Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Odsess-Rubin
Hi Adam, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started National Queer Theater in 2018 as a response to the lack of safe and affirming spaces for queer artists in New York City. I had worked as an actor and teacher at the queer theater in San Francisco, New Conservatory Theatre Center, and I was surprised there wasn’t a space like that in NYC. The name National Queer Theater is a campy play on the idea of having a ‘national theater’ for America like they do in Europe- but one that is flamboyant, political, and full of life.
When I started NQT, I was working at the Off-Broadway New York Theatre Workshop in their education department. I wanted NQT to have high-quality free arts education programs alongside our shows, and that’s come to fruition with programming like Staging Pride: Queer Youth Theater, Donja R. Love’s Write It Out! for people living with HIV, and our partnership with PEN America’s DREAMing Out Loud writing class for immigrant writers.
Now, NQT has become an important part of the arts ecosystem in NYC. I’m really proud of how far it’s come, and how many people we’re serving through our queer arts programs.
Personally, I find a lot of joy in running a theater. Outside of work, I continue to direct plays to stay creative. I’ve lived in NYC for 7 years now, and it’s been really good to me.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Running a nonprofit is never easy. But leading a small theater company through a pandemic, racial justice uprising, and changing labor market has been challenging. The pandemic really forced me to hone in on what I was offering through this theater and ensure that our programs could reach people regardless of the ability to gather in physical space. It forced me to get creative. For example, we did a socially-distanced drag show in 2020, and an outdoor festival by the United Nations in 2021.
There’s also this constant struggle to be taken seriously. As a young founder (I was 26 when I started National Queer Theater), I’ve felt like I’ve had a lot to prove. Working with larger institutions like Lincoln Center or Carnegie Hall, we’ve had to hold our own and ensure the needs of our artists and students are being met. One of our company values is ‘fearlessness,’ which I love. I think nonprofit leaders need to be fearless in their advocacy.
Lastly, my Dad’s suicide in 2021 was a personal tragedy that really made me question how I was living my life. I was burning myself out with work, and failing to take care of my mental health. I’m doing better now in finding a work/life balance, and I try to instill this in my employees, artists, and students too. My Dad was a big supporter of the work I was doing with National Queer Theater, and I continue the work in his memory.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I created an international queer theater festival in 2019 for WorldPride alongside some incredible LGBTQ artists from around the world. The Criminal Queerness Festival highlights queer artists from countries that criminalize or censor queer communities. Over 60 countries around the world put LGBTQ in prison for same-sex relations or criminalize gender expression outside the mainstream. This festival allows us at NQT to promote the stories of artists who wouldn’t otherwise be able to produce their plays in their home country. We put on a big festival in NYC, free from censorship. This year, our festival, in partnership with NYC Pride, hosted productions of ‘The Survival’ by Achiro P. Olwoch, ‘She He Me’ by Raphaël Amahl Khouri, and ‘Waafrika 123: A Queerly Scripted Tragic Rise to African Fantasia’ by Nick Hadikwa Mwaluko, three powerful productions from three artists I deeply admire. The festival was at the new Perelman Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center as part of their inaugural season. Working with their Artistic Director, Bill Rauch, had been a dream of mine. The space really elevated the presentation of these plays during Pride Month, when all the attention is on LGBTQ stories.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
My bible is ‘Theatre of the Oppressed’ by Augusto Boal, which is an incredible book that guides a lot of my work. I try to see as much theater as possible, from DIY underground performances in Bushwick to Broadway musicals; it all helps me understand what I like and don’t like. I visit the Drama Bookshop a lot; it’s a wonderful place to read a play or get some work done. I also use a lot of digital tools to help me do my work. My Google Calendar runs my life. I use Airtable a lot for hiring, play submissions, and casting too. I’ve started playing with how AI and ChatGPT can help me with my work, but the jury is still out on that one.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nationalqueertheater.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalqueertheater/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nationalqueertheater/
Image Credits
Adam Odsess-Rubin