual strangers united under
the same flag of joy and passion for this art.”
Earning your tags, just another way that our artists say, “YO SOY
ARTES DE LA ROSA”.
Three chances left to see Artes de la Rosa’s Man of La Mancha this
weekend! And while here, pick up your souvenir dogtags! #LaManchaFW
Final week this week through May 31st
Friday-Saturday at 8:00, and Sunday at 3:00 pm
For information and to purchase tickets, go to www.artesdelarosa.org
or call 817-624-8333.
