Photo courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre
Milwaukee Rep Associate Director May Adrales
May Adrales is no stranger to town. As associate director for the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre since 2017, she directed Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights (2018) and an adaptation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm (2018). In an earlier season, she was guest director of The Rep’s production of Dael Orlandersmith’s Yellowman. But even as her professional resume lengthened, with bullet points for directing at Lincoln Center Theater, the Actors Theatre of Louisville, the Cleveland Playhouse and many other venues across the U.S., the Filipina American theater artist was drawn to working in Milwaukee. Last September, she moved here from New York. Off the Cuff caught up with Adrales while she was preparing her new production for The Rep, a play about the Liberian Civil War, Eclipsed.
What are your thoughts about Milwaukee?
I was excited to cast my first vote in the primary last Tuesday. It’s wonderful to be part of a vibrant, eclectic city with so much to offer. This is a city where people take pride in their community and care for it. Though I’m not a stranger to the city, after freelancing here since 2010, I’m now seeing it through the eyes of my eight-month-old daughter, who loves the snow, walks along the river and people-watching.
Your relationship with The Rep began early in your professional career. Tell me about what led you so far away from the coasts and bigger cities to a long career in Milwaukee theater?
I’m driven by creating art that has the power to transform, and I thrive in places that allow me to do that. I found an artistic home at The Rep and a wonderful advocate, mentor and colleague in Artistic Director Mark Clements, whose belief and support of me has truly made me a stronger artist. Surrounded by talented craftspeople and technicians, I can bring my ambitious and creative vision to fruition. The theater attracts top-notch talent and provides a welcoming and hospitable place to create work.
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Do you find that barriers still exist for women and women of color who want to direct theater?
Historically, women have not been given as many large-scale opportunities to direct, and hence, women are less competitive on their resume alone. I do think that is slowly changing as theaters are seeing the benefit of being more inclusive, allowing more opportunities for women and people of color.
Earlier in life, you were involved in social justice work. Do you see directing a play such as Eclipsed as a continuation of that work?
Thank you for remembering that social justice work was at the root of my theater career. I’ve always been attracted to plays that advance the conversation of our most pressing political and social issues of today. I spent a few months in Cameroon, working with women, specifically in sustainable farming methods. My experience there inspired me to champion work that focuses on women and people of color.
The history of the United States and Liberia are inextricably intertwined. Liberia’s story is America’s story. Founded by the American Colonization Society in 1822, Liberia was conceived and eventually bought from indigenous tribes by white Abolitionists and slave owners alike who hoped that slaves, once emancipated, would move there. The colonization disrupted and incited hostilities between the Americo-Liberians and the indigenous peoples, which eventually led to the civil wars. The Americo-Liberians only comprised 4% of the population but controlled the majority of the wealth, government and infrastructure. The U.S. maintained its colonial influence by exploiting the rich resource of rubber. The U.S. supported the Liberian government while it was an outpost against Communist Russia during the Cold War; but America turned a blind eye during the nadir of political instability, the horrific human rights abuse and the decades of civil war.
What do you hope audiences will take with them after leaving a performance of Eclipsed?
It’s immensely important to tell this story. I would like audiences to think more deeply about the U.S. role globally so that we do not turn a blind eye to the repercussions of our policies and actions. I want to show the human face of the destruction that our actions or inactions have caused. I do hope audiences leave with a renewed sense of hope in witnessing the strength and resilience of these women. The women of Liberia survived unspeakable trauma but led the unimaginable peace movement in Liberia, stabilizing the country after decades of war and violence.
Eclipsed runs March 3-29 at the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater, 108 E. Wells St.
