We recently had the chance to connect with Richard Baird and have shared our conversation below.
Richard, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
A great many artists are always looking for the next rung of the ladder in their careers. How do I expand my presence? How do I reach that next step? There is no ladder. As Bruce Lee once said, “Be the water.” I think this is great advice in any aspect of life. Learning to adapt. I remember early on auditioning for a play and I was using Mark Antony’s “O, pardon me thou bleeding piece of earth.” The director said “Great! Now I’d like you to do it again as though you’re shooting hoops at the park.” At the time I was confused as to why basketball practice should have anything to do with Marcus Antonius mourning his dead leader and friend? Then it dawned on me, “The director is checking to see how I adapt to notes. Is my mind open? Could I mold to different circumstances? Could I take direction? Often the measure of success in our profession is how much staying power you have as an artist. There are countless stories of actors on the precipice of quitting only a month later to land the gig that would forever change their careers. So one has to keep at it. There are days that will feel like you’re moving forward and others that you feel you’re moving three steps back. Most of the artists I know experience this. Stop trying to dance around it. Swim. “Be the water.”
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am an actor, director and producer. In 2001, I formed Poor Players Theatre Company in San Diego. We were known for our “garage band Shakespeare” aesthetic. We liked to think of ourselves as “respectfully disrespectful.” So while we took wild swings with some of our choices (Hamlet covered in gasoline during “To be or not to be” comes to mind) we also always considered the text our ruling monarch. Poor Players Theatre Company produced over 25 Shakespeare productions in a fairly short amount of time. In 2014, Poor Players Theatre Company rebranded into New Fortune Theatre Company and opened with a production of Shakespeare’s Henry V. Since then we have produced at different locations across San Diego including productions of Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party, Les Liasions Dangeruses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos adapted by Christopher Hampton, As You Like It and Henrik Ibsen’s Public Enemy in a new version by Scottish playwright David Harrower. So we lean towards classic stories but try to present them in a fresh and relevant way.
Currently New Fortune is producing AMERICAN MONKEYs by AJ Schaar. 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the Scopes Monkey Trial. The Trial began July 10, 1925 in Dayton, Tennessee. A high school teacher, John T. Scopes, was accused of violating the Butler Act, a Tennessee state law which outlawed the teaching of human evolution in public schools. American Monkeys is a cutting of the actual trial. We have a wonderful cast of artists collaborating on this event. It will take place at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Point Loma on July 26, 2025. The event will include carnival games, a snake encounter, live music from three bands, a book sale and a full reading of AMERICAN MONKEYS. The event is free and the whole family is invited!
I have also been cast at Santa Barbara Theatre Ensemble/The New Vic in their production of WAR OF THE WORLDS: THE PANIC BROADCAST playing the role of Freddy Filmore and Orson Welles. For thirty years I have been doing an impression of Orson Welles to make my friends and colleagues laugh backstage and I’m very excited to finally have a shot at playing the master on stage.
I also have a long history with North Coast Repertory Theatre, where I have been performing and directing since 1999. Last fall, I had the great pleasure of playing Eddie Carbone in Arthur Miller’s A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE with a wonderful cast of actors and directed by David Ellenstein.
Next spring at NCRT and The Laguna Playhouse, I will be performing in Matthew Salazar Thompson’s new adaptation of Samuel Dashiell Hammett’s THE MALTESE FALCON at North Coast Repertory Theatre in the iconic role of Sam Spade.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
That I was a painter.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
You love what you love. You don’t have to apologize for it. Others may not understand you but that’s ok. Find those who do. Listen to what Oscar Wilde said “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist.”
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Theatre.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When have you had to bet the company?
In many ways, all the time. Theatre is a very niche entertainment and what sells and what doesn’t sell can vary widely. Choosing projects to invest in and produce is a bit like a fortune teller peering into a crystal ball. What will be relevant that year? What will audiences tastes be that year? How do you balance creating a piece of theatre that will entertain audiences but also inform them or spark lively debate? It’s a lot of guess work- but it’s also about keeping yourself informed as a human being to what is going on in the world. I always begin with the writer. That to me is the key to a successful production. While I tip my hat to artists that can spin chaff into gold- it is always a relief as a director or as an actor when you are working on brilliant material. This way, when you bet the company, you’re at least starting from a strong position. It’s also vital to me to choose artists who not only bring a lot of experience and imagination, but also are the kind of people you want to spend months of your time with.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.newfortunetheatre.com
- Instagram: htttp://instagram.com/new_fortune_theatre_company
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/NewFortuneTC
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewFortuneTheatreCompany/
Image Credits
1.) Richard Baird picture taken by Nick Kennedy
2.) AMERICAN MONKEYS by AJ Schaar produced by New Fortune Theatre Company directed by Richard Baird
3.) WAR OF THE WORLDS: THE PANIC BROADCAST by Joe Landry produced by Ensemble Theatre Company at the New Vic directed by Jamie Torcellini
4.) THE MALTESE FALCON by Matthew Salazar-Thompson based on Dashiell Hammet’s THE MALTESE FALCON produced by North Coast Repertory Theatre and The Laguna Playhouse directed by Todd Nielsen
5.) New Fortune Theatre Company logo designed by Gedimin Bulat
