Meet Adelle Drahos

We had the good fortune of connecting with Adelle Drahos and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Adelle, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I wanted to do it…so I did! Ok, but the longer answer is this: I love theatre and immersive experiences but financially these can be very tough to pull off. It’s why you see a lot of theater companies fold under or hopping venues. It’s why a lot of immersive experiences only stay for a time before moving on to another location, another state. They’re difficult to maintain long term in one specific area…and, in my personal experience, bluntly put: the pay is not a livable wage either. In the midst of trying to create one of these immersive experiences I kept running into difficulty at the fist step: finding an affordable location. Many event venues (that don’t identify as theaters) are simply out of the budget without charging, say, $100 a ticket. It was very defeating. So I asked myself if I could write a show that could happen anywhere and also didn’t require me to have to rely on anyone. No production team, no cast, etc; essentially, moving parts that require more pay, more organizing of schedules, and more stresses when a team member chooses not to prioritize your baby (which is understandable but not helpful). And thus, somewhere along the way I created an immersive murder mystery game (which you can book through my website: www.gildedemberentertainment.com!) which requires only me, can be adaptable to almost any venue (including one’s home), allowed me a lot of fun and creativity with sculpting the script and the props, and pays more livable wage. I should also mention, this isn’t my first foray into creating games and puzzles, acting, or party hosting. So I’d say it was a culmination of my life experiences and creative outlets that made me the perfect person to create this particular unique experience. That’s the long answer.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Goodness, there’s a lot I could cram in here! First and foremost, I am an actress. I have a BFA in performing arts, an agent, a manager, and a resume I’ve been building for the past decade. I love it (theater, improv, film/tv) and this career has dictated a lot of the choices I have made in life. One being that I have curated a freelance lifestyle to support my acting career. I always joke that I’ve done everything short of selling my body to make money. And fortunately, something has always turned up. I think a big turning point happened a few years ago while I was working as a catering server. I was at an event where there were these ballerinas who were posing for ambience and photo ops. They were dressed as roses, with giant rose covered balls covering their heads…literally blinding them. They had a handler that would guide them to other spots in the room, a chainlink of three human-turned-ballet-roses, connected at the hands. To be honest, it was a bit comical. But I thought to myself: they’re getting to play dress up, to be artistic through dance, and they’re probably getting paid three times as much as me right now. I want to do that. So I slowly drifted away from catering, just as I had with previous random jobs. And I told myself, “Self, if you’re not going to cater, you need to make this work. Your rent depends upon it.” And that’s when I got into the cirque arts more professionally: stilt walking, living statue, mime, etc. I say “more professionally” because I had already occasionally buskered as a living statue at different craft fairs. Anyways, that was two years before I officially registered my LLC.

Now my company boasts two categories currently: “experiences” and “entertainment.” That’s the entertainment portion. The experiences portion came about this way:

You may or may not know, but the film industry has greatly suffered the last two and a half years. Between strikes, the shift in streaming, cheaper work overseas, and many other reasons…let’s just say auditions aren’t what they used to be. During this lull I came across what I thought was the perfect opportunity: a traveling immersive experience. You’re telling me I get paid to not only perform and act but to also travel around the country?! Count me in. Now the lesson: some things are too good to be true. That ended up being, hands down, the worst experience and company I have ever worked for. And I’m a freelancer…I’ve worked for A LOT of companies and employers in my time. It was infuriating and utterly disheartening to watch a business thrive while I was being treated like absolute dog poo as an employee (I’m sure someone reading this can relate to that and if so, this is your sign to get out). It felt like, in order for these shows and immersive experiences to be successful, there has to be a dark, bloody cost. So I told myself when I founded Gilded Ember Entertainment, that I would find a way to run a business that would bring me joy, be profitable, be flexible (I’m still wholly committed to my acting career), and when the day comes that I have employees, they will be respected, appreciated, and paid decently. Unlike so many of those I have worked under, I will be a good boss. I will listen.

All that said, I love Gilded Ember. I have always loved creating unique and memorable experiences; moments that you look back on and think, “That! That was magic.” I’m excited by the idea of nurturing an atmosphere where my clients can play, create, and lose themselves – even if just for a short while – to their childhood wonder. The world has enough negativity and struggle. I want to leave joy in my wake.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Ooh fun! I would take them to Stone Mountain. I love a hike, getting grounded (pun intended) in nature, and that hike to the top is both challenging and adventurous! And it’s only a mile up and just outside the city which makes it an activity that leaves plenty of day left for other things. Like craft fairs! Being spring, tis the season for all the outdoor artist markets and Atlanta has so many to offer. I love looking at what people are creating, checking out unique food trucks, and just the general atmosphere of community. Then I would take them to Tai Chi Bubble because I’m a sucker for their ramen and bubble tea (or Hummus Republic if we’re feeling more of a greens + grains vibe). And lastly, we’d go to pretty much anywhere along Buford Highway for an after dinner treat. I grew up in a small town so to be in a city where so much food diversity is easily accessible is not something I take for granted; I think it’s awesome! And to end the night we might catch a movie at the Movie Tavern in Tucker…because they’ve got decent ticket prices *and* recliners.

And I’m now realizing you said week-long trip…but I gave you an eventful day instead.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My friends! The amount of gratitude I have for my inner and outer circle of friends is immense. They have seen me try and fail and try again. They have beta tested my ideas and listened to me ramble as I worked through the challenges. They always encourage me to run further with an idea (sometimes I listen, sometimes I pivot to a new idea entirely). And lastly, most importantly, I couldn’t play games and put on shows if there was no one there to experience these things…fortunately, my friends are always there.

It’s also worth shouting out my parents, who may not always understand my endeavors but, despite that, they have never told me that I couldn’t…anything. And that’s huge.

Website: https://gildedemberentertainment.com

Instagram: @gildedember / @adelledrahos

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelle-drahos-67680434/

Facebook: https://facebook.com/gildedemberentertainment

Image Credits
Della-Be Photography