Where the Magic Happens: An Interview with Adam Pascal
Over this past summer I was fortunate enough to get to meet one of my artistic heroes, the incredibly talented Adam Pascal. Adam, though highly accomplished in the world of theatre, is most known for his originating the roles of Roger in Rent and Radames in Aida. What you might find surprising, given his status, is his humble attitude and somewhat self-depreciating sense of humor. He is also truly one of the nicest, most down to earth people I’ve ever met-celebrity or otherwise. I asked him a few questions about his life and his career; these are his responses:
Anna Mae Kersey: What inspires/motivates you?
Adam Pascal: I am motivated by material that is unique or original. Also fresh interpretations on classic material. Material that reveals the truth of the human condition. Whether it be joy, pain, love, fear, sorrow. As a performer, the more truth in the material, the easier it is to inhabit.
AMK: What do you look for in a song? What, to you makes a song great?
AP: A great song can’t exist without a great melody. You can get away with mediocre lyrics and uninspired arrangements, but without a good melody, the song is immediately forgotten. The goal of songwriting should be to create something people want to hear again and again.
AMK: Has there ever been a time in your life when you felt like giving up on an artistic career? What sustained you?
AP: I feel like giving up all the time. This business can be brutal. The emotional toll it takes on a person to have to prove themselves over and over, to expose themselves in the most intimate ways only to be told “no” can be devastating. However every once in a while you get that job. That’s where the magic happens. Where your “tank is refilled” and it all becomes worth the struggle. You are sustained through to the next emotional roller coaster that always lies ahead.
AMK: What is the most encouraging experience you’ve had in the arts?
AP: Having the opportunity to play the Emcee in Cabaret on Broadway. I proved to myself that I was capable of so much more than I ever thought. It gave me a confidence as an actor that I had never had before. It also gave me a respect for the craft of acting that I had not had up to that point.
AMK: What would you say your message is as an artist?
AP: I don’t have a message as an artist. I have a message as a human being which is to make what you do a part of who you are and not the whole of what you are. Be able to find joy and satisfaction in life beyond what your chosen profession is. If you’re lucky, you will love what you do. But if that is all you love, you will forever be empty
