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.

A View From The Bridge - TEASER TRAILER

A View of A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE with Chorus Member Laura Watson

One of Director Adam Adolfo's goals in the bold staging of A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE includes the inclusion of a 'community Greek chorus'. Today we blog with a member of the chorus, Laura Watson, as she share's with us her insight into this take on the modern Greek Tragedy.

One of the many hats I wear, in addition to working actor, is the as the (dreaded) theatre critic. But the reason I do it (despite the obvious conflict of interest it can create inside this tight knit theatre community of DFW) is more than a compulsive need to share my humble opinion which I respect very much. Imagine- it’s actually my job to sit and watch theatre! To react as I see fit- with laughter or tears, and at times loathing. I am asked by both the production and my readers to go with complete abandon on whatever journey lies ahead of me. The review is simply a reflection of this journey in hopes of making future journeys better.

Ironically, the job of the Greek chorus is, among others, “to show how an ideal audience might react to the drama” (August Wilhelm Schlegel). Now, not only am I part of this amazing production, but my job night after night as a member of the chorus is to sit and watch it- reacting as I feel motivated to, and thereby guiding the audience through the multiple reactions they themselves might be experiencing. All of this heightens the experience for both the audience and the actors.

As the ever excited about her latest project actor, I find myself constantly promoting the show to family, friends, and complete strangers on the street.
“How wonderful!” they all say, “I love A View from the Bridge. What role are you playing?”
I proudly beam and say, “Chorus.”
Dead silence follows.
“Did you make it into a musical?”
“No, it’s the original text.”
“Um, Laura? There’s no chorus in A View from the Bridge.”
“There is now!!”

In his research, our Director Adam Adolfo came across interviews and essays by Arthur Miller about how A View from the Bridge was his attempt at a modern Greek tragedy. Adam took it one step forward by adding the traditional Greek chorus. Not just a traditional Greek chorus, but a purposefully multi-racial chorus centered on a Dominican family.

This is only the tip of the iceberg- Adam is adding layers upon layers to this production, all of which we as actors are discovering were within this text all along.

As the Irish chorus girl, I might stand out a little in a play about Dominican immigrants. However, my cast mates made me an honorary north side Latina, and Adam makes sure that I’m in the head of my character- a recent 20-something Irish immigrant new to life in Red Hook so that I can give the Irish viewpoint and reactions to the story.

As actors, we often sit around talking about things we observe during rehearsals, new revelations that are fueling a brief moment in the play. Perhaps over a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Clusterfluff ice cream, the different racial, ethnic, and cultural viewpoints are all openly and honestly discussed. It’s enlightening to me, both as an actor and as a member of this diverse society. This may not be 1957 Red Hook, but, relatively, few things are different.

In the end, our audience- regardless of color- will have a wide variety of reactions to this story. Some will love Eddie, others will hate him, and others will simply mourn for him. There is a character for everyone to identify with, and their personal attachments will shape their ultimate judgment of both these characters and this production.

So, come see Artes de la Rosa’s A View from the Bridge. It is our modern Greek tragedy. Or justice. Or absurdism. It depends on what your view is.