Emily has tea time with Gala Milagro Emcee Enrique Andrade

Recently, Development Assistant Emily Wright sat down with beloved Milagro family member and actor, Enrique Andrade, for a cup of tea, chatting about everything from his favorite shows to his overall inspiration for making art…

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Anyone who has attended an opening night reception or ¡Viva Milagro! Día de los Muertos dinner will tell you, Milagro knows how to throw a party. This year’s inaugural Gala Milagro will be no exception! With Crave Catering serving up a delicious Argentine meal, live music and dance performances by some of Portland’s best, and a vibrant line up of live auction items for you to bid on, May 31st is guaranteed to be an unforgettable evening! We can’t wait to celebrate with you! 

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You have been a beloved actor on the Milagro stage for years now.  What was your first play at Milagro?

I came into acting later in life.  My first play at Milagro was Bodas de Sangre in 2006, directed by Olga Sanchez.  It was actually the second time I had auditioned at Milagro, I didn’t get the first one!

How many shows have you been in total?

Nine.

Though this may be a doozy of a question, which was your favorite?

Wow!  That is tough.  I can give you my top three. 

My third favorite was probably Canta no llores back in 2009.  It was about the great depression at a time when we were feeling the weight of a great recession.  I felt the show really broke the mold, especially with the incorporation of song and dance.  Olga directed.

After that, would have to be this past year’s Día de los muertos production of Raiz.  It was my first time playing a clown on stage, and I didn’t quite know what to expect.  I was really delighted by how things came together.  I experienced a lot of new and surprising acting breakthroughs.

My number one favorite so far would have to be Oedipus el rey.  The talent in that show was enormous.  It was funny because actors were brought in from LA, and something about that made all the Portland actors really bring their A-game.  I think the LA actors were bringing their A-game as well because they were coming from out of town.  We all kept encouraging each other to do the best we could simply by putting our best foot forward every rehearsal and performance.  It worked beautifully.  There was rarely a performance where we didn’t receive a standing ovation!

Though those are my top three, I will say that every show I have done at Milagro has had little kernels of brilliance, and I have had the privilege to work with super talented directors and actors each time.  Milagro truly has been my home

Are you working on anything acting related right now?

I actually just got cast in The Merchant of Venice with the Portland Actor’s Ensemble!  I am going to be Tubal and the Prince of Arragon.  It was funny because for the audition I worked hard to prepare Sonnet 145 and a monologue from Measure for Measure, and in the middle of my monologue I stumbled on one of the lines and in that brief pause I had a total epiphany about my character and what they were going through.  It’s funny that you spend all this time preparing, but you have no control over when a moment of clarity will come!

How interesting! Well, anyone who has prepared a monologue for an audition knows that it can be quite a difficult task.  Are you planning on doing a monologue at the upcoming PATA auditions?

I am.  I am actually adapting a piece for my audition, something that no one else will be doing and was strongly encouraged by Olga when I showed her what I was working on.  My inspiration is a poem called Porque me quite del vicio or Why I removed my vice.  It’s a heart-wrenching poem about a man who is explaining a series of experiences after his wife passed away, and, ultimately, why he doesn’t drink anymore.  I strongly encourage you to check it out!

I will!  So, what do you do besides acting?

I am a court certified Spanish interpreter and the county seat for Washington County. I also am a voice over talent.

I am always so delighted to hear your voice on the MAX, beautifully announcing all of the ride information in Spanish! It’s so cool to me that you are el Voz del MAX! 

I also recently performed with the Lexington Philharmonic doing Piazzolla's sultry tango opera, Maria de Buenos Aire. 

Did you sing?!

Ha! I wish.  I was the narrator.  It was a really cool experience because I got to work with some really talented artists such as the fabulous mezzo-soprano Solange Merdinian.  I also was challenged to speak in the Buenos Aires dialect Lunfardo. A very interesting way of speaking that came about in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries among the lower classes.  It is now a big part of the culture of tango! 

Very cool. Did you have a good time while visiting the south?

I did! It’s funny because the culture I saw in Kentucky is very similar to the culture I know in Mexico, centered on hospitality and politeness. 

I love it! Tell me, what’s your inspiration for all of your work?

(After a long pause) Immortality.  Ha! No.  I’d have to say making connections.  Trying to connect with a greater truth.  It could be a greater truth in me that is manifested through a character.  There are so many connections to be made in life and art is a wonderful way to do so. 

In conclusion, finish this sentence for me: it’s not theatre unless…

The emotions are real. 

Enrique has a Youtube channel with a plethora of great videos where he recites poetry, and you and I both know that he has a great voice for it! To hear Enrique reciting Porque me quite del vicio and many other inspiring and thought-provoking poems, click here!