ADELINA ANTHONY

"Adelina Anthony and Sharon Bridgforth are blessings and vital forces in the theatrical realm. Combined their teachings call-and-respond with political, social, cultural, and heart relevance. From Anthony, I learned that our written and performed work engages in national dialogue. Because our word expands conversations, we as people of color and queer people of color cannot take our race, class, sexuality, ethnicity, and social economic status for granted. With her Finding Voice Facilitation Method, Bridgforth taught me that all the information we need is inside us, in our blood, in our memory, and it is imperative that the resource of ourselves is acknowledged so that we can be effective artist in the world. Anthony and Bridgforth’s teachings continuously incite my practice and inspire expansion."

porschia l. baker
playwright-performer

"Both Adelina Anthony and Sharon Bridgforth approach their teaching with extreme rigor, clarity of intention and radical generosity and, in turn, demand the same of their students' writing. The type of work they do requires you to reveal your deepest desires, to stand inside your fullest potential and to live out your dreams. Much more than a writing workshop, they create a space where we can document - scream, cry, dance - our lives out loud, unapologetically."

Virginia Grise
published writer & award-winning playwright 

"A quote won't come close to expressing the gratitude and love I have for both of them, nor would it adequately capture the profoundly transformative ways their classes, workshops, commitments, and lives as Artists have impacted and continue to impact my life for the better. My life changed in the Summer and Fall of 2008, when I took my first Teatro Q class with Adelina and then followed that up by taking the delta dandi Master Class at Scripps with Sharon. From that point on, I knew I was in for an once-in-a-lifetime journey of uncovering and embracing the Artist in me. Lately, I have felt challenged. How do I reactivate the Artist in me and let it emerge and exist alongside and in conversation with the Academic I am right now? And then I remember the incredible power of writing from the soul, the life-work of Excavating, Exploring, Examining, and Articulating our desires, the necessary work of "digging up the dirt" in order to reach our truths, in order to tell our stories, in order to change our world. The value of community they both create with their classes, workshops, and performances cannot be overestimated, nor can the life-changing power they carry for those of us who are queer people of color living in this world. And so I thank them from the bottom of my butcha heart for the gifts of Teatro Q, delta dandi, and the lives both continue to lead as Artists in our world. "

Mel Hidalgo
Artist, Assistant Professor at  Pitzer College

"In 2006 I got the opportunity to work with Sharon Brigforth through The Austin Project. This time cannot be measured, as I am still learning from the experiences I had. Sharon challenged me hard on the spirit of my work, and for this I am eternally grateful. I may not have the MFA or MA, but I have had teachers who have put me through a ritual based learning of art making, Sharon being one of the teachers I felt reflected me the most. Sharon is an example of never giving up and of survival for genderqeer and masculine of center people, of learning how to unapologetically walk strong in this world by having a loving heart. This is all what you learn and more from working with Sharon. She aides in your understanding of your own work and what its relationship to you is. I have made a career out of art making and it is the voices of teachers like Sharon that remind me why I do what I do and why integrity in art making is the most important element. I adore Sharon for the example she has set forth for us queers and art-makers and am proud to say that I am of the Sharon Brigforth camp, for without her work, I wouldn't be able to do what it is that I do with golden intention.

 

Adelina Anthony and I have collaborated artistically since 2006. I wouldn't be as focused of an artist if not for her. I have taken her Teatro Q classes, been directed by her and have worked with her in other capacities throughout the years. I thought I worked hard, but Adelina is the hardest working queer artist I know - in every venture that we take on, I am amazed by the discipline and focus and dedication she has in art making. Working with Adelina, you will not only learn technique, but you will learn so in the best way that fits your queer body. You will learn how to write better, how to edit your own work, how to pinpoint the keys to making your pieces work better on stage. You will learn all this through a ritual process, and through the exercise of revisiting your work in different ways. Additionally, you will learn about the art of acting and in a way that offers insight into the magic of embodying character, you will learn the difference of writing for the for the page and writing for the stage, you will learn how to tap into your memory or ancestral memory to guide your work.  Adelina will kick your ass, because your lazy ass needs kicking. Truly, working with Adelina will change your art making process, rather, it will take you to the next level. "

D'Lo
Artist-Writer-Director-Comedian-Music Producer

"Working with both Adelina Anthony and Sharon Bridgforth has transformed how I view my life in connection to my own creative work.  They both took me in, not only into their workshops, but allowed me to witness how they work as artists. They are pure genius.  To watch Sharon navigate a room by conjuring voice, movement and the heart of performers and audience is magical. Watching Adelina take her writing and become a chameleon on stage is brilliant. What I most admire and learned from both artists is that nothing is taboo; they push you on the page and in the body. What needs to exist comes forth, no matter how controversial it might appear.

In 2008, Sharon challenged my writing and the emotional process that came with my creative work. She showed me to walk through the darkness and find the voice, the experience that was meant for the page. She helped my whole being become connected in my work, be it as a writer or performer. Studying with Sharon is unforgettable, she guides you with gentleness and uses her intuition and heart to get your writing to the place it's meant to exist. Sharon is a special spirit, holding space with her will transform your life. Guaranteed.

I've known Adelina for over 6 years: as her student I learned writing, acting, stage management and, most importantly, I learned how to tie all components of story and character into existence. Learning from her is hard work, because she will pinpoint your strengths and capacities, and then will raise the bar on your expectations and teach you how to become the artist that you’re meant to be. So that when you walk into the world and compete for those roles...you know exactly how to tap into those techniques and feelings. Before coming to Teatro Q I was shy and insecure, now I've taken what I've learned and I’m able to tackle difficult roles that I would have never accepted in the past. Recently, I had the privilege of being directed by Adelina in her short film "Forgiving Heart," where she continued to be a teacher, guiding me through the process of character building, because of this I executed the best performance I could have given.

Their commitment to bring forth the best of me as an artist and as a person was a long process that both broke me and reshaped me, each in their own special way.  I'm forever in their debt. "

Karla Legaspy
Writer-Actor-Artist