From acting on stage to writing plays to filming, Jesuit’s new Stage and Film director, Mr. Carlos Acevedo, has done it all. Impressively in both theater and film, he has directed, acted in, produced, and written plays, musicals, and Spanish films and soap operas.
Coming from a professional theater background in his home country of Puerto Rico and the U.S., he has been the producer in his own theater company for twenty-two years and has acquired a long list of credentials with them, “producing somewhere between seventy or eighty shows, including modern plays and Shakespeare.”
In the world of film and television, his renown is centered in acting, although he has directed films as well. “[He] has acted in telenovelas,” the famous Spanish soap operas, but “has directed and produced films and television shows.”
In fact, most of his work has been for a Spanish speaking audience. His main work for English speaking audiences has been in his play adaptations. In Puerto Rico, his company “would take novels, turn them into plays and then perform them for kids from all over the country.” His writing has earned him many awards, most impressively the “Cultural Office of Puerto Rico’s Best Playwright award three times, which no one else has done.”
Most of his work with children has been through the aforementioned novel adaptations, but he has also taught children’s theater before. His work with kids mainly has “been with drama magnet schools,” an impressive accreditation for any theater teacher.
As for his plans at Jesuit, he has “enough ideas to fill up the next ten years.” He wants to start a playwriting class, something previously included in the Theater Arts class. Overall, he “is very excited to be part of the Jesuit Dallas Community.”
The Jesuit theater community is equally excited to work with him, with Santiago Arenas ’18 mentioning his “extreme qualifications.”
In fact, most people talked about his qualifications. Drew Quinn ’19 said “he’s doing things differently, and he certainly knows his stuff.” Jack Mandell ’20 called Acevedo “a breath of fresh air.” Mandell added “having a professional running things really makes a difference.”
Aside from his qualifications, students mentioned his personality. According to Brian Bowling ’20, “Acevedo is really open and friendly.”
Will Florer ’20 said “I like him.”
Matthew Cox ’19 summed it all up the best: “I’m really excited to see what he does with the program. Since [Acevedo] has a background in professional theater, he’ll bring out some good stuff.”
Come see Acevedo’s first work here at Jesuit, see “The Outsiders,” on November 3, 4, 10, and 11! For more on Jesuit Stage and Film, including coverage on the fall and spring plays and the Senior directed One Acts, and all things Jesuit, stay tuned to the Roundup.
