We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Francesca Bolam a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Francesca, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
I recently wrote and starred in my play “Dream Card” which was selected by RiffRaff NYC and played at Court Square Theater in New York City. RiffRaff NYC is founded by acclaimed, multifaceted creatives, Dorothea Gloria and Joe Staton. The piece was meaningful to me because it explores what it means to leave a place and choose another. Though the use of “choose” is subjective. The play is a story about three British immigrant friends and their experiences in making New York home. I wrote the short play in two days and used a lot of personal experiences to influence the piece. I worked with other immigrant actors where many conversations grew in the rehearsal room, which were then echoed throughout the audience, it was a very moving experience.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
When I was six I joined a classical choir, I went on to having private classical voice lessons. I was always performing as a child. I’m originally from Darlington in the North East of England, closer to Scotland than London. From age 14 I went to London every month to study Musical Theatre with actress Nancy Sullivan. When I was 18 I moved to LA after I was accepted at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy, I graduated at their NYC campus a year later. Life never took a traditional path in the sense I thought it would and I found myself writing more and more. Writing was something I had always done but rediscovered to cope. I did my BFA at The New School in NYC and have since worked with numerous creatives, theatres and organizations as a writer, an actor and an educator.
In my work now, I like to write from experience, I think I grew up in a place where a lot of things are pushed under the carpet and not talked about, those fragments of things not talked about, are often the through lines to my stories and my characters. When I see theatre I want to see things that move me, that shake me to my core, that there is a shared feeling of humanity in. Because of that I write the unapologetic rawness and complexities of life, the gritty and taboo narratives we are often encouraged to be quiet about. For me those deserve to be the loudest. My recent works have spoken to themes of immigration, women’s rights, mental health, relationships and friendships.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
I think in order for artists and creatives to thrive there needs to be spaces that are accessible to them. There needs to be spaces that are accessible to the future creatives. A place where they can cultivate, celebrate and perhaps inspire and be inspired. My friends just opened up a creative incubator for artists of all mediums. A place where people can create and exhibit, share and educate. It’s a dope spot in Bed Stuy NYC, called N.A.ME (Not About Me) currently there’s an incredible painter Oscar Berrio in residence. Even by his presence on the block people are having conversations, and learning more about his work. Often these encounters inspire the viewer to create work in their chosen form. I think spaces like this are crucial to supporting an artistic ecosystem. In terms of N.A.ME, the type of artist will change, the space then becoming a vessel for all types of projects and people. To have a creative home in the community I am in is really special, as an artist it means there are countless opportunities for me to engage with people and art of all kinds and to be inspired by them. Places like this can only benefit both the artist and the community in which they are in.
N.A.ME | 94-96 Saratoga Ave, Brooklyn, NY
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is creating something that resonates with someone. There’s nothing I love more than having a first table read of a play and experiencing actors who are moved by the words. Maybe this is because I understand acting with other peoples words and so when it’s my own, it hits differently. The rehearsal studio is also one of my favorite places where we dive deeper into the characters and the vision for the piece. In “Dream Card”, the last play I wrote and performed in I also created the soundscapes, it is super fulfilling to see a whole picture come together. I know I’ve created something special when I see an audience nodding along or tearing up at something I created.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.francescabolam.com
- Instagram: @francescabolam