The moment Levittown-native Adam Rodney tore his ACL as a member of the SUNY Oneonta men’s track and field team, he knew he would no longer be able to do what he loved.
“I thought to myself, ‘what do I possibly do now?’” said the 24-year-old, who premiered in Noel Coward’s Hay Fever, his first show with the EastLine Productions company based in Wantagh. “I was always known for my running, but since I couldn’t do that anymore I had to find something else.”
Then, when a group of college friends, who were heavily involved in the Oneonta acting scene, encouraged him to audition for roles in several upcoming shows. After a series of tryouts, Rodney was granted the opportunity to discover his new calling as he was casted for one of the lead roles in a student-produced performance on campus.
Despite only acting for a little more than three years, Rodney said his love for storytelling as well as a rich imagination dates back to his days growing up in his Levittown neighborhood with friends and his identical twin brother, Matthew.
“Growing up, we would get toys and make up our own stories,” said Rodney. “We would create adventures on pirate ships and in outer space, that’s what really got me into acting.”
Rodney, who attended MacArthur High School, majored in biology and communications during his time at SUNY Oneonta, but hopes to be able to continue acting for years to come, and one day as a full-time professional.
In what will be his first performance on Long Island, Rodney is set to star as Sandy Tyrell, who, as he explained, is a young boxer blinded by his love for women while putting his career on the backburner, but by the end of the play, realizes that there are more important things at his current point in life.
Having worked with Rodney for the first time, Hay Fever’s director Patrick A. Reilly praised the young thespian’s talents he has displayed thus far.
“Adam is a very talented newcomer to our stage,” said Reilly. “His good looks and comedic ability will definitely have the audiences laughing and sympathizing with him.”
Hay Fever is a classic British comedy from the 1920s that looks into the lives of a great theatrical family and their overwrought sense of everyday drama. It ran from July 15-17, and the cast, including Rodney, were a huge hit. For more information, visit www.eastlineproductions.com.
