Richard Martinez

rich-martinez-picture

Position: Resident Artist (Director / Actor), Community X Director

Education: Rich received his Masters of Fine Arts Degree in Directing from UCLA. While at UCLA he was awarded the Gilbert Cates award for Directing, the George Burns and Gracie Allen Award for Comedy Directing, and the Florence Theil Herrcher Award in Theatre. Rich also received his Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree in Acting from Texas State University. During this time he also studied with the Royal Shakespeare Co. in Stratford upon Avon.

Professional Experience: Rich has worked professionally across the country as a Director, Actor, Writer, Producer, Designer, Stage Manager, Acting Coach, and Instructor. Theatres have included Austin Playhouse, Hyde Park Theatre, Blue Theatre Austin, The Los Angeles Theatre Center, Pacific Stages, Geffen Playhouse, Actors Workout Theatre, SMPAC, and the Artspark Festival to name a few. At Artspark his play Searching… won the Grand Prize award for Best Production which he shared with his fellow Sidewalk Chalk Theatre Group. He sometimes is recognized on the streets as the “idiot” who tries to pass his driving test by trying to put a square peg in a round hole in the film Idiocracy. You can find Rich’s upcoming work here on the XRT Stage.

XRT Acting Credits: Wesley / Foote / Priest (DURANG DURANG), Pablo (A Streetcar Named Desire)

XRT Production Credits: Director (DURANG DURANG), Director (Danny and the Deep Blue Sea)

What the XRT Means To Me…: The XRT is the ideal laboratory. All the great inventors, scientists, and artists in history had a safe place where they can cook up ways to reinvent the future and change the way people looked at the world. The XRT is where I am encouraged and feel free to experiment on ways to do the same thing. It is the kind of environment that breeds creativity and allows you to throw paint on the wall and see what sticks. Each time I walk into the XRT I’m given the gorgeous gift of inspiration. I find that inspiration in the art on the walls, through my conversations with fellow artist, in the sound of people creating in every corner of the building, and in the eyes of the kids we reach out to in the community. It’s a place to train, and grow, and try, and dare, and play, and laugh, and cry, and relax, and socialize, and explore, and invent. The truth is the XRT is the place I always dreamed of having in my life, and I’m glad I found it.

Why I Do What I Do…: I do what I do for the simple reason that I believe in the possibility of a better world. I have had the fortune in my life to witness the ripple effect of change created by a theatrical event. It was a profound experience that continues to impact me to this day. In my life I strive to create as many of these kind of moments through my work in hopes that I can inspire and make a persons life just a little bit better.

Did You Know? Rich judges Mexican food restaurants by the quality of their enchiladas, and has the dream of someday opening a restaurant of his own so that he can name it after his pet maltipoo.