We speak with Silvia Montesinos about the process of adapting major works and the particularities of associate and resident direction in musical theatre.
It’s not about creating from scratch but about honoring the material. That’s my form of creativity.
Silvia Montesinos is a resident and associate director, script and lyric adapter, and one of the key figures in the development of musical theatre in Spain. Trained in New York, she was a pioneer in introducing musical theatre performance as a subject in Spanish training centers, first in private institutions, later in the public system, and has led productions such as Ghost, The Phantom of the Opera, or The Addams Family, both from the director’s chair and through her adaptation work. She currently collaborates closely with LETSGO and combines her artistic work with teaching and the training of new talent.
In this interview, we talk about the often invisible creativity behind associate and resident direction, the meticulousness required when working with original material, and the human side of casting.
A Different Way of Creating
If there’s one timeless trait embedded in human behavior, it’s egotism. Back in the Renaissance, with the rise of individualism and the cult of the artist as creator, a whirlwind of recognition-seeking was unleashed—and it’s only intensified since. In this light, ego can be both the fuel and the trap of creativity.
While the artist craves recognition as a form of connection with their work, what happens when that work requires a team to be born and to grow?
In a society where egocentrism is amplified and overexposed—boosted by platforms like social media—we often lose sight of the bigger picture. In musical theatre, for example, leading performers get the spotlight, while many essential roles remain in the shadows.
It’s not about creating from scratch, but about honoring the material. That’s my form of creativity. It’s the same with being a resident or associate director: many people think ‘the director is the one who directs,’ but keeping the essence of a piece alive is also a creative task.
Regardless of public recognition, roles like resident or associate director must inevitably make peace with humility.
It’s true that it’s more behind the scenes and not always fully recognized, but you know what you bring, and so do those working with you. Directors know the value you add —and that’s enough.
LETSGO as a Creative Space
Finding a stimulating creative environment—where artistic work is clearly and consistently valued—is no easy task. In that sense, LETSGO has become one of the most dynamic professional hubs for Montesinos.
“LETSGO has something very special: the CEOs are young and have a very open mindset. They’re approachable and encourage each person to develop their strengths and feel like part of something.”
On a personal and creative level, I feel seen—and that’s rare. Plus, Iñaki [Fernández, CEO of LETSGO] is a genius with wild ideas, which forces you to grow. Every project is a new language. There are no precedents. So you’re constantly exploring, inventing, creating references for those who’ll come next. Your creativity is always in motion. And I love that.
Adapting a Musical: Beyond Text and Music
What’s the real challenge of adapting major musical theatre works into Spanish? For Silvia Montesinos, it starts with a clear ritual:
First, I do deep research on the original version. At LETSGO, we usually don’t work with franchises—we create new stagings, and that means many parts of the script are tied to the original set or direction. You have to know how to separate what’s essential from what was specific to that production.
(…) Then I do the usual: I watch the show, I read everything I can about the author, I listen to the music over and over—not just to know it, but to understand how it’s built rhythmically (…) I like to first do a full translation of the text and lyrics, to really grasp what the author and lyricist meant. Then I adapt. Some things work in English but not in Spanish—not because I want to “Spanish-ize” them, but because the goal is to achieve the same impact, the same effect.”
(…) Once the adaptation is underway, I spend a full week reading everything aloud. That’s how I catch words or phrases that can be trimmed. Sometimes, just cutting one syllable in a few places makes the rhythm flow so much better.
Development of Scene 3, Act 1 of Young Frankenstein. Material provided by Silvia Montesinos.
But adapting the text is only the beginning. Once the show hits the stage, the work of the resident and associate director takes on a new layer: maintaining the psychological balance of actors repeating the same roles night after night, and preserving the artistic coherence of the production.
Being a teacher helps me understand what each actor needs when facing a character. Some covers need to feel free—you guide them slowly, without making them feel like they’re copying someone else. Others want you to be very specific, and you need to be able to do that too.
The resident director’s job has a lot to do with holding the company’s emotional and psychological energy. Runs are tough. Actors constantly care for their voices, their bodies… and they get stuck in a loop. The audience sees the three or four hours of the show (if there’s no double), but not the fatigue. You have to be aware of that challenge and be there to motivate them—so each day feels like a new goal.
The adaptation approval phase used on The Phantom of the Opera. Courtesy of Silvia Montesinos.
The Human Side of Auditions
Casting is another of Montesinos’ areas of expertise—and one that demands great human sensitivity.
The first step is to understand what the director wants. I meet with them, listen to their vision, and ask the right questions to fill in the gaps. You have to be sharp—sometimes even anticipate what they need.
I always try to respect the performer. An actor shows up to an audition unpaid, with prepared material, giving it everything they’ve got. So I don’t like wasting anyone’s time. If I know they’re not right for the role, I don’t call them in.
At first, the process moves fast and filters are wide. But when things narrow down, I try to be more personal: I explain the director’s vision so they can prepare accordingly. Even if they don’t get the part, I want them to feel it was worth it.
Understanding the value of human connection as the foundation of long-term professional bonds is essential in creative work. The trust Silvia Montesinos has built with actors has created a solid network of professionals who now reach out to her organically. For example, with the Phantom of the Opera tour and its rotating cast, there’s no need for open auditions: they review past audition materials and directly contact available performers who match the role.
Training at the Source
Studying musical theatre performance in early-2000s New York was a turning point for Silvia Montesinos. Her approach—sensitive yet technical—is shaped by many influences, but her time at “the source” of musical theatre has become part of her identity.
There I discovered that musical theatre performance was a discipline of its own. It wasn’t just ‘acting and also singing or dancing,’ but real integration. In Spain at the time, everything was separate: acting with one teacher, dance with another, singing with another… But no one connected it all.
That journey—and her meeting with Àngels Gonyalons, who ran the Memory school in Madrid—marked the start of her teaching career, with the launch of the first musical theatre performance course in Spain.
…then other schools started calling me, including the one in Murcia where I had studied. We managed to get the subject turned into a public position. I was the first musical theatre performance teacher in the public system. I was on my own for about fifteen years. A couple of years ago, they opened more positions, and now there are four or five of us.
The Magic of Theatre
We return to the question of recognition. What’s the real value of public validation once you’ve reached professional fulfillment, emotional balance, and the deep respect of your peers?
When asked about a particularly emotional or defining moment during a rehearsal or premiere, Silvia doesn’t hesitate. She smiles and shares:
So many. But one I’ll never forget was the Ghost premiere, when Bruce Joel Rubin and David Stewart came. The New York subway on stage was this platform that went up and down, and we climbed up with them to see the final applause. The audience was going wild, and we were up there, with them, floating. It was so moving.
And luckily, we experience magical moments like that all the time in this work. When a scene really lands emotionally and everyone on the team ends up crying… It happens a lot. You get the sense that you’re part of something big—all the time.
Looking Ahead
After so many years working in direction, adaptation, and education, Silvia Montesinos imagines a new path for the future: writing and directing her own musical. “I also write,” she confesses. “I know it will happen. I just need the time—but I’ll get there, step by step.
When thinking of those just starting out in musical theatre, she’s clear about the key: observe and specialize. Understand that this is a collective, deeply communal art—and that your place might lie elsewhere within the same universe.
But once you find your place, specialize. That’s when you really start building.
Her training has shaped her broad perspective on the craft—and it’s the same mindset she applies to her own path. Far from settling, she continues to grow her experience alongside LETSGO. Her next challenge? Cabaret, now in the creative phase. Speaking about this production and its unique adaptation, she says:
What I enjoy most is when I have a semi-final version and start reading it aloud, getting into the details. Yesterday, for instance, I was going over Cabaret with Federico Bellone and I told him: “In Maybe This Time, I’ve taken a risk, I don’t say ‘maybe this time’ at all. Instead, I say ‘can you imagine?’ And when he saw the result, he started crying. That’s when you know it works. That the piece is saying what the author really meant.
By The LETSGO Pen, Claudia Pérez Carbonell, on July 22nd, 2025
