For Ricky, sociology gave what he called “context” to theater. He had no academic degree in the arts so he did not read theater works in a literary sense. What he had was the sociological imagination and a creativity which was “boundless”, “wild”, and “playful”. But because of his social awareness, he also knew the implications of his directorial decisions. Sociology in the arts and arts in sociology were evident in his theatrical productions which he wrote, directed, and occasionally joined as an actor. His creative genius appeared in integrating sociological concepts into creative works of imagination and reimagination of Western Masterpieces in Asian settings. Colonization and resistance emerged in his works as did social inequality, decolonization, globalization,  power, and resource conflicts.

But what led him to the stage? In 2013 he would recount it as

part biography, part history, and at the core of it all, now that I think about it, lies two strong desires: one is to give others, students mostly, alternative and still meaningful visions of themselves and the social world; and two, to reach out to other cultural traditions that will energize the theater that I seek to do.

By day, as a young sociology teacher, delivering theoretical and statistical concepts, in lively and sometimes irreverent sessions, semester after semester and by night, acting, performing, directing on stage, Ricky Abad did not know where theater would lead him, or how sociology or theater would merge. Over time, he learned that theater was not merely a quest for aesthetics, entertainment, or audience approval. Rather, it was a set of ideas and practices that can pin down sociological insights in the real world, undertake sociological critiques, show paths on how people can work together and build communities, and serve as a vehicle for personal and social transformation. In the words of a social scientist colleague, Ricky’s theater,

moved my intellectually-driven life to take on softer textures, patterns, and hues as far as viewing and acting on the world that lies before me. For me, the ability to transform people’s hearts and spirits is much, much more than a mark of excellence and achievement but a distinct marker of man’s creative impetus and leadership before humanity and the nation.