December 29, 2024 • 11 mins
From aspiring pre-med student to a Disney World performer, Adam Silory's unexpected path to founding the Oxford Wildcat Theatre Company in Michigan is nothing short of inspiring. Join us as Adam uncovers how a single audition transformed his career trajectory, leading him to create a vibrant nonprofit theater that brings professional productions to his hometown. Learn how Disney's high standards influence Adam's dedication to excellence in theater and hear his insights on building a supportive and inclusive community. You'll also get a peek into Adam's creative side beyond the stage, where he stays busy with DIY projects and sewing.
Whether you're an aspiring actor, a theater enthusiast, or someone who loves being part of a community project, there’s a role for you at OWPTC. Explore the variety of involvement opportunities Adam discusses, from auditions to box office roles and teaching positions in their exciting mini-class series. Adam also touches on the importance of strong leadership, highlighting the need for a treasurer on the OWPTC board. This episode is brimming with passion and practical advice for anyone interested in the theater world, and we’re thrilled to have Adam share his journey and vision with us on the Good Neighbor Podcast.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Lisa Swiftney.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hi everyone and welcome to episode number 132 of
the Good Neighbor Podcast.
I'm excited.
Today we have with us AdamSlory with the Oxford Wildcat
Theatre Company.
How are you doing today, adam?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
I'm great.
Thanks, Lisa.
I appreciate you having me onhere today.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Oh well, thank you for being a guest.
Let's first start off bytelling our audience a little
bit about the theatre.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Sure.
So the Oxford WildcatProfessional Theatre Company, or
, as we like to call it, theOWPTC.
We are a new nonprofit theatercompany that is located in
Oxford, michigan, and what'sdifferent, what's unique about
us, is we do three differentstages at the OWPTC.
(00:59):
We have the, which is oureducational theater.
We have our lab shows, which islike our community theater
piece, and then we have ourprofessional stage shows.
So we have three differentstages.
It's an exciting time to beWildcat, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Oh great.
Tell our listeners about yourjourney.
How did you get started?
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Yeah, so I was born and raised in Oxford, michigan.
So I was born and raised inOxford, michigan and I went to
Cedarville University for myfirst year of college and I was
a pre-med bio student and itdidn't take long for me to
realize that is not what I wascut out for, and I saw auditions
for Disney World on Facebookwhen I was when I was studying
for an exam studying on Facebookand so I flew down to Orlando,
(01:43):
got hired at Disney and thatstarted my acting career.
From there I went back and gotmy BA in theater performance and
then my MFA in acting, and thenwas a professional stage actor
for about 10 years beforedeciding that living out of my
suitcase was not cute as a30-year-old, and so I moved back
to my hometown looking forsomething to do in the arts.
(02:04):
I still wanted to use my degreeand my passion for storytelling
, but there were a ton ofoptions for a professional to
make a living doing, and so Ithought what the heck?
I posted on Facebook in anOxford community group.
I said who would be interestedin a professional theater
company in Oxford, and I gotover 132 responses, and so in
(02:25):
May I got my articles ofincorporation, and since then
we've already produced threedifferent shows.
So it's been awesome.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
How amazing.
So how was, how was working atDisney world?
That had to be exciting.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
That, honestly, I'm so thankful for my time at
Disney.
They're like their level ofexcellence is unmatched, and so
that is something that I'vealways had.
It was ingrained in me.
That was one of my first jobstoo, and so from then on, they
set the standard for me, whichhas been great.
Taking to OWPTC.
(02:59):
We're a professional theatercompany.
We have a standard ofexcellence, but excellence for
us looks like encouraging peopleto be their personal best, you
know.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
That's good.
Can you tell us about any mythsor misconceptions that you hear
about in your industry?
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Sure, I hear that theater people are dramatic and
that's true.
That's not a myth, um, butwe're the most accepting group
of people because we understandwe have to take a character that
we're given and we have to seethe world through a different
set of lenses with every newrole, and so I feel like we have
(03:40):
a better understanding of,maybe, struggles that people go
through, even if we haven't hadthem ourselves.
And that is something that wasreally important to me about
OWPTC is that we foster anenvironment where everyone feels
supported and loved andcelebrated for their uniqueness
uniqueness and ingenuity, therewe go and so that is the myth
(04:02):
that we're dramatic and mean andthe industry is hard to break
into it.
That's not.
It doesn't have to be that, andso we're going to start here in
Oxford, michigan.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
So oh, that is amazing.
So when you're not working atthe theater or working to grow
the theater, what do you like todo for fun?
Speaker 3 (04:36):
a crafty person and so if I'm not, if I'm not
working for the theater company,I am usually like with either
building something, DIY projectsor sewing something I really
love sewing, and so I just staybusy.
Busy hands, you know, stay, you, stay out of trouble with busy
hands.
They say no that is true.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
That is true If you're doing some of your hand
and staying busy, you're stayingout of trouble.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Right.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
So can you describe one hardship or life challenge
born into privilege here inOxford, and so my struggles?
Speaker 3 (05:21):
look like completely different than than anybody
else's, you know everyone'sstruggles are different and you
know, for me I think it wasbreaking out of that mindset of
the world is perfect and theworld is this bubble that we,
that we that we feel is oxford,michigan, you know, and I think
as a community we felt that fouryears, four years ago, three
(05:41):
years ago, we felt that as acommunity and for the first time
I'll never forget I didn't feelsafe in the world when I, when
I and I wasn't even there, youknow, I was just a place that I
knew you know, something sotragic happened, and so that
that was eye-opening.
But for me, uh, it took okay.
Okay, people like the world ishard, the world is not fair, and
(06:06):
like, like you're, you're gonnabe challenged for, for what you
believe and what you think it's, and and so just moving to
disney, really did that me.
It gave me a point of view, itgave me a reason to have a set
of beliefs and reasoning behindit, and so I would say that that
was the biggest thing thatshaped me, who I am today, and
it's also made me a better actor, because I've really had to
(06:27):
stop and look at the worldaround me, wherever I am, be
thankful for it, see the beauty,see the hardship, but remember
that everyone's struggle isdifferent.
That's true, see the beauty,see the hardship, but remember
that everyone's everyone'sstruggles different.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
So that's true.
So so far in your acting career, what is the best role that
you've had?
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Oh, one of the last roles I played was Arthur
Fonzarelli in happy days of themusical, and that was.
That was a blast.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
It sounds like a blast.
Hey, yeah was a blast.
It sounds like a blast.
Hey, yeah, that is good.
So, and then?
What did?
Speaker 3 (07:03):
what would you say would be the worst role that you
had?
Oh man, I wouldn't say worst,say most challenging.
Most challenging role for sure.
I did a show called RescueMission Saving Sasquatch.
That was at a theme park innorthern Idaho and it was a
train show.
It was about a 45 minute showwhere people were taking on this
like tour through the, throughthe wilderness, and then Poacher
(07:23):
P is who I played, stopped thetrain and held him up and then
and there's a big fight sequenceand these girls, they beat up
Poacher P and then the trainride home.
We're in in character the wholetime, you know, putting on the
show.
I did that show almost athousand times so that was like.
The most challenging thing waslike remembering that these kids
on this train have not seenthis before and Poacher Pete
(07:44):
cannot be over it today.
Right, yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Oh, that is fun.
What is one thing you wish ourlisteners knew about your
business?
Speaker 3 (07:57):
Yes, I wish that people knew our mission.
That's the one thing.
We are a professional theatercompany, but we're so much more.
Our very foundation is on thisprinciple of building
self-esteem and positiveself-thoughts within the youth,
(08:17):
you know, giving them theopportunity to not only see
professional theater, if they,if they, want to pursue that for
themselves, but also the chanceto act beside them, beside
professionals in the field.
I don't know like what thatwould have done for me.
I'm very, very happy with, withmy life and the experiences
(08:39):
that have led me to this point,but what would have happened if
there would have been aprofessional theater company
where I got to act next to aprofessional to see that, oh,
he's a professional actor andhe's not starving, he's not, you
know, he's making a living anddoing what he loves.
I don't know what that wouldhave done for me.
And so our mission is really toinstill at a very young age in
(08:59):
our EDU program that, well,first of all, you're worth it
and you matter and you, you're,you're someone when you come in
here.
But also, if this is what youwant to do, do it, we'll give
you the tools.
And so it's all based onmentorship here at owptc and
inclusion and acceptance, andthat's that's who we are and
that's who I want people to tostart seeing that what I want
people to start seeing us as wow, that is.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
That is great, and I love your mission, so thank you
for sharing that with us today.
Our listeners are now intrigued.
They want to learn more, so howcan they contact you and get
involved?
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Sure, oh, we have.
We have room for everybody andwe couldn't do it without the
community.
So we need all the help and youcan get involved just at
OWPTCorg.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
There's a tab there that says volunteer.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
We have auditions, we have the shows that need box
office attendance, bartenders.
We have spots for educationalcounselors.
I know we just launched a fivemini class series that I know
I'm going to need some teachers,teacher assistance I know the
other teacher is as well and wealso have board member positions
that are open where we'relooking for a treasurer.
(10:11):
So there's a lot of ways to getinvolved for sure.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
How amazing.
Well, I hope that this gets outand people will hear and you'll
get a few more board membersand to help you with your
mission.
So, adam, thank you for yourtime today and being a guest on
our Good Neighbor podcast.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Well, thank you, Lisa .
I appreciate the time.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Thanks for listening to the Good Neighbor podcast,
rochester.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to gnprochestercom.
That's gnprochestercom, or call248-988-9640.
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Lisa Swiftney.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hi everyone and welcome to episode number 132 of
the Good Neighbor Podcast.
I'm excited.
Today we have with us AdamSlory with the Oxford Wildcat
Theatre Company.
How are you doing today, adam?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
I'm great.
Thanks, Lisa.
I appreciate you having me onhere today.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Oh well, thank you for being a guest.
Let's first start off bytelling our audience a little
bit about the theatre.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Sure.
So the Oxford WildcatProfessional Theatre Company, or
, as we like to call it, theOWPTC.
We are a new nonprofit theatercompany that is located in
Oxford, michigan, and what'sdifferent, what's unique about
us, is we do three differentstages at the OWPTC.
(00:59):
We have the, which is oureducational theater.
We have our lab shows, which islike our community theater
piece, and then we have ourprofessional stage shows.
So we have three differentstages.
It's an exciting time to beWildcat, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Oh great.
Tell our listeners about yourjourney.
How did you get started?
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Yeah, so I was born and raised in Oxford, michigan.
So I was born and raised inOxford, michigan and I went to
Cedarville University for myfirst year of college and I was
a pre-med bio student and itdidn't take long for me to
realize that is not what I wascut out for, and I saw auditions
for Disney World on Facebookwhen I was when I was studying
for an exam studying on Facebookand so I flew down to Orlando,
(01:43):
got hired at Disney and thatstarted my acting career.
From there I went back and gotmy BA in theater performance and
then my MFA in acting, and thenwas a professional stage actor
for about 10 years beforedeciding that living out of my
suitcase was not cute as a30-year-old, and so I moved back
to my hometown looking forsomething to do in the arts.
(02:04):
I still wanted to use my degreeand my passion for storytelling
, but there were a ton ofoptions for a professional to
make a living doing, and so Ithought what the heck?
I posted on Facebook in anOxford community group.
I said who would be interestedin a professional theater
company in Oxford, and I gotover 132 responses, and so in
(02:25):
May I got my articles ofincorporation, and since then
we've already produced threedifferent shows.
So it's been awesome.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
How amazing.
So how was, how was working atDisney world?
That had to be exciting.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
That, honestly, I'm so thankful for my time at
Disney.
They're like their level ofexcellence is unmatched, and so
that is something that I'vealways had.
It was ingrained in me.
That was one of my first jobstoo, and so from then on, they
set the standard for me, whichhas been great.
Taking to OWPTC.
(02:59):
We're a professional theatercompany.
We have a standard ofexcellence, but excellence for
us looks like encouraging peopleto be their personal best, you
know.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
That's good.
Can you tell us about any mythsor misconceptions that you hear
about in your industry?
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Sure, I hear that theater people are dramatic and
that's true.
That's not a myth, um, butwe're the most accepting group
of people because we understandwe have to take a character that
we're given and we have to seethe world through a different
set of lenses with every newrole, and so I feel like we have
(03:40):
a better understanding of,maybe, struggles that people go
through, even if we haven't hadthem ourselves.
And that is something that wasreally important to me about
OWPTC is that we foster anenvironment where everyone feels
supported and loved andcelebrated for their uniqueness
uniqueness and ingenuity, therewe go and so that is the myth
(04:02):
that we're dramatic and mean andthe industry is hard to break
into it.
That's not.
It doesn't have to be that, andso we're going to start here in
Oxford, michigan.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
So oh, that is amazing.
So when you're not working atthe theater or working to grow
the theater, what do you like todo for fun?
Speaker 3 (04:36):
a crafty person and so if I'm not, if I'm not
working for the theater company,I am usually like with either
building something, DIY projectsor sewing something I really
love sewing, and so I just staybusy.
Busy hands, you know, stay, you, stay out of trouble with busy
hands.
They say no that is true.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
That is true If you're doing some of your hand
and staying busy, you're stayingout of trouble.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Right.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
So can you describe one hardship or life challenge
born into privilege here inOxford, and so my struggles?
Speaker 3 (05:21):
look like completely different than than anybody
else's, you know everyone'sstruggles are different and you
know, for me I think it wasbreaking out of that mindset of
the world is perfect and theworld is this bubble that we,
that we that we feel is oxford,michigan, you know, and I think
as a community we felt that fouryears, four years ago, three
(05:41):
years ago, we felt that as acommunity and for the first time
I'll never forget I didn't feelsafe in the world when I, when
I and I wasn't even there, youknow, I was just a place that I
knew you know, something sotragic happened, and so that
that was eye-opening.
But for me, uh, it took okay.
Okay, people like the world ishard, the world is not fair, and
(06:06):
like, like you're, you're gonnabe challenged for, for what you
believe and what you think it's, and and so just moving to
disney, really did that me.
It gave me a point of view, itgave me a reason to have a set
of beliefs and reasoning behindit, and so I would say that that
was the biggest thing thatshaped me, who I am today, and
it's also made me a better actor, because I've really had to
(06:27):
stop and look at the worldaround me, wherever I am, be
thankful for it, see the beauty,see the hardship, but remember
that everyone's struggle isdifferent.
That's true, see the beauty,see the hardship, but remember
that everyone's everyone'sstruggles different.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
So that's true.
So so far in your acting career, what is the best role that
you've had?
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Oh, one of the last roles I played was Arthur
Fonzarelli in happy days of themusical, and that was.
That was a blast.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
It sounds like a blast.
Hey, yeah was a blast.
It sounds like a blast.
Hey, yeah, that is good.
So, and then?
What did?
Speaker 3 (07:03):
what would you say would be the worst role that you
had?
Oh man, I wouldn't say worst,say most challenging.
Most challenging role for sure.
I did a show called RescueMission Saving Sasquatch.
That was at a theme park innorthern Idaho and it was a
train show.
It was about a 45 minute showwhere people were taking on this
like tour through the, throughthe wilderness, and then Poacher
(07:23):
P is who I played, stopped thetrain and held him up and then
and there's a big fight sequenceand these girls, they beat up
Poacher P and then the trainride home.
We're in in character the wholetime, you know, putting on the
show.
I did that show almost athousand times so that was like.
The most challenging thing waslike remembering that these kids
on this train have not seenthis before and Poacher Pete
(07:44):
cannot be over it today.
Right, yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Oh, that is fun.
What is one thing you wish ourlisteners knew about your
business?
Speaker 3 (07:57):
Yes, I wish that people knew our mission.
That's the one thing.
We are a professional theatercompany, but we're so much more.
Our very foundation is on thisprinciple of building
self-esteem and positiveself-thoughts within the youth,
(08:17):
you know, giving them theopportunity to not only see
professional theater, if they,if they, want to pursue that for
themselves, but also the chanceto act beside them, beside
professionals in the field.
I don't know like what thatwould have done for me.
I'm very, very happy with, withmy life and the experiences
(08:39):
that have led me to this point,but what would have happened if
there would have been aprofessional theater company
where I got to act next to aprofessional to see that, oh,
he's a professional actor andhe's not starving, he's not, you
know, he's making a living anddoing what he loves.
I don't know what that wouldhave done for me.
And so our mission is really toinstill at a very young age in
(08:59):
our EDU program that, well,first of all, you're worth it
and you matter and you, you're,you're someone when you come in
here.
But also, if this is what youwant to do, do it, we'll give
you the tools.
And so it's all based onmentorship here at owptc and
inclusion and acceptance, andthat's that's who we are and
that's who I want people to tostart seeing that what I want
people to start seeing us as wow, that is.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
That is great, and I love your mission, so thank you
for sharing that with us today.
Our listeners are now intrigued.
They want to learn more, so howcan they contact you and get
involved?
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Sure, oh, we have.
We have room for everybody andwe couldn't do it without the
community.
So we need all the help and youcan get involved just at
OWPTCorg.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
There's a tab there that says volunteer.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
We have auditions, we have the shows that need box
office attendance, bartenders.
We have spots for educationalcounselors.
I know we just launched a fivemini class series that I know
I'm going to need some teachers,teacher assistance I know the
other teacher is as well and wealso have board member positions
that are open where we'relooking for a treasurer.
(10:11):
So there's a lot of ways to getinvolved for sure.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
How amazing.
Well, I hope that this gets outand people will hear and you'll
get a few more board membersand to help you with your
mission.
So, adam, thank you for yourtime today and being a guest on
our Good Neighbor podcast.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Well, thank you, Lisa .
I appreciate the time.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Thanks for listening to the Good Neighbor podcast,
rochester.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to gnprochestercom.
That's gnprochestercom, or call248-988-9640.
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