Biography
Adam Houghton joined the Acting BFA faculty at BYU in 2016. Before that he taught acting classes and directed plays for 13 years at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University in Minnesota. Adam graduated from BYU in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre and Film with an Acting Emphasis. He received his MFA in directing from the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama. In addition to his MFA, Adam has pursued diverse acting training that includes traditional psychological approaches as well as Biomechanics, Alba Emoting, and the Odin Teatret creative practices with Eugenio Barba and Roberta Carreri.
He has a keen interest in mask making and performance and sees the mask’s primary function in communication as revealing more than it conceals. He has trained with Atelier Sartori at Centro Maschere e Strutture Gestuali, Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre, the Noh Training Project, and Bread and Puppet Theatre. He has created masks and puppets at Horse + Bamboo Theatre and In the Heart of the Beast Mask and Puppet Theatre. In 2023, he presented his masks at the 7. Deutsche Figurentheaterkonferenz (UNIMA-Germany).
BYU has had a profound impact on Adam’s life. Adam’s father grew up in a small mining town and his BYU education changed the direction of his life, lifting him out of poverty. He instilled this value of education in Adam from a young age. And it was at BYU where Adam developed as an artist, scholar, and disciple of Christ, integrating a love of learning, art, and the gospel. For Adam, the greatest theatre is that which reveals truth and strengthens the bonds between God and his children.
After serving a mission in Germany, Adam met his wife, Lori, on a blind date while they were students at BYU and their family has three girls who will surpass Adam and Lori in every way.
GENUINE EXPERIENCE WILL PROVE THE TRUTH
Adam Houghton explains a life quest to find an acting form that was genuine and filled with love so it would convey truth to the audience. This path to discover truth is similar to the path and practice of discipleship. He also shares his journey with a monologue and his love of masks.
To see other lectures from this series, visit the Faith & Works Lecture Series home page.