Meet Richard Trujillo | Artist, Ideator, Arts Education Professional

We had the good fortune of connecting with Richard Trujillo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Richard, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I started riding bulls in competition when I was five years old. My dad and I were members of a Mexican Western rodeo club called the Vaqueros in South Phoenix, Arizona. I rode in Phoenix Jaycees and Scottsdale Rodeo parades and did trick roping on a parade float. At home I would sit in the laundry room listening to an 8 track of Johnny Cash songs and play along with my toy guitar. My first concert – at five- was Johnny Cash with June Carter and the Carter Family. I think I knew when I was five that entertainment, the arts– being in front of people was something that felt natural. My whole childhood was consumed by pretending, playing, entertaining. I don’t think I even thought about it. It was natural. It was how I communicated. Now, my dad was a Notre Dame grad, a lawyer who later became a Superior Court Judge and Chief Tribunal Justice for the Hopi Indian Reservation and I was brought up with the idea that we would one day be the law firm of Trujillo and Trujillo. So, when I made the decision to pursue acting as my major in college it wasn’t met with joy– initially. But, after two years in the Walter Cronkite School of Broadcasting at Arizona State I knew the theatre is where I was meant to be. I’d ride my bike on campus past Drama City- our black box theatre, the Lyceum Theatre, and Gammage Auditorium for hours in the middle of the night. It was my conjuring of the dream of a creative life. It was literally all I wanted to do. And, I didn’t care about anything else. It became my passion and my relentless pursuit.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
These are such great questions to reflect upon. Some things have been easy and many have not been easy at all. I began working as an actor before I graduated from college. And, had the privilege of working with a professional theatre for youth and several LORT theatres before I was done with school. The acting part was fairly easy for me since I got cast quite a bit and regularly. I think that trying to be more than just an actor has been the most challenging part of my journey. I was a founding member of two theatre companies–Teatro Del Valle and Jester Co.. Jester Co. was a creation between my friend Jere Luisi who I had worked with for several years at Childsplay in Tempe, Arizona. We had this idea of producing a season of theatre that included a mix of classical, avant-garde, and new work with a kind of multidisciplinary approach– original music, score, visual art, film as texture, choreographed movement, and just this notion that any art form could be part of our storytelling. After one exhausting and euphoric season of work we decided not to keep going. I spent the next several years trying to get our stage version of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar made into a film, but to no avail. I would later open a film company in downtown Phoenix that focused on independent film and local commercial and industrial film. That was a disaster. But, I learned a lot in those two years. And, was working full time simultaneously as a drama teacher at Herrera School for the Fine Arts in downtown Phoenix where I created a multidisciplinary approach to performance using the works of Shakespeare and modern dance with my co-creator–our dance teacher Susan Bendix. We created some incredible work that our students just completely owned and performed with such precision, grace, and artistry. And, I created a partnership with the Herberger Theatre Center, which allowed our students to perform in their magnificent theatres. I would be nominated for the Governor’s Arts Award for arts education in 2005. .

My biggest pivot came when we moved to Los Angeles in 2007. After performing in Water and Power by Richard Montoya for Culture Clash in the fall of 2008 I was offered the opportunity to interview for the artistic director job at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts. My hope was that I would be able to keep my marriage by landing a “real job” so to speak. My marriage ended, but as a single dad I was able to raise my kids who both attended the SDSCPA , and 13 1/2 years later had put the school on the path towards national arts accreditation. I have no regrets over my choice to take a very long hiatus from acting to take care of my family.

And, now I find myself reemerging into my craft. This time a little wiser and definitely with more life lived to draw upon in my work. My adult children and I are venturing on a journey that I began when I was 26– to make our debut film, Julius Caesar.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love Balboa Park. It’s a completely different world from San Diego and yet so San Diego. When I need to wander and dream and feel connected to my aesthetic nature and imagination I go there. Plus, Panama 66 is a great place to hear music and have a craft beer. Ponce’s in Kensington, or Clem’s Station are two places you can always find me. I love all of our entertainment and performing arts organizations around the city. I especially love some of our more progressive theatres like Onstage Playhouse, Diversionary Theatre, and Wildsong Productions. And, there’s nothing like a long walk or run in Mission Bay, or having a beer in a high Adirondack chair at Beach House soaking in the rays and just looking out at the beautiful Pacific Ocean.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Johnny Cash, Marlon Brando, Anthony Quinn, Raul Julia, and my family are just a few inspirations–there are many more. When I think of those who supported and encouraged me I cannot forget Mrs. Wise who directed me in a Christmas play when I was in 8th grade, Mrs. Frakes my choir teacher and such a force and advocate of my creative pursuit. In college Professor David Barker and Professor David Vining really recognized my potential and supported my growth. Lori Adams my first acting teacher at ASU was everything to me. And, without Dr. Lin Wright I would not have my degree. Herbert Siguenza from Culture Clash, and David Saar, founder of Childsplay, Inc. and Sam Woodhouse, founding artistic director of San Diego Rep each deserve recognition. They are my brothers. Trini Yanez Hale and Pete Cirino were significant as well. Not to mention, my mom and dad, my ex-wife and our two amazing kids. They are each owed a debt of gratitude for their unwavering support.

But, there are two people to whom I am forever connected and indebted. They are my mentor the late Diane Rodriguez and Matthew Wiener. Diane was the first person who made me confront my culture, and taught me to embrace and be proud of my Latino identity as an artist. She directed me in works by Latins Anonymous, Culture Clash, and John Leguizamo. She was honest, real, and a consummate professional. Her legend lives on in Los Angeles and across the country and I miss her like crazy. Matthew was an associate artistic at Arizona Theatre Company and was instrumental in opening the professional theatre doors for me. When he became artistic director at Actors Theatre of Phoenix I became a regular on the stages at the Herberger Theatre Center. In fact, Matthew, Diane and I collaborated on Bordertown by Culture Clash and Spic-O-Rama by John Leguizamo.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-p-trujillo-6439801a/