Recently,
Development Assistant Emily Wright sat down with beloved Milagro family
member and actor, Enrique Andrade, for a cup of tea, chatting about everything from his favorite
shows to his overall inspiration for making art…

You have been a beloved actor on the Milagro stage for years now.
 What was your first play at Milagro?

I came into acting later in life.  My first play at Milagro was Bodas de Sangre in 2006, directed by
Olga Sanchez.  It was actually the second time I had auditioned at Milagro, I
didn’t get the first one!

How many shows have you been in total?

Nine.

Though this may be a doozy of a question, which was your
favorite?

Wow!  That is tough.  I can give you my top three. 

My third
favorite was probably Canta no llores back
in 2009.  It was about the great depression at a time when we were feeling the
weight of a great recession.  I felt the show really broke the mold, especially
with the incorporation of song and dance.  Olga directed.

After that, would have to be this past year’s Día de los muertos
production of Raiz.  It was my first
time playing a clown on stage, and I didn’t quite know what to expect.  I was
really delighted by how things came together.  I experienced a lot of new and
surprising acting breakthroughs.

My number one favorite so far would have to be Oedipus el rey.  The talent in that show was enormous.  It was funny
because actors were brought in from LA, and something about that made all the
Portland actors really bring their A-game.  I think the LA actors were bringing
their A-game as well because they were coming from out of town.  We all kept
encouraging each other to do the best we could simply by putting our best foot forward
every rehearsal and performance.  It worked beautifully.  There was rarely a
performance where we didn’t receive a standing ovation!

Though those are my top three, I will say that every show I have done at
Milagro has had little kernels of brilliance, and I have had the privilege to
work with super talented directors and actors each time.  Milagro truly has been
my home

Are you working on anything acting related right now?

I actually just got cast in The
Merchant of Venice with the Portland Actor’s Ensemble!  I am going to be
Tubal and the Prince of Arragon.  It was funny because for the audition I worked
hard to prepare Sonnet 145 and a monologue from Measure for Measure, and in the middle of my monologue I stumbled
on one of the lines and in that brief pause I had a total epiphany about my
character and what they were going through.  It’s funny that you spend all this
time preparing, but you have no control over when a moment of clarity will
come!

How interesting! Well, anyone who has prepared a monologue for an
audition knows that it can be quite a difficult task.  Are you planning on doing
a monologue at the upcoming PATA auditions?

I am.  I am actually adapting a piece for my audition, something
that no one else will be doing and was strongly encouraged by Olga when I
showed her what I was working on.  My inspiration is a poem called Porque me quite del vicio or Why I removed my vice.  It’s a
heart-wrenching poem about a man who is explaining a series of experiences
after his wife passed away, and, ultimately, why he doesn’t drink anymore.  I
strongly encourage you to check it out!

I will!  So, what do you do besides acting?

I am a court certified Spanish interpreter and the county seat
for Washington County. I also am a voice over talent.

I am always so delighted to hear your voice on the MAX,
beautifully announcing all of the ride information in Spanish! It’s so cool to
me that you are el Voz del MAX! 

I also recently performed with the Lexington Philharmonic doing
Piazzolla’s sultry tango opera, Maria de
Buenos Aire. 

Did you sing?!

Ha! I wish.  I was the narrator.  It was a really cool experience
because I got to work with some really talented artists such as the fabulous
mezzo-soprano Solange Merdinian.  I also was challenged to speak in the Buenos
Aires dialect Lunfardo. A very interesting way of speaking that came about in
the late 19th and early 20th centuries among the lower
classes.  It is now a big part of the culture of tango! 

Very cool. Did you have a good time while visiting the south?

I did! It’s funny because the culture I saw in Kentucky is very
similar to the culture I know in Mexico, centered on hospitality and
politeness. 

I love it! Tell me, what’s your inspiration for all of your work?

(After a long pause) Immortality.  Ha! No.  I’d have to say
making connections.  Trying to connect with a greater truth.  It could be a
greater truth in me that is manifested through a character.  There are so many
connections to be made in life and art is a wonderful way to do so. 

In conclusion, finish this sentence for me: it’s not theatre
unless…

The emotions are real.