WILSON, N.C. – With a name that could have jumped off the page of a Dickens’ novel, Adam Twiss, Barton College’s new director of theatre, leaps into his new role on campus as the fall semester gets underway. And, he has a lot to be excited about – not only does Twiss oversee the theatre’s academic program on campus; he also is an integral partner in the development of the new Lauren Kennedy and Alan Campbell Studio Theatre now under construction.
“My family and I are delighted to be a part of the Barton community,” said Twiss. “Visual and performing arts have been a rich and vital part of the Barton experience for many years and the addition of the Lauren Kennedy and Alan Campbell Studio Theatre exemplifies the College’s commitment to outstanding theatre education. This wonderful, state-of-the-art, theatre facility will be home to an enhanced program of study and performance. Most important, it ensures that generations of young theatre artists will be prepared for the rigors of professional work and/or graduate study by providing the high-quality, disciplined experience necessary for this exceptionally rewarding and highly competitive field.”
Twiss added that he welcomes those who love theatre and who support the arts at Barton to come and take part in the campus programming, both on-stage and off. “You won’t want to miss the new theatre at Barton!” he exclaimed.
Twiss certainly has the academic and professional credentials to take Theatre at Barton to the next level. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Brandeis University, and then shifted his focus toward the arts, completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with Honors in Architectural Design at Massachusetts College of Art. Twiss later completed his Master of Fine Arts degree with Honors in Acting and Directing at Trinity Rep Conservatory, (Brown University/Trinity Rep Consortium).
Twiss’ numerous stage, film and television credits add to a distinctive, professional resume. To date, Adam is the only recipient of both the Rita and London Lloyd Award for Artistic Excellence from Rhode Island Arts Foundation and the Richard Kavanaugh Award for Acting from the Trinity Repertory Company.
Prior to his appointment at Barton, Twiss served as Development Director and Artist-in-Residence at Raleigh’s Theatre in the Park. In that role, Twiss oversaw marketing and development while collaborating on main stage artistic and educational programming. During his time at Theatre In The Park, the company experienced an unprecedented 40% growth in revenue while producing some of the most successful theatre in their 60 year history. Twiss also received tremendous critical acclaim for directing last year’s landmark, Triangle premiere of Tony Kushner’s award-winning, 2-part epic, Angels In America, the largest and most successful, non-musical production in the theatre’s history.
Adam has taught acting and theatre at Rhode Island College and Brown University/Trinity Rep Consortium, both in Providence, R.I., as well as at the University of Washington in Seattle; he was a founding member and Producing Artistic Director for the Intimate Theatre Company in Providence, R.I., and has acted in and directed world premiere plays for theatres throughout the country.
Twiss’ reviews are consistently stellar for his work as both an actor and a director, but Brian McEleney, Head of Acting at Brown University/Trinity Rep Consortium, had this summation of his teaching style, “Adam’s work is informed by a superb sense of truth and personal connection. As an instructor and director, he elicits exceptional results from his students.”
When asked about the importance of an academic theatre program, Twiss shared, “I feel this professional-level theatre program is an outstanding asset to Barton College and to the entire region. Strong training and education raises the bar on artistic output and drives personal investment in the arts. As a professional artist and member of the actors’ unions, AEA, SAG, and AFTRA, I am proud to commit myself to furthering the craft and to encouraging generations of emerging artists to touch the lives of others with their talents.”
A native of Boston, Mass., (and a die-hard Red Sox fan), Twiss is the son of Mary Liz and George Twiss. He, his wife, Andrea (a native Tarheel), their daughter, Isabel (5), and son, Elijah (2), live in Cary.
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Questions? Please contact Kathy Daughety, director of public relations, at 252-399-6529 or email: kdaughety@barton.edu.