“There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come.” – Victor Hugo
The dynamic duo behind more than 20 years of RIC theatrical productions are Professor of Dance Angelica Cardente-Vessella and Professor of Musical Theatre Bill Wilson. As a team, they’ve directed and choreographed more than 40 productions, and each is a powerhouse in their own right.
Cardente-Vessella is responsible for the vast number of dancers who’ve come out of RIC. Some have formed their own dance companies or joined ensembles. And many of Wilson’s proteges have become Broadway or off-Broadway success stories. Together, Cardente-Vessella and Wilson have been a titanic creative force in RIC’s theatre and dance programs. Their track record overflows with one landmark production after another.
It just makes sense that this past fall the college would merge the theatre and dance programs into one single Department of Theatre and Dance.
The first production to come out of the merger was a multimedia production co-written by the duo titled “LIKE Me: Social Media & Digital Identity.”
“LIKE Me” explores how we search for connection in the digital age through hearts, swipes and followers. It holds up a mirror to a culture that measures value one “like” at a time. (In 2013 Cardente-Vessella and Wilson also co-wrote “A-MIRROR-CA: A Reflection of a Media-Driven Society.) Their hope is that we become thoughtful critics of technology, looking at what we’ve gained but also at what we are losing.
The script for “LIKE Me” was written while the actors rehearsed – which is how these two creative minds create. “We had a Google doc that we called Idea Dump, and we would dump whatever idea we had there,” says Wilson.
And when it comes to sharing ideas, “it’s rare that we’d say, ‘No’ to the other’s idea. It’s always either ‘Yes and’ or ‘Yes but how about adding this or taking away that?’” he says.
Nevertheless, they do go about the work differently.
“Bill is more linear. I don’t think linearly,” says Cardente-Vessella.
“Yes, Angelica might start in the middle and then do the ending. She’s not going to do what you expect. I sometimes do the obvious thing. Angelica will have an idea that’s different or out of the box. I appreciate that.”
“It confuses people a lot, unless you work with me all the time,” she admits. “But Bill trusts that whatever crazy idea I come up with will work. And I trust that the show will work because I’m doing it with him.”
So, what’s their formula for success after decades of working together without killing each other?
“Respect,” Wilson says. Longevity has to do with trust, respect and a willingness to allow the other to experiment. “If Angelica proposes something, I’m immediately on board because she’s one of the greatest collaborators I know.”
“And he’s just a really good person,” she says. “That’s important. He’s trustworthy. His ego doesn’t walk into the room before he does.”
“I would say the same about her.”
No doubt, their professional commitment to each other, to the work and to the talented students they nurture has been ironclad. Here’s to another decade of bold and brilliant performances by the newly formed Department of Theatre and Dance.
Learn more about Dance Performance B.A. and Theatre B.A.