Interview with Adeola Adeseun

This month La Libertad features interviews with the director, producer, and an actor from the musical Museum of Living Art by Nappy Nation Theatre Group.
This interview is with Adeola Adeseun, the producer of Museum of Living Art, which will be playing April 12th though 14th.

 

La Libertad:  How did you get into producing?

Adeola Adeseun:  Many of the most important people in my life are brilliant artists with creative minds. But artists generally are so focused on their craft that they don’t pay much attention to the business side of things, which comes naturally to me.

La Libertad:  What inspires you?

Adeola Adeseun:  My husband really inspires me a lot because of his drive and willingness to take risks, and I love how he uses every experience as a learning opportunity.  He has really helped me to step out of my shell and dive into my creativity head on.

La Libertad:  What do you love most about your work?

Adeola Adeseun:  I love being able to work with a diverse group of people and figuring out how I can facilitate each person’s success.  Some people need lots of praise, others need to be left alone, while some people need very clear instructions.  I like figuring out the puzzle, and it forces me to explore and grow in various aspects of my own personality.

La Libertad:  What is the hardest part of your job?

Adeola Adeseun:  The hardest part for me is saying we can’t do something because we don’t have enough financial/material resources.  Everyone on the team has a vision of how a project should look and I do everything I can to honor the vision, but sometimes I just can’t make it work.  It’s always very disappointing to me when that happens.

La Libertad:  Do you speak any other languages?

Adeola Adeseun:  I speak a little Yoruba, which is an ancient language and one of the most popular West African languages spoken around the world today.  I also know a handful of Spanish, which is leftover from my days of watching novellas as a kid.

La Libertad:  Where have you traveled?

Adeola Adeseun:  All over the world!  I love traveling, and I have been blessed to do quite a lot of it.  In Africa, I’ve been to Nigeria (where my parents live currently) and Ghana.  I’ve also been to Europe (Paris, London), South America (Brazil), many islands in the Caribbean, etc.  I still need to hit up Asia, which is on the horizon pretty soon.

La Libertad:  Do you have any current projects?

Adeola Adeseun:  Aside from the play, I’m currently chair of a statewide political action committee called California Families for Access to Midwives (CFAM).  We’re working on making sure that quality, affordable midwifery care is available to all California moms and families regardless of income level.  It has nothing to do with entertainment, but I’m really passionate about it.

La Libertad:Any upcoming projects?

Adeola Adeseun:  Absolutely!  But I can’t tell you.

La Libertad:  What are your goals for your career?

Adeola Adeseun:  As far as entertainment goes, I want to eventually get into television and filmmaking.  Ultimately, I want to change the way Africans around the world are depicted in the media.