Live Arts: Lia Romeo and Adrienne Campbell-Holt Of ‘Still’ On The 5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career in Broadway, Theater or Live Performance Art
…The thing I always tell young writers is to get out and meet people, and get involved. Go to plays, work with theater companies, offer your services, volunteer. Just get to know people and become part of the community. That’s how you learn, and it’s also how you make the connections you’ll need…
I had the pleasure of talking with Lia Romeo and Adrienne Campbell-Holt.
Lia Romeo is an accomplished playwright, author, and educator whose work has received widespread recognition both nationally and internationally. A graduate of the Juilliard School’s prestigious playwriting program, she has developed her plays at institutions such as the O’Neill Playwrights Conference, La Jolla Playhouse, and the Lark. Her works have been produced in New York City by Colt Coeur and Project Y Theatre, as well as regionally at venues including the Dorset Theatre Festival, Laguna Playhouse, and Unicorn Theatre.
Romeo’s play The Forest premiered at the New Jersey Repertory Theatre in 2022, while her Zoom-era production Sitting and Talking, starring Dan Lauria and Wendie Malick, found success during the pandemic with multiple online productions across the United States. Four of her plays have been recognized by the Kilroys List, further highlighting her contributions to contemporary theater.
Beyond her creative output, Romeo serves as the associate artistic director of Project Y Theatre Company and co-founded the Parent-Caregiver Playwrights Group, a supportive network for writers balancing caregiving responsibilities. She is also a faculty member in the M.A. creative writing program at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she shares her expertise with emerging writers. Her plays are published by TRW, Broadway Licensing, and Broadway Play Publishing, ensuring that her works reach audiences well beyond the stage.
In addition to her theatrical achievements, Romeo has authored a novel, Dating the Devil, and a humor book, 11,002 Things to Be Miserable About, which has sold more than 35,000 copies worldwide. These works demonstrate her ability to engage audiences through multiple mediums, blending humor and insight in ways that resonate widely.
A Colorado native, Romeo began her writing journey at a young age, crafting poems and short stories before discovering her passion for playwriting in high school. She earned her undergraduate degree from Princeton University and later completed an M.F.A. in playwriting at Rutgers University. Her personal experiences, including surviving cancer and raising a young son, have deeply informed her work, enriching the emotional texture of her writing and her understanding of the human condition.
During the pandemic, Romeo’s resilience as a writer was evident when she embraced virtual theater to sustain her connection with the artistic community. Her creativity during this challenging period underscored her belief in the importance of collaboration and adaptability in the arts.
Romeo’s latest work, Still, explores themes of connection and division in contemporary society, tackling the complexities of relationships across ideological divides. The play is set to run Off-Broadway at the Sheen Center in Manhattan, reflecting her continued prominence in the theatrical world. In addition to Still, Romeo’s association with Colt Coeur has brought her further acclaim, as the company remains a vital force in producing innovative theater.
Committed to fostering artistic growth and community, Romeo emphasizes the importance of building relationships in the theater world. Her career serves as an example of how talent, perseverance, and collaboration can lead to meaningful contributions to the arts. Through her plays, books, and teaching, Lia Romeo continues to shape the landscape of contemporary storytelling, offering audiences and readers a lens into the joys and struggles of modern life.
Adrienne Campbell-Holt is a New York City-based director and choreographer recognized for her innovative contributions to contemporary theater. As the founding artistic director of Colt Coeur, a theater company dedicated to producing original works that reflect and resonate with modern audiences, she has carved out a reputation for bold and inventive storytelling. Since its inception, Colt Coeur has championed new voices and developed plays that challenge and engage.
Campbell-Holt’s work has been widely celebrated, and in 2018, she was honored with the Lucille Lortel Visionary Director Award, a distinction acknowledging her groundbreaking approach to directing. Her recent credits include the world premiere of Still by Lia Romeo at Dorset Theater Festival in Vermont and then with Colt Coeur at New York’s DR2 Theatre, a production praised for its nuanced exploration of relationships and timely themes of connection and division. Her directorial portfolio also includes Dodi & Diana by Kareem Fahmy, Afterwords with music and lyrics by Zoe Sarnak and book by Emily Kaczmarek, and the New York premiere of Eureka Day by Jonathan Spector, among other productions. Each project highlights her ability to bring fresh perspectives to the stage while fostering collaboration with writers and performers.
A staunch advocate for gender equality in the arts, Campbell-Holt spearheaded the #makeitfair project, a movement aimed at addressing systemic inequities in storytelling and representation. Her commitment to inclusivity and equity is further reflected in her work with emerging playwrights such as Noelle Viñas and Jan Rosenberg, as well as her ongoing development of new musical projects like Tempus by Jaclyn Backhaus and Jonatha Brooke.
Campbell-Holt’s artistic versatility extends to film, where she has directed short works such as Autobiography of Red, an adaptation of Anne Carson’s novella, and Henry + the Trains, which was featured at the New York Indie Theater Film Festival in 2017. Her ability to navigate multiple mediums underscores her dynamic approach to storytelling.
Raised in Vermont and the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, Campbell-Holt’s early experiences with dance, theater, and music laid the foundation for her creative pursuits. A graduate of Barnard College, Columbia University, where she earned her degree summa cum laude, she credits her upbringing and her parents’ work as community organizers for shaping her passion for collaboration and social impact.
Throughout her career, Campbell-Holt has emphasized the importance of fostering artistic community. Her summers at Williamstown Theatre Festival, where she participated in an apprentice program and later multiple directing fellowships, were formative. At Williamstown, she directed midnight performances that required ingenuity and resourcefulness, experiences she recalls as pivotal in her artistic journey. The festival also connected her with mentors and peers who offered encouragement during her early career.
Campbell-Holt’s leadership at Colt Coeur continues to provide a platform for new and diverse voices, producing works that speak to contemporary issues while fostering dialogue and engagement. In addition to Still, the company’s upcoming production, Minority, co-produced with WP Theater, underscores her commitment to amplifying underrepresented perspectives.
As a director and advocate, Adrienne Campbell-Holt is shaping the future of American theater through her dedication to innovation, equity, and community, cementing her role as a vital voice in the arts.
Yitzi: Lia and Adrienne, it’s a delight and an honor to meet you. Before we dive in deep, our readers would love to learn about your personal origin stories. I guess we’ll start with Lia. Can you share the story of your childhood and how you grew up?
Lia: That’s a big question. Okay, let’s see. I grew up in Colorado and moved to New Jersey for college, and I’ve basically been there ever since — close to New York, but in New Jersey. I’ve always known I wanted to be a writer. I started writing poems and short stories when I was seven and never stopped. I started writing plays in high school and just fell in love with the process of working with other people and hearing actors bring my words to life. That’s when I knew that was what I wanted to really focus on and do.
Yitzi: That’s great. How about you, Adrienne?
Adrienne: When I was first growing up, I lived on a dairy farm in rural Vermont, but then my parents moved to inner-city Boston. So I mostly grew up in Boston. I was really passionate about dance, making theater, playing music, and writing. I pursued dance most of all. I was a ballet dancer, and as I grew up, I started choreographing and creating more extensive dance theater pieces in middle school and high school.
I was also really passionate about New York and always dreamed of moving there. I came to New York for college and have mostly been here ever since. I’ve been fortunate enough to found two organizations, and I think my parents’ backgrounds as community organizers had a big impact on me.
Currently, I’m the artistic director of Colt Coeur, which is celebrating its 15th year this year. We produced the New York premiere of Still last year, in 2024.
Yitzi: Lia and Adrienne, both of you, I’m sure, have incredible stories from the different parts of your careers. Can you each share one or two stories that stand out the most in your mind from your professional lives?
Adrienne: I can share a story. I spent quite a few summers at Williamstown Theatre Festival, which had an apprentice program and a directing fellowship that kind of served as my grad school. I didn’t go to grad school for theater or directing, but my summers at Williamstown gave me that exposure and opportunity to build relationships.
When you’re starting out at Williamstown, most of your shows go up around midnight. One of the first shows I wanted to do there was Top Girls, the Caryl Churchill play. We staged it at midnight, and part of the play involves a meal, so we actually served food during the performance. That made it very popular! I have such fond memories of directing shows there over the years.
There’s something really special about the vibe at Williamstown. It feels like event theater because there’s not much else going on at that time of night, so everyone gets excited about the midnight shows. The resources are pretty limited, which forces everyone to get really creative within those constraints, and that often leads to incredible, inspired work.
I remember some of my artistic heroes coming to see my work at Williamstown and being so encouraging. People like Michael Greif, Anne Kaufman and Jessica Hecht. That meant so much to me. When you’re starting out, especially in something as challenging as playwriting and directing, those little bits of encouragement can make a huge difference. They really helped me keep going.
Yitzi: How about you, Lia?
Lia: When you mentioned midnight, it reminded me of something. This was early in the pandemic, around spring or summer of 2020. When the lockdowns first hit, I honestly felt like my career was over. I felt like theater was done. Within two weeks, I had five productions canceled, and it just felt so devastating. I thought, “There will never be theater again. This is horrible.”
At the time, I was living with my in-laws, and I had a one-year-old. In the middle of all that, I decided to write a play for Zoom. I sent it to a director I knew, and we worked with a couple of actors to record it on Zoom and stream it with a theater. I just remember sitting in those Zoom rehearsals feeling so happy to be working with actors and a director again — even virtually. It was such a relief, like, “Oh my God, I missed this so much.”
The actors were based on the West Coast, while I was on the East Coast, staying in Rhode Island. My son was waking up at 5:00 in the morning every day, and we were rehearsing late at night. At one point, I was so tired that I had my camera off and was lying on the floor of the bedroom, just listening to them speak the lines. But even then, I was so happy to be in rehearsal. I didn’t care how tired I was.
That experience ended up being so meaningful to me. It reminded me how much my theater community means to me and how important it is to do this work with other people. It really kept me going during a tough time.
Yitzi: It’s been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Adrienne, do you have a story about a humorous mistake you made when you were first starting out and the lesson you learned from it?
Adrienne: Oh my gosh, yeah. Another Williamstown story. I was the assistant director on a production of Beyond Therapy at Williamstown and Bay Street Theater in 2008. Alex Timbers was the director, but he left after opening night and tasked me with keeping the show in strong shape, especially because we were transferring the production to another theater straight from Williamstown.
The cast included Kate Burton, Darrell Hammond, and Katie Finneran — actors with tons of experience. And this was my first time as an assistant director. I had the audacity to give them notes to begin with, but what I didn’t know was the rule about not speaking to actors after half-hour.
So, about 28 minutes before the show, I approached them backstage to give some notes, and it created a huge amount of drama. I had no idea this was a rule, and I almost felt like my “director card” was going to be taken away.
Yitzi: So, what’s the lesson you took from that?
Adrienne: Don’t speak to actors after half-hour.
Yitzi: Is that just a theater rule?
Adrienne: I think so. I mean, it makes sense. It gives actors that moment to prepare and focus. I’m sure historically there were plenty of incidents where directors said too much or did too much right before the actors had to go onstage. But it’s a good rule. I just didn’t know it at the time.
Yitzi: That’s great. How about you, Lia?
Lia: I don’t know if this is a funny story, but a mistake I made early in my career — and for several years, honestly — was thinking that I could just sit in my room, write plays, and the American theater would somehow discover them. I didn’t realize that’s not how it works. You have to get out there, network, meet people, and connect.
I spent a long time not doing that. But when I finally started, it made a huge difference in my career. I also realized that’s where the joy is — going to other people’s shows, having them come to yours, getting to know people, collaborating, and building a community. That’s why we do this.
It just took me a while to figure that out. I’m an introvert and a writer, so my natural inclination was to stay at home and write. But that’s not theater.
Yitzi: So, Adrienne and Lia, you both have so much impressive work. Please tell us about the projects you’re working on now. Particularly, tell us more about Still and why we have to come and see it.
Adrienne: Well, I’ll start. We’ve had the rare pleasure of getting to work on this play at a few different theaters now. And this New York Off-Broadway production, which is our largest theater to date, is so exciting. One reason is because the play is, fortunately or unfortunately, even more timely now than it was nine months ago.
I think, at least for me, I’m so desperate for stories that are meaningful but also provide a kind of escape from real life. Still does that — it transports you into this journey with two characters, and you get to experience something intimate and moving.
In this production, we have two incredible actors who haven’t been on the New York stage in quite some time. They’re both amazing in these roles and bring so much of themselves to it. Their chemistry is so much fun to watch, and I think audiences will really connect with both of them — which is rare.
I also think Still appeals to such a wide range of people. Younger audiences, older audiences — everyone will take something meaningful from the story. It’s the kind of show that sparks conversation. People will leave asking, “What do you think happened? What do you want to happen with these two characters?”
Yitzi: How about you, Lia? Why do we have to watch Still?
I really feel like Still is a play for this particular moment. I first wrote it a few years ago, and it was relevant then, but now it feels even more so. I think most of us, at this point, have at least one person — or maybe several people — in our lives who we care about but also disagree with. We’re all so divided on so many things, and the play speaks directly to that.
At the same time, I think everyone has someone they used to love and still wonder about. The play is about that too — about those lingering feelings and questions.
So between those two themes, I feel like everyone has a way into the story. And hopefully, the play has something meaningful to say to each person who watches it.
Yitzi: That’s great. I asked this question yesterday to Jane and Blair, and they said I have to ask you this question. What is the meaning beyond the title Still? It feels like it’s a double entendre, maybe even a triple entendre. What did you have in mind when you chose that title?
Lia: Yeah, I think it works in a few different ways. The main thing I had in mind when I chose it was the idea of these two people who haven’t seen each other in many, many years but are still so drawn to one another and still have this strong connection.
As I was writing the play and rewriting it, I was also figuring out ways to work the title into the piece. I usually title things at the end of the process. I had a full draft of the play that didn’t have a title yet, and then I was about to have a reading and thought, “Okay, I guess I better call it something,” and came up with Still.
After that, I went back and looked at whether there were other places where the title might resonate or connect within the script. And, you know, still is such a rich word — it means so many different things, as you pointed out. I think it takes on additional layers of meaning throughout the script.
Yitzi: I had the opportunity to interview Melissa Gilbert not too long ago. What does it feel like to have such a famous actress using your words? I mean, I’m sure you’re used to it by now, but still, how did it feel at the beginning.
Lia: No, I’m definitely not used to it! It’s great. She’s iconic, and she’s amazing in this part. I love the energy and subtlety she brings to it. She also asks such thoughtful questions in the rehearsal room.
And honestly, it’s just really fun to share space with someone who has been acting since they were two years old, is at the top of their craft, and is also a celebrity. It’s fun — it really is.
Yitzi: Adrienne, what do you think are the lessons that society can take from the themes and motifs of Still?
Adrienne: I feel that the most central theme we can all stand to be reminded of is about having compassion for other people’s perspectives. It’s about holding the possibility that we can love someone deeply without agreeing with everything they believe.
Also, the more we get to know someone and understand their lived experiences — why they believe what they believe and how their experiences have shaped them — the more nuance and richness we gain in seeing their humanity. To me, that’s what compassion truly means.
And beyond that, I love the idea that we never really know what’s going to happen with people from our past. There’s always the possibility of rediscovery, change, or reconnection, and that’s such a beautiful and complex thing to explore.
Yitzi: Lia, as the creator, what would you say are the lessons that you hope society takes from Still?
Lia: Yeah, I mean, I agree with everything Adrienne said — signing on to all of that for sure. I’d also add the importance of conversation. Even if we can’t quite manage to love people who have different ideas and values, I think it’s vital that we’re still able to talk to them. It’s about continuing to engage with each other and believing in the possibility that people can change for the better. And if we engage instead of cutting each other off, we might actually help bring about those kinds of changes.
Yitzi: It’s amazing how timely this topic is. What was going on in the world when you first started writing this? What year was it, and what was happening at the time?
Lia: Let’s see. I started writing it — I can’t remember if it was 2021 or 2022. I think it was 2022. It was during the Biden administration, so things looked somewhat less dire to me than they do now. But there was still a lot of political divisiveness happening, and some of that was playing out in my own life. There were people I cared about deeply but really disagreed with, and I was trying to figure out what to do about that. That’s where the play came from.
Yitzi: Just to play devil’s advocate — because I’ve seen this kind of sentiment on social media, on LinkedIn — what do you say to people who say things like, “If you support so-and-so, you’re a fascist,” or, “If you support so-and-so, you’re a socialist destroying the country. Don’t follow me, I don’t want anything to do with you”? How would you respond to that kind of attitude?
Lia: You know, I’ve seen all of that too, and I can understand it. I totally get that there are certain viewpoints that are, for some people, morally repugnant. And there are viewpoints that are morally repugnant to me, where I think, “I can’t engage with someone who feels that way.” And honestly, there are times when that’s true. Sometimes you just have to say, “Okay, I can’t.”
But I also think that a lot of the time, engaging with people who have different viewpoints is the only way to even begin to change their minds. That’s really the work — to try to have those conversations, even when it’s hard and when we don’t want to.
I’ll admit, I don’t always manage to do this in my own life, but I do try to explore it in my writing. And I hope this play can be part of that larger conversation — about how we approach these divides and whether we can bridge them.
Yitzi: Amazing. Just a question to clarify for those who might not know — what is the difference between Broadway and Off-Broadway?
Adrienne: It’s about the size of the theater. Any theater that’s 500 seats or more and within a specific geographic area in Manhattan is considered a Broadway house. Anything between 100 and 499 seats is Off-Broadway.
Yitzi: So this is our signature question that we ask in all of our interviews. Each of you now has a lot of experience in theater and live performance art. Can you share five things you need to create a highly successful career in theater or live performance?
Adrienne: Patience.
Lia: My number one is a good day job because you’re going to be working at it for a long time.
Adrienne: Perseverance.
Lia: The thing I always tell young writers — and this isn’t so much a personal quality as it is advice — is to get out and meet people, and get involved. Go to plays, work with theater companies, offer your services, volunteer. Just get to know people and become part of the community. That’s how you learn, and it’s also how you make the connections you’ll need.
Adrienne: I think it’s essential for young directors to identify what is distinct about them — what their actual passions and interests are. Different directors have very different focuses and strengths. Narrow your pursuit of material, collaborators, and partners to align with that niche passion. Don’t just throw spaghetti at the wall.
Lia: Yeah, I think that’s really true for writers too. It took me a long time to learn it. There’s this whole debate about whether writers should be able to write about anything or whether they should “stay in their lane” and write what they know. My feeling is: you can write about anything, but you’re going to write better about what you know. The stories you’re going to write best are the ones that only you can tell — the ones that are really close to your heart. That was a lesson that took me a long time to figure out. Now that I’m telling those kinds of stories — like Still — the work itself feels better. It also feels more powerful to share that much of myself with an audience.
Yitzi: I’ve heard a lot of film and TV actors say they think the best actors are the ones who come from theater and eventually move to Hollywood. Would you recommend that to someone who has their eye on film — starting in theater — or is it a completely different animal where they should just go straight to LA?
Adrienne: I think it depends. I don’t think someone should do theater just as a stepping stone to try to make it in film and TV. But I do think theater is a great way to learn and cut your teeth as an actor.
Lia: Yeah, I agree with that. Theater is excellent training, and it’s fun. A lot of actors — even those who make their careers in film and TV — will say that theater is where their hearts are. And honestly, it kind of gets into your blood. So I think starting in theater can be an amazing foundation, but only if it’s something you genuinely want to do.
Yitzi: So this is our aspirational question. Each of you are people of enormous influence because of the platforms you’ve built through your incredible work. If you could spread an idea or inspire a movement that would bring the most good to the most people, what would that be?
Lia: This is really general, but coming from theater, I’d say the ethos of community and sharing rather than competition, capitalism, and everyone fending for themselves. If that idea were more widely integrated, it would make a huge difference. It would be a very good thing.
Adrienne: Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect.
Yitzi: So, how can our readers watch Still? How can they support your work in any way?
Adrienne: Still starts performances next week, January 28th, and runs through March 23rd at the Sheen Center in NoHo, downtown Manhattan. Everyone should come check out the show. The website is stilltheplay.com.
People should also check out my theater company, of which Lia is a member, Colt Coeur. You can find us at coltcoeur.org. We have another show coming up in late March called Minority, which is about the plurality of the Black experience. It’s a co-production with WP Theater on the Upper West Side, directed by Sharifa Ali. The play is written by Fran De Silveira, and it’s a really fun comedy that also packs a strong socio-political punch. We’ll be announcing an exciting cast soon, so stay tuned.
And, yeah, look for our names, and come check out our work!
Lia: Definitely come see Still. You can find me at liaromeowriter.com. I’ve got some essays, a couple of books out, and a few published plays. And, yeah, that’s the best way to support me — by engaging with the work.
Yitzi: Thank you so much. I wish you continued success and I hope we can do this again.
Live Arts: Lia Romeo and Adrienne Campbell-Holt Of ‘Still’ On The 5 Things You Need To Create A… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.