We look to the past to shape our future. Who are you? Where are you going from here?

My name is Adam P. Blais and I am a Maine based Director, Choreographer and Educator. If the Pandemic has taught me anything, it’s that I spend far too much time worrying about the future when I should be focusing my energy on living in the present moment. To answer the question: I’ll let you know when I get there.

What most excites you about being a part of TAM’s (R)evolutionary Redux Season?

I’m most excited to be back in the rehearsal room and to be collaborating again with TAM. While we were all disappointed that we were unable to bring A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder to the stage last fall, I am beyond thrilled to have been given the opportunity to work on Daddy Long Legs this summer.

We’re all about making old things new and new things classic. Why are you drawn to Classic Theatre? How do you shake it up?

 

I believe that there are no new stories, only new ways of telling them. It took approximately 100 years for Jean Webster’s novel Daddy Long Legs to make its way to the stage. While audiences may be more familiar with the 1955 film starring Fred Astaire, I am looking forward to returning to Jean Webster’s source material and (re)introducing audiences to the story of Jerusha Abbot and Jervis Pendleton by way of this delightful new musical.

From what sources do you draw your inspiration?

My inspiration is drawn from a variety of sources. Sometimes it is a family member, friend, or colleague, other times it might be a book, a piece of art, or something out in nature. If I had to identify a common source or theme, I would say that I am always inspired by risktakers. People and things that are brave enough to take chances, seize opportunities, and revel in exploration.

You can have dinner with any three influential people. Who are your dream guests, why them, and what is the topic of conversation?

My answer to this question might change from day to day, but tonight’s dinner guests are Nathan Lane, Barack Obama, and Celine Dion. Not only do I respect their individual bodies of work, but I also admire their abilities to fill each public moment with humor, vulnerability, and grace.

Topics of conversation would include: daily routines, proudest accomplishments, failures and struggles, and advice for the future.  

What recent revolutionary acts are you most proud of?

I am most proud of all the artists behind the We See You, White American Theater movement. Not only has their call for anti-racism, representation, and equity gained traction in theaters across the country, but it has also caused me to reflect on my own creative practices and the past choices and behaviors that maybe may have contributed to an inequitable theatrical system.

What’s your superpower?

Being able to get an extraordinary amount of work done in a short amount of time.