Meet Elliott Folds: Freelance Actor, Dramaturg, Musician, and Producer

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

Hi Elliott, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
It’s a cliché answer, but unfortunately, it’s all I can do. I’ve loved the arts as long as I can remember. I love the communal aspect of it all. It’s so easy to connect with somebody by sharing a piece of music or a story, and as a shy kid, that connection was a godsend. Even before I started working in theatre, I thought my calling was to be a high school band director, a job that is, at its core, all about sharing a lifetime dedication to music with young people. Even as my own artistic path has changed and between all of the different hats I wear in theatre, that love of connection is what keeps driving me forward.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve worked professionally since 2016 primarily as an actor and a dramaturg. It’s no secret that Atlanta’s theatre community is chock full of compassionate, intelligent actors, and I count myself lucky to be just one of them, but in a post-COVID world, I’m eager to continue doing what I can to educate people on the necessity of a dramaturg in the theatrical process. Every production, from a classic musical to a brand new play, benefits from the right dramaturg in the room, and while there are several self-identifying dramaturgs currently working in the Atlanta theatre community, there are still too few opportunities. Most companies can’t afford them or choose to forego them altogether. There’s a certain beauty in dramaturgy. That every gig I’ve had as a dramaturg has been wildly different from the one that came before it is beautiful. That the right dramaturg can enrich a process and a theatrical text for the actors, for the design team, for the director, for the audience is beautiful. My specialties are musicals and new works, but adapting to every play I work on and acquainting myself with a new theatrical aesthetic is one of my favorite things about the job. We are key collaborators in one of the great collaborative art forms. There are so many ways the theatre community — regionally and nationally — needs to grow and move forward to be more equitable to all of its workers, especially to all of its artists of color. While far from the most pressing issue, I can only hope that Atlanta theatre can embrace dramaturgy as its own field of study, as its own tool to create a more inclusive and equitable American theatre, and as an essential role in the theatrical process.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh, tough question! I used to work at Georgia Aquarium, and I truly love that place. It’s a must-see for both locals and tourists. You can get a perfect lunch right down the street at Kwan’s Korean Deli. Speaking of food, I’d also probably take them to Krog Street Market, which has some of my favorite restaurants in the city (namely Makimono and Gu’s). I feel like I’ve had a lot of great food and drinks at Six Feet Under and Twain’s. I also just went to the Botanical Garden a few weeks ago for the first time, and that place is just breathtaking. An absolute must.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Whatever success I’ve had in my professional career is owed, in no small part, to Caty Bergmark. As a partner in life and in the arts, her inherent excellence challenges me to grow every day into the best version of myself possible.

Instagram: @elliottfolds
Facebook: elliott.folds

Image Credits
Tyler Ogburn, Casey Gardner, Karen Rooker, Jerry Siegel