Coffee Talk with a Chola: Interview with Claudia Acosta, Star of ELECTRICIDAD

Recently Artistic Director Adam Adolfo sat down to have some coffee with Electricidad star Claudia Acosta to discuss her return to the North Texas Stage as a young and fierce chola in Artes de la Rosa's regional premiere of Luis Alfaro's passionate adaptation of the Electra Myth. Over coffee, the two laughed, joked, and talk about the special nature of this production.
Photo by Shannon Atkinson

Adam Adolfo: Welcome back to ADLR Claudia...it's been great having you back through our doors the last few weeks...

Claudia Acosta: Thank you - it's so great to be back.

Adam Adolfo: This is your return to North Texas as a stage actor, what is it about Electricidad that brought you back?

Claudia Acosta: Electricidad is strong piece for women and specifically Latina women. Those roles are very hard to come by in American Theater. This play's roots in Greek tragedy remixes a new myth for a culture in great need of exploring their own narratives as Americans. Having also returned to Bass Hall for Peter and the Wolf with Performing Arts Fort Worth, I was more than excited to do this play with my Rose family. An opportunity to play this part on stage that is near and dear to my heart, could not be missed.

AA: What attracts you to Electricidad?

CA: I love her. She is loyal to who she is and where she comes from. Electricidad embodies a history and embraces it with love. The devotion that drives her is her tragedy. The fight to hold on to who you are is within us all.

AA: How do you think this community will receive it?

CA: I hope North Texas audiences will be able access those themes. I think a lot of people may identify with her story and the play can inspire reflection of how our values can effect others.

AA: Being a New York actress, what do you miss about being a DFW actor?

CA: The people will always bring me back to DFW. When you grow with a community, it never leaves you. The amazing artists, performers, writers, directors in my families from Artes de la Rosa, Hip Pocket Theater, Fort Worth Theater, PAFW, Teatro Dallas, Cara Mia Theater Company all made me who I am today. We have such great memories creating theater in DFW that there is no question if I should continue making more.

AA: Any parting words of insight?

CA: I am very lucky to have expanded my professional and personal creative community in New York. New York may have a chunk of my heart, but I will always come home to my incredible powerhouse arts family living in Dallas-Fort Worth. I am blessed.

Q&A with Lee Castro!

Today spend some time with Lee Castro who plays Abuela in the upcoming production of ELECTRCIDAD recieving it's regional premiere at Artes de la Rosa Cultural Center for the Arts!

Q & A with Lee Castro
• Born & Raised: San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Education: Associated Degree Paralegal, Applied Art Degree in Performing Arts.
• Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius
• Audition Song: Big Spender
• First Play/Musical You Ever Saw: La Charca (The Pond) de Manuel Zeno Gandia.
• Must See TV Show: Modern Family, Game of Thrones, & Dexter.
• Why you work in theatre: Theater is magic, anything can happen, you just become whatever character you wish and your on for a free ride.
• First Role: Adela in The House of Bernarda Alba by Federico Garcia Lorca
• Favorite Play: Los Cuentos de Juan Bobo.
• Pop Culture Guilty Pleasure: American Idol, Project Runway, Chopped.
• Pre Show Rituals: Open Chakra's; pray be in peace, in harmony with all staff and cast, I need everybody’s energy - I cannot do it alone.
• Any Theatre Superstitions: Respect the Theater no matter how old, new, humble or state of art. They have a lot of Characters born and died in the Theater because of the energy that the actor gives to them and sometimes they are still around. I believe in Energy because you are open when you gave life to them.
• Something you're REALLY bad at: Math. I'm nothing with out a calculator.
• Stage or screen stars of the past you would most have loved to perform with: Barbara Stanwyck or Robert Moose.
• Music that makes you cry, any genre: I love all kind the music, but Evanescence "woke me up inside" and " Immortal"
• Last book you read: Realiza tu suenos/ Realize your Dreams
• Last good movie you saw: The Help.
• Favorite liquid refreshment: Super Cold Beer. (Dos X, Negra Modelo, Coors light and Presidente).
• Most challenging stage role you've performed: The one I'm working on right now!
• Three things you can't live without: Music, On Demand, and Hot Comb.
• Best thing about Fort Worth & the North Side: Culture, History, architecture, old buildings and of course, the people.


*Photos by Shannon Atkinson

ELECTRICIDAD's DANIELLE REBOLI KNOWS HOW TO GO FOR IT

Today we blog with a favorite among the Artes de la Rosa actress's. Danielle Reboli who has been seen in the past in shows at the Rose Marine Theatre including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Kiss of the Spiderwoman.

Friends have asked me, why “Electricidad”, why a Greek play, why now? Well that’s like asking me, why a Shakespeare, why a musical, why jazz and why gothic rock? They are all my passions. They are all big, larger than life, soulful, spiritual, dramatic, and have something to say, if you’re willing to listen. I never embraced video, perhaps, because while you play it “real”, the real was always too small for me.

Some of my closest friends know my aka is Athena. I was fortunate enough to play her during a Greek production while studying at Baylor. The actor playing ‘Zeus’, and I had to learn to walk on 3’ painter stilts for the opening and closing scenes. The effect was awesome but, have you ever tried to spin around, dance like, on 3’ stilts?! We wore them as often as possible while in the theater building, for a couple of weeks. Yes, that included other classes too, crazy fun.

While playing Athena, I dug into the myth and history of her and love that she’s a brilliant woman, always wanting to solve conflict with reason and negotiation, but if it comes down to it, she can kick some ass if she needs too! I challenge myself to keep that mantra in my professional and personal life, and it has served me well. Inspiring me to “go for it” and picking me up on a sad day.

When I’m not acting (and while I am), I’m a belly dancer as well. I Co-Direct ‘Brazen Bellies’, where my dance name is, you guessed it, Athena. www.brazenbellies.com

I challenge you to think of someone real, fictional, or mythological who inspires you to live big. Even if you’re not an actor with the opportunity to be in a Greek Tragedy, discover your own passions, and live them.

*Photo by Shannon Atkinson

Inside Electricidad with Cesar Hernandez!

Today we play Q&A with actor Cesar Hernandez who plays Nino from the upcoming production of ELECTRICIDAD by Luis Alfaro.

CESAR HERNANDEZ


· Born & Raised: El Paso, TX

· Education: A little in Chuco, a little in Austin, & a little bit here in the Metroplex.

· Zodiac Sign: Born in the year of the Dragon! (also a Capricorn)

· Must See TV Show; Dexter, Breaking Bad, Epitafios.

· Why you work in theatre: It's a great feeling to lose yourself on stage...teatro is a rewarding way to reach the community and stay grounded in your roots.

· First Role: Don't remember the character's name but it was the guy who gets the plate of sardines glued to his hand and loses his pants in Noises Off.

· Favorite Play: Favorite I've been in thus far has been Nuestra Pastorela with Cara Mia Theatre Co.

· Pre Show Rituals: Driving to the theater and doing vocal warm-ups.

· Special Skills: I can knit a scarf of cherry stems with my tongue.

· Favorite Post Show Meal: Negra Modelo

· Biggest On Stage Mishap: Smoking a huge Cheech & Chong joint (tobacco) on stage and parts of it falling out & leaving a smoky trail behind me.

· Something you're REALLY bad at: Snorkeling.

· If you could go back in time and catch any performance, what would it be? Either the Beatles or the Doors live at the peak of their careers.

· Stage or screen stars of the past you would most have loved to perform with: Giulietta Masina, Tin Tan

· The one performance – attended - that you will never forget: Dralion by Cirque du Soleil

· Most played song on your iPod/mp3/cd player: I listen to so much different music on shuffle all the time that it sould be anything.

· Last book you read: The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder by Vincent Bugliosi.

· Last good movie you saw: Sukiyaki Western Django

· Some films you consider classics: Goodfellas, 8 1/2, Seven Samurai, Dazed & Confused

· Favorite liquid refreshment: Cerveza

· Three things you can't live without: Sex, Cultura, y Familia

· Best thing about Fort Worth & the North Side: Rose Marine Theater & tacos


Cesar Hernandez, who plays Nino, pictured with James "Jimmy" Moreno who plays Orestes.

*Photos by Shannon Atkinson

ELECTRICIDAD: WORTH THE WAIT

Today, we blog with Director Yvonne Duque on the upcoming REGIONAL PREMIERE of Luis Alfaro's ELECTRICIDAD!



Worth the wait…

In 2006, when Electricidad was first brought to Teatro de la Rosa, the timing wasn’t right. I had pushed to put it on the season, but it was met with a number of obstacles. Now I know why. Teatro had to run its course and Artes de la Rosa needed to experience its renaissance under new leadership. A friend of mine sent me a message last week - "Electricidad...I know that's a long one in the making". This couldn’t be truer.

Sometimes it is hard to release your dream project and wonder if it will ever find you again. In the arts, we often act on instinct, on the here and now. This is a great idea and I will do this now matter the odds! This kind of conviction can fall either way. It can (1) create exciting, innovative art or (2) compromise your vision by becoming a personal crusade, ultimately watering down what’s most important – the play.

Getting to direct Electricidad, NOW, means doing it for the right reasons and with the complete support of Artes de la Rosa. The personal journey is about the work, the play and not about proving myself as an artist. Ultimately, I’ve already won, DFW is going to have the chance to experience a story that has its roots dating back some 2500 years.


The Cast of ELECTRICIDAD By Luis Alfaro at Artes de la Rosa
...so worth the wait!

Photo by Shannon Atkinson