BWW Interviews: Andrea Morales in PINKOLANDIA at Two River Theater

Andrea Morales will be performing the role of Gaby in Pinkolandia at Two River Theater in Red Bank. The show will run from February 22nd to March 23rd. .

Directed by Jose Zayas, Pinkolandia tells the story of a family exiled from Chile to Reagan-era Wisconsin. While two young sisters create imaginary worlds to make sense of their family's past, their parents try to find their own place in the American Dream. Written by Andrea Thome, Pinkolandia is a fantastical play about growing up.

Morales is thrilled to be making her debut at Two River Theater. With an impressive stage career, she was recently featured in the viral video marketing campaign for the remake of the movie Carrie. The piece, "Telekinetic Coffee Shop Surprise" has more than 53 million views to date.

Morales said that she always knew she wanted to be an actor, but didn't consider it as a career option until college. She holds a Masters of Fine Arts from University of Missouri at Kansas City. One of her outstanding mentors has been Theodore Swetz who was her graduate school acting teacher. Swetz studied with Stella Adler and has developed his own technique that influenced Morales greatly.

Morales has an interesting personal connection to the play Pinkolandia. She said, "My parents are Guatemalan. During the '70s and '80s there was a lot of political unrest in all of Latin America. They lived the same experiences that my characters parents experience in the play. And just as my characters parents are reluctant to speak about that time period, my parents are the same. I've only heard small stories of that time. It's painful for them to remember everything they had to live through. Gaby and I have very similar back stories and I've pulled a lot from that."

The role of Gaby has been a positive challenge for Morales. She commented, "It's been wonderful to see the world as an 8 year old girl. It has been a challenge to not play at her naïveté but to really live in it. She asks a lot of silly questions that are funny. To ask those questions looking for a laugh or to play at the cuteness of the character, it would downplay how open and perceptive she really is."

Morales praised the cast and creative team for Pinkolandia. She said, "At Two River, everyone is so talented, dedicated and friendly. They really believe in theatre and it's been amazing to be part of this process." She is also proud of the fact that Two River Theater has chosen Pinkolandia for their 20th Anniversary Season. "The story of a Latin American family finding their way in this country has never been more relevant and I'm proud to be a part of it."

For more information about Two Rivers Theater and tickets for Pinkolandia and upcoming performances, please visit, tworivertheater.org or by calling 732.345.1400

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Two River Theater

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