Ana Maria Campoy is a first generation Mexican-American theatre artist who works as an director, actor, teaching artist, and translator throughout Puget Sound.
She happy to be working with fabulous Pork Filled Productions again, where she played one of her favorite roles as Lady Sophia/Sophie in The Clockwork Professor, the first play in the New Providence series. Her other notable roles include Lucia in Fade (Seattle Public Theater), Catherine in a bilingual adaptation of Proof (Thriving Artists/Proof Porch Project), Rayna in Above Between Below (Seattle Children’s Theater), Shawn u/s in The Lamp is the Moon (Seattle Children’s Theater), Susanna in Blood/Water/Paint (LiveGirls! Theatre), and Nemesis in Gifts (of War) (Directed by Gin Hammond). She tours nationwide in Living Voices’ solo show, La Causa, as Marta Hernadez. As a director, her work has been seen on stages for educational programs at Seattle Repertory Theatre, StoryGarden/University of Washington, Shoreline Community College, and Seattle Public Theater. For the past three years, she has worked with Seattle Shakespeare where she has developed bilingual scripts for The Taming of the Shrew and Twelfth Night for their Educational Tour.
She is currently directing this year’s production of Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth, her third bilingual adaptation. She is a passionate and proud advocate of the performing arts and believes that the arts provide communities a voice and individuals self-exploration. At the center of her work lives the driving desire to create opportunities for artists of color, to remove economic and geographical barriers for audiences and students, and to expand and deepen our American identity.
PFP caught up with Ana Maria leading up to our reading…
PFP: First words and first impressions when you read the play?
AMC: Playful, imaginative, ambitious
PFP: Words, phrases, or images that captured your attention?
AMC: I loved the images around Cupid’s wings, the descriptions of lighting and the magical realism woven throughout.
PFP: Did this play remind you of other stories, myths, plays, movies, etc.? If so, why/how?
AMC: The heightened emotions has some telenovela, but this is also a story that is magical and joyfully queer. There is so much about Latinx history and lore that is wrapped around beautiful images and horrific pain due to centuries of suppression. I admire Andrew’s ability to include the beautiful and horrific in this story.
PFP: What are you excited to work on during this rehearsal/reading process?
AMC: I am always excited to be in a room where there is a bilingual aspect and magical realism is one of my favorite genres. This is a love story that usually is side-lined or completely cut out. I look forward to working with Andrew and this awesome team of actors to hear this play aloud.
PFP: Why is this project meaningful for you?
AMC: We need more love stories centered around queer folx of color. It’s about uplifting this story, this community, this love. It’s about being an accomplice, not just an ally.
PFP: Are you excited to reunite with PFP?
AMC: YES! PFP was one of the first theatre companies I worked with in Seattle that is POC lead and focused. Through them I was introduced to so many other local POC artists, audiences, and stories. Roger, May, Maggie, and the entire team’s work is rooted in the values of of equity, respect, creativity, bravery, and empathy. It runs deeply through their approach and process, which is why many artists not only want to work with them, but want to return. I am not only excited to reunite, but grateful.