University of St. Thomas junior Adam Jones will be playing Sven in the Children’s Theatre Company’s production of Disney’s “Frozen” from April 15 to June 15. Staff reporter Livy Dunlap spoke with Jones to discuss managing his days as a full-time student and professional performer.
Livy Dunlap: Hi Adam, thanks for meeting with me! Tell me a little about the production that you are practicing for right now.
Adam Jones: Hi Livy, yes of course! So I am currently in rehearsals for “Frozen,” the musical, at the Children’s Theatre Company. We rehearse five days a week, Thursday through Saturday, nine hours a day.
LD: I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with The Crest. With that being said, how do you manage your time between being a full-time student and performing in a professional production?
AJ: Luckily, with this production, I was cast in the summer so I was able to maneuver my schedule in a way that could make it work. With that being said, I’m taking 8 a.m. classes every day of the work week and then I have a Monday night class from 5:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m., as well as an online philosophy course.
LD: That sounds like a busy schedule! Could you walk me through a typical day in your life right now?
AJ: Yeah, so I get up and meal prep for the day, and then I head to my 8 a.m. class. After that, I’ll typically go to the gym. If I don’t have time because of homework or something else, I’ll skip that to go back and finish up my work before I head to the theater, around 12:30 p.m. to 9:30 at night. I’ll then come back to do a little bit more homework if I can, and then it’s just rinse repeat for the rest of the week.
LD: With having such a demanding schedule, what do you do to avoid burnout?
AJ: I try to stay on top of work as much as possible. I have Sunday and Monday off from the theater. That’s when I will try to get all of my homework and assignments turned in for the entire week; I am a business student so it makes life a little bit easier with all that. With the theater, the cast is so great and the creative staff is so wonderful that I enjoy going to the theater. It doesn’t even feel like work most of the time, so I really don’t get burnt out from that, but it does become kind of a hassle knowing that I have to stay caught up with the show while also doing good on assignments and exams.
LD: What kinds of sacrifices have you had to make to keep up with your schedule?
AJ: Definitely my social life. I think I’m always doing something productive at all hours of the day. I don’t have much time to sit and relax or hang out with friends or go out and party on the weekends, but that’s just the sacrifice I am more than willing to make.
LD: You have touched on this a bit, but, have you ever found yourself doing schoolwork backstage in between scenes or do you pretty much have a one-track mind while at the theater?
AJ: Yes and no. Since I am only in the third week of rehearsal now, I spend a lot of my time focused on the theater aspect and learning the scenes or trying to connect as much as possible with the cast. That being said, when performances start, and there will be less memorization and needed focus, I’ll end up doing homework when I am not on stage.
LD: How has working with the Children’s Theatre Company shaped your growth as a performer so far?
AJ: So this is technically my first professional contract with the theater. I have been doing theater my entire life. Before I came to St. Thomas for business, I was debating just going and getting a BFA or moving to New York and performing full time, but I decided to come here, and I’ve had a great time so far. I love it, but I just started to miss theater more and more, especially performing. I’m the president of the theater club here, so we go out and see shows as much as possible. But I just missed performing, so I ended up auditioning and got in. I am very grateful for the opportunity to work with such a talented cast at the Children’s Theatre, plus our director is incredible; she’s from New York, and this is a big opportunity. It’s a really reputable theater, and I’m proud to be working with all of the nice people.
LD: As the president of the Theater Club here at UST, how do you bring your professional experience back to your peers?
AJ: From being a performer in the Twin Cities, I have a lot of experience and knowledge of the Twin Cities theater scene, which is really helpful for making connections with theaters. When I go to purchase tickets for the club, it’s helpful to be like ‘Hey, I know so-and-so in the production right now, we have worked together before,’ and things like that. But also now that the club is doing performances — we have our spring play, “The Crucible” coming up — I think I am going to try to put a little more input into that. We have a really good student artistic director, Abby Elfner, who really takes charge of the performance side. My role is really just overseeing the entire club, what the club is planning for and going out to see shows. Having some professional experience is really helpful for the knowledge aspect of what shows are playing and where, as well as what would be right for our club.
LD: Do you see yourself continuing theater after graduation, or do you have other career aspirations?
AJ: A bit of both. I couldn’t see myself stopping performing indefinitely, especially after initially coming here and taking a break from it. In my senior year of high school, I was back-to-back doing shows and was in New York for a little bit, so when I came back here I was a little burnt out from theater, so I took a few years off; I just ended up missing it so much. Now that I’m doing it again, I’m like ‘Oh yeah, this is always going to be a thing in my life.’ That being said, I am definitely happy I came to school to get a degree that isn’t in theater. I need that type of security in my life and something to fall back on if I decide to pursue theater as the only thing I am doing.
I have a ton of respect for people who solely do theater, as most of my castmates in “Frozen” are doing that. It is nice to be able to get their perspective on life as a performer, but for me, I see a bit of both. I can always see myself performing, but I can never see it being the only thing I am doing, I can definitely see myself getting a job at a corporate company.
LD: Do you have any self-care habits or routines that help you stay balanced as a student and a performer?
AJ: Sleep for sure, as I try to prioritize it as much as possible. I eat healthier now than I really ever have in my entire life, and that is helpful to not only stay on track and have the energy to get through the day, but also in the back of my mind, I know that I really can’t get sick because of the show, which is something very new to me as well. Luckily enough, a lot of the actors in the cast are very open to give tips about things like different cough drops they like, foods they eat and things they have found helpful to keep them healthy.
LD: What is the best piece of advice someone has given you about managing being a student and a performer at the same time?
AJ: Definitely to plan out your weeks. I would say I was never really a planner person until this semester, and I’m finding it’s very helpful for staying on top of everything. My Monday and Sunday days off, I will plan out my entire week down to the smallest details, just so I know exactly what I need to be doing. I’m fairly forgetful, so it’s helpful to look back and say ‘Okay, I need to do this, this and then this.’
LD: Is there absolutely anything that you would like to touch on that you feel like we might’ve not discussed today?
AJ: Just that everyone should come see “Frozen” when it opens! It is selling out very well, and the show just got extended, so there are more opportunities to see it. Also, join the Theater Club! Theater Club is really unique here, because a lot of people probably think we just have performances like a drama club, but it really is a two-part club. We offer opportunities like performances, but also chances to go see them, too. Anyone should come check it out if you like musicals even at all!
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Livy Dunlap can be reached at dunl3109@stthomas.edu.
