ANDRÉS LÓPEZ-ALICEA
Well.. who am I? A proudly Puerto Rican director, actor, and teaching artist based in New York. Graduated from The New School for Drama with a degree in MFA Directing. Back home I studied at the University of Puerto Rico with a degree in both Architecture and Drama. In 2010, I founded the company, Arte Zanquia’o, where I directed, produced, and acted in a variety of performances that ranged from improv shows to original works.
In 2015 I came to New York, where I joined the creative team of Teatro LATEA, producing improv shows with the award winning theater company, Teatro 220. As an actor I enjoy the opportunity of playing someone that I’m not and to connect with the audience by making them experience the character’s emotional journey.
As a Director, I enjoy building a world with a group of collaborators in order to tell a story that can transcend the pages. My work as an artist has been seen in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Williamstown Theatre Festival, St Peter’s University NJ, Oregon Shakespeare Festival and The Village Theatre in WA. In New York at The Tank, NYU Tisch Musical Theatre, LATEA Theater, Story Pirates, The New School of Drama, MCC Theatre, Playwrights Realm, Ensemble Studio Theatre, The Cherry Lane Theater, The Song Collective and many more. In the past years I’ve been awarded with the 2019/2020 Clubbed Thumb Theater Directing Fellowship and the Roundabout Directors’ Group 2021-2022. As for my teaching experience, I have to say it… I LOVE TEACHING!. I’ve been blessed to have been part of the teaching staff at Rybin Talent & Studio of Drama in Manhattan, Raíces Summer Camp and at The New School. Places where I shared my knowledge in Theatre and TV and Film, inspiring every student to pursue this art with dedication and passion.
HOW I SEE ART
My passion for acting, directing, design, movement and visual arts have defined who I am: a multidisciplinary artist. Out of all of these it was, however, directing that drew me in and became the avenue to express my love for collaboration, captivating stories, visual storytelling, and devised theater. My work is a reflection of my life experiences.
As part of my collaboration process, language, architecture, improvisation and movement are the primary tools I use to communicate the magnificence of life to the audience. Being a native Spanish speaker from Puerto Rico, I am committed to immersing myself deeply into the text to understand the world the playwright has created. With my architectural knowledge I learned how to create a visual storytelling that is both functional and beautiful through form and space. A great tool when it comes to expressing my ideas to the design team, inspiring a fluid and creative communication. Improvisation, which I have developed thanks to my training in this discipline, has given me the mental agility to say “yes and”, allowing me to create unexpected and spontaneous moments within the rehearsal process. This provides the opportunity to open a dialogue with the actors to explore the possible interpretations and approaches to the text. Lastly, as a trained actor in movement, I find expressive ways the human body can embrace space to connect emotionally and visually with the story. Applying these tools, I can achieve a productive and successful collaborative environment.