After a nationwide search, Richard D. Thompson has been named the new artistic director of the History Theatre, the St. Paul theatrical playground dedicated to telling the stories of Minnesota’s past to enlighten the present. Thompson succeeded Ron Puleso, the former 27-year reigning artistic director, as he stepped in the new role this month, becoming the fourth artistic director in the theater’s 44-year history.
“I am honored and humbled to be chosen to lead History Theatre into its next chapter by building on the theatre’s legacy of success to continue to make it a vital and celebrated part of the lives of the people of Minnesota,” Thompson said in an announcement about the job. “The History Theatre’s mission speaks directly to my heart and my talents.”
The decades-long arts veteran chatted with us about his future vision for the downtown St. Paul theater, some of his past esteemed theatrical productions, and why he calls the Twin Cities arts community his home.
You have 30 years of experience in the theater world. Wow. Where did you get your start?
Thirty years certainly talks about my professional career, but I began performing at age ten. That was truly my start, when I was cast in a Children’s Theatre production. Besides that, my mother and father were very good at exposing me to the performing arts. Whether it be, at that time, going to the Minneapolis Symphony, which then became the Minnesota Orchestra, or going to various other performances as well. But to get into a show at age ten was most exciting, especially given that I had seen shows at the Guthrie Theater. That was a big moment to say the least.
Then at the age of 15 or 16, myself and some other friends, we formed our own African dance troupe. West African dance and Caribbean dance. We were called the Uchawi Dancers, and that led to other performance opportunities and shows. But, things did start 30 years ago by taking administrative positions with organizations, eventually leading to becoming the General Manager and Associate Producer at Penumbra Theatre Company, and going on to being a stage director.
I’m going to make the assumption that you’re originally from the Twin Cities?
I am, yes. Born and grew up in South Minneapolis, a community that’s spawned so many artists. The playwright Kim Hines was a neighbor; I grew up just two doors away from her. Seitu Jones, the artist in this community, is also from South Minneapolis. And most notably, Prince. We all grew up in the same area at the same time. There must’ve been something in the water.
With so much experience in the Twin Cities community, what attracted you to the History Theatre? What intrigued you about that particular theater?
That’s an interesting question. Two years ago, I had no interest and no idea at all. Ron Peluso, the exiting artistic director, hired me back in 1996 to direct a show here. That show was entitled The Brotherhood, and dealt with the organization of the Pullman Porters. So, that’s what first brought me here. Over the years, I’ve directed four or five different productions. Just over a year ago, the History Theatre advertised for a position of a producing and directing associate, and I applied for the position at the urging of members here in the organization. I took the job on only to find out, only a few months after being here, that Ron had decided to retire. With that, I originally had no intentions to apply for the artistic directorship here at the theater. But again, with the urging of friends, associates, and family, I decided to do so. And now here I sit.
How do you see the future of the History Theatre under your directorial vision? Are there any major changes you’re planning to make?
Well, I think that over the close to 30 years that Ron Peluso has been the artistic director, there are a couple things that he’s done. He’s certainly secured the organization by developing an audience that has created a truly stable base. He has also made a true commitment to new work. The history of the History Theatre, one might say, has never been accustomed to just pulling plays off of the shelf but is investing in emerging artists in the community and across the country to develop new work that addresses history. So, with my taking the reins as it were, I don’t want to change that. What I’d like to do is to add to it; to make it better than it is now. What do I think is the best way to do that? Well, this is the History Theatre. It’s a theater devoted to telling stories about history. What I would like to do is to bring more voices into that conversation so that more individuals in our American history that have historically been disenfranchised are able to bring their stories forward.
But this organization, like many after COVID, has many challenges regarding maintenance of the organization, getting audiences back in the seats, to keep their revenues where they should be so that we’ll be able to invest in new work, as well as invest in the performers. By making sure that their pay grade is good and is something that they can make a living from when they come to the History Theatre to show their work.
Throughout your career, you’ve been deeply involved in the local art scene, whether it be as a director, as a choreographer, as an actor. Has one of the fields you’ve worked in ever called to you more than the others? Or do you prefer to dabble in a little of everything?
I can’t say that any one has been instrumental or most influential. As a young person, I was somewhat nerdish because I really enjoyed school. I enjoyed learning very, very much, and that’s always been influential on the way that I’ve approached the art I’ve done. Regarding performing arts, I’m interested in all different styles of presentation as well as stories to be presented. So, in my directorial career, that’s why I’ve directed dramas, I’ve directed musicals, I’ve even directed opera and shows with musical groups. As a young person and as a performer, I was always interested in all of it. I liked acting, I liked all of the different ways that the stage could look. I was interested in dance. I was interested in music and how music can touch our emotions, so I really look to use all that when putting together a show. That nerdish part of me truly comes out as a director. Anything I’ve directed, I’ve always looked at it as a period piece. So, really trying to examine when the piece was created, what might have been the influences of society going on with the artist who created it, and what the message is that they were trying to present to their audience. So, with that research came a sort of continuation of learning and examining the human experience, not only in the Upper Midwest in America, but across the world.
As difficult as this question might be, I figured I should ask it. It might be like being forced to choose a favorite child, but out of all of the theatrical performances and experiences you’ve been a part of, is there one that sticks out in your mind as an all-time favorite?
That really is a difficult question. Each one of the productions I’ve had the opportunity and pleasure of directing has been different. Truly so, so different. I’d be hesitant to say “Oh yes, this was the best or greatest experience.”
I can certainly tell you a couple of productions I’ve done over the years that made a difference, or perhaps highlighted my experience. One of them was a production I did at Penumbra Theatre a number of years ago called The Last Minstrel Show, which was a musical about the lynching of three men in Duluth. Another would be working on a national tour of Treemonisha, which is an opera written by Scott Joplin. I also worked with a gentleman by the name of Rick Benjamin, who runs the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra, for that production. What made that something special was that Mr. Benjamin is a ragtime aficionado and maestro, and he put together a new orchestration that I think is much more reminiscent of what Scott Joplin intended. Another might be a production I did for the Kennedy Center, entitled Sundiata, Lion King of Mali, and for that production, the Kennedy Center actually brought in a Greil from Mali. It was truly an interesting and exciting experience to work with somebody from West Africa who truly knew the story of this great man, Sundiata. Those are all very, very different shows, but they were all very rewarding to be a part of.
With so much theater and arts experience all over the country, what kept you in the Twin Cities? What do you see in the art scene here that you don’t in other arts communities?
I think the reasons are several fold. One, this is where I was born and raised and my family’s here. The theatrical community here is extremely diverse. I mean that in the truest sense of the word that there are many theaters here with many different missions that present many different styles of theater. That in itself is just so exciting to me. Here in the Twin Cities area, we have more theaters per capita than anywhere else in the nation and that makes it a great place to explore theater. And some of that I think is due to the climate. Historically, when one looks at where great art took place in the world, it’s been places where the climate at some times of the year was not very good and forced people to go indoors. Paris, Moscow, London, even New York. There’s inclement weather which drives people indoors. So, as a result of the weather here, there are many, many opportunities to view art.
Second, here in Minnesota, we have a very well educated audience. Part of that has to do with all of the educational organizations in town; the colleges and universities. Then there’s the workforce and who employs that workforce. We have 3M, we have Medtronic, and many, many others. So, it makes for a very educated audience. As a result, there are many opportunities for people to see a diversity of work. And that in itself has always been of great interest to me to say the least, and a reason for staying.