Originally from sunny California, Adriana Spencer traded the beach for the concrete jungle to attend NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts (BFA, Drama). Tragically, she’s been a New Yorker ever since.

“Adi” has graced all sorts of stages, from historic NYC theaters that may or may not have been haunted to intimate black boxes with poor ventilation. She’s performed in grungy East Village parks, an upstate chapel-turned-theater frequented by bats, and even the Sydney Opera House with composer & conductor Eric Whitacre. 

Past favorite projects include: Nadine in ROSALIE; Jessie Spano in NATIONAL LAMPOON PRESENTS: BAYSIDE! THE MUSICAL; Mercutio in ROMEO AND JULIET; Trix, The Aviatrix in THE DROWSY CHAPERONE; Dominique Du Monaco in LUCKY STIFF; Penny Nikols in THE BRASSY BROADS, an original vaudeville act; and Fritzie/The Gorilla in CABARET. Adriana has portrayed more inanimate objects than she cares to admit but knows her “type” and welcomes the work—none of which would have been possible without UCB Improv 101 & 201 and training in clown (or so her reps have told her).

Adi is the co-founder of Ruffled Owl Productions, alongside her long-time collaborator and co-conspirator Erin McGuff-Pennington. Their award-winning inaugural film, ROSALIE—a thriller about choice and consequence—has been ruffling feathers across the country, especially south of the Mason-Dixon line.

Along with her work at Ruffled Owl, Adriana has acted in commercials and voice overs, and collaborated on indie films as an actor, producer, casting director, and story creator. She’s made several shorts with the production company Filmelodic, which sets original stories to classical music and screens them with live orchestras.

Whether in film or theater, commercial or devised work, Adi believes in fostering a generous work environment where every team member feels comfortable and empowered to bring their best ideas to the table. Only then does collaboration become something truly electric and inspiring.