Adam Files

I am Adam Files and I blame this all on my dad. My father was the theatre coach in my small home town's high school. And so I was surrounded by the theatre. Immersion grew into interest and interest became participation. I was in my first play when I seven. It was 'Oliver' and I was one of the street urchins. It was being produced by the local university's summer theatre. I hated the rehearsal process. I hated dancing, I sucked at memorizing the songs, and all the adults got the good lines. And it took time out of my precious summer vacation. I was against the whole thing. ...then the show opened. Being on stage with a full house had a way of altering my entire perception of the process. I suppose it's like this for everyone who gives acting a shot. But at seven years old I was already overstimulated and full of myself.

I fell in love with Shakespeare after watching Kenneth Branagh's 'Henry V'. I think I was 9 or 10; probably too young for the battle scenes. But it did lend excitement and power to what might have otherwise come across as dense and consequently boring dialogue. I can recite quite a bit of the Saint Crispin's Day speech to this day.

I ended up doing a lot at the high school level under the tutelage of my father and his former students (who took great joy in corrupting a young prodigal son). Many had gone on to the local college theatre program, but kept in touch with my pa. My father even invited his former students to come back and direct his current students in shows. Once the older (and therefore cooler in the young eyes of your narrator) college students became involved I had no chance of leading a productive life.

Five years of college and seven summers of community theatre later I decided to move to New York. That is where we pick up. An older, if not wiser Adam Files, trying to make his way in the big city, scrounging for a gig under the bright lights while waiting tables to pay the rent.

Thanks for looking me up,
Adam