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By Elizabeth McPherson Our next featured artist comes from the field of Performing Arts. Tony Rodriguez is an Instructor and Actor located in Fresno, California. His background includes various genres, including theatre, film, and dance.
TCP contacted Tony about his challenging career. Here’s what he had to say:
TCP: Can you describe your field of Art?
Tony: It has been two fold: the first is straight up ministry in theater with Higher Calling Productions for about nine years now, traveling up and down the Valley acting my heart out for Jesus. For the last seven years, I've also been teaching Performing Arts to at-risk kids in an after school program that was funded by Fresno County Probation. It's a way to prevent these kids from getting into trouble and also to teach them how to stay out of trouble; so in almost everything that we taught we tried to put a life skill in it. If it was a play or commercial then there was a message. If it was a dance then the song that we picked had a message. Sometimes, we did things for pure enjoyment like Salsa. We are currently developing a stage assembly to sell to schools so that we can travel though the state again; except this time, through the school system.
TCP: What drew you to your craft?
Tony: To be honest, I wanted to try something new. I’ve always wanted to try acting a little more so I did and it just grew from there.
TCP: Any formal training (i.e. college or tech school)?
Tony: Yeah, I’ve had a little from Fresno City and Fresno State, mostly from City, some great years there.
TCP: How often do you work on your craft?
Tony: Every moment I’m awake! (Just kidding) But really, I’m always thinking of new script ideas and when I’m preparing for speaking/preaching engagements, I like to add in elements of acting.
TCP: Do you ever struggle with rejection in your field? If so, how do you overcome it?
Tony: Oh yeah. Fortunately, I’ve had more positive than negative. It was, and still is, hard to take rejection. It took me years to not take it so personally. I’ve had to change my mind-set and let it build me up and make me better. Like anything else, you have to continue to look in the mirror and find things to make you better at what you’re working on. I never stop learning.
TCP: What do you think the role of Art should play in society?
Tony: I would love to think that it would be honesty and truthfulness. This next generation is pulling away from reading and into watching, but most of what they watch is tainted reality. Maybe the Arts (mostly talking about theater) can reclaim reality. It’s not always a happen ending.
TCP: Do you think there is a lack of Christian involvement in the Arts, overall?
Tony: No. Lack of professionalism, yes! We box ourselves in. Too many times we accept what we have and do not try to achieve greatness. I’m guilty of doing that too. My challenge is to live as if there is NO BOX. Forget about inside the box, outside the box, there is NO BOX! God is way too big for anything else.
TCP: What was your favorite project and why?
Tony: The “Grapes of Wrath” at Fresno City! So much fun. It was my first “professional” audition and play. I didn’t expect much, but I got the third most important role. With a cast of about 50, I thought I’d be lost in everything but I managed to pull through. My other favorite was a short film, “Divas”, I did with one of my middle schools about five years back mostly because I was able to get an awesome performance from such young kids. Also, because it was one of my favorite scripts that I’ve had a hand in writing. Some of the other things that we've done with the kids are short films, theater shows, commercials, stomp/step, dance, salsa, origami, rap, and crash (like Broadway's STOMP).
TCP: Do you represent your faith in your work? If so, how?
Tony: Definitely! When working in the schools you have to be creative with how you do it. You can’t say Jesus but you can surely use his teachings. A lot of it has to do with how I live; I live my life as an example to these kids. They’re not dumb, they notice there’s something different about me and they ask questions. I can’t hide anything, especially after they look at my myspace page. I don’t hide that I’m a 30 year old virgin, or that I act in plays that talk about Jesus or that I just love people.
TCP: Any advice for ‘wanna be’ performers?
Tony: Keep growing! James says it best, James 1:2-4, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
TCP: Is there any other work you’d like to try?
Tony: As far as any other types of work that I want to do...Well, I’m pretty open to anything. I love trying new things and pushing myself. My passion is film and working with kids. I personally would like to do modeling but, I’m not to sure if I have the face for it, my eyes are a little off, lol.
I totally love to work with other people, organizations, churches, faiths, whatever. It’s one of my favorite things to do, especially when it’s the body of Christ working as one. I guess you could say I am getting tired of us doing things on our own. I heard John Maxwell say once, “No one has ever done anything of significance by themselves.” We need each other; it’s funny I just talked about that the other day.
To learn more about Tony Rodriquez, visit: http://www.myspace.com/jtrs Discuss this article on the forums. (0 posts) |
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