Richard Gaffield-Knight

Richard Gaffield-Knight

230 West 107th Street, Apt. 1-G
New York, NY 10025-3040

Telephone and Fax: (212) 662-2712
Email: rgaffield@mindspring.com

Objective: To teach in a collaborative environment which nurtures and supports a multicultural vision of theater that reflects a shared past, and presents universal themes of socio-economic concern.

ACADEMIC PREPARATION

State University of New York at Binghamton	9/1991 to 1/1994
Binghamton, New York Master of Arts / Theater
Empire State College	9/1989 to 8/1991
New York, New York Bachelor of Professional Studies

Principal Teachers

Criticism: George E. Wellwarth, Ph.D.

Theory: Donald M. Boros, Ph.D.

History: Allan S. Jackson, Ph.D.

Playwriting: John E. Bielenberg, Ph.D.

Art History: Nkiru Nzegwu, Ph.D.

Directing: Lee Strasberg, Marshall Mason

Areas Of Concentration In Graduate Study

The work of Antonin Artaud, Peter Brook and Jerzi Grotowski and its combined effect on a contemporary theater process and practice.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Dramaturg. The Greenwich Street Theatre, New York City Taught pre-production dramaturgy to playwrights for the New Voices Project	1995-1996
Adjunct Professor, STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK at Purchase Taught playwriting for the Division of Continuing Education	1993-1994
Adjunct Professor, STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK at Binghamton Taught playwriting and screenwriting for the Creative Writing Program	1989-1991
Teacher/Artistic Coordinator, New Voices Project , ART THEATRE Binghamton, New York, Taught playwriting and acting workshops to interested off-campus community members and moderated the culminating staged readings and critical discussion with the audiences	1990-1991
Artist/Teacher-in-Residence, OTISVILLE FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL FACILITY Otisville, New York, Taught acting and playwriting to interested inmates on a full-time Thursday through Sunday schedule at the maximum security facility	1982
Acting teacher, WPA THEATER, New York, New York Taught scene study classes	1971
Adjunct Professor, COLUMBIA COLLEGE, Chicago, Illinois Taught dramatic literature and acting courses	1967

RELATED EXPERIENCE

Artistic Director/Producer, AMERICAN FOLK THEATRE INC., New York, New York Directed and/or produced twenty-nine world premieres and revivals; developed new works for staged reading and workshop production, while researching, writing and pursuing grant proposals in the public and private sectors and administering grant awards; initiated and co-implemented four performance centered cultural exchanges involving 113 youth from England, Japan, Scotland and the U.S.	1978-1989
Director, THE ACTORS' STUDIO, New York, New York, Directed new plays in the Playwrights' Unit	1969-1973
Co-founder/Director, WPA THEATER, New York, New York Directed the original company in What Do They Know About Love, Uptown? by Jerrold Dukor, one of the first plays in New York to deal with the suppression of homosexuality in a heterosexual society	1968-1970
Artistic Director, HULL HOUSE PARKWAY THEATER, Chicago, Illinois Directed regional premieres ranging from Requiem for Brother X by William Wellington Mackey to Slow Dance on the Killing Ground by William Hanley	1966-1967

GUEST DIRECTING EXPERIENCE

BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY, Binghamton, New York, 1989
CIRCLE REPERTORY THEATRE, New York, New York, 1977
WPA THEATER, New York, New York, 1976
THEATER AT ST. CLEMENTS, New York, New York, 1976
The ACTORS' STUDIO, New York, New York, 1969-1973
THE DINNER THEATER, London, Ontario, Illinois, 1974
LaMAMA E.T.C., New York, New York, 1971

MAJOR WORKS DIRECTED

William Shakespeare's Richard II
James Baldwin's Blues for Mister Charlie
Richard Wright's novel Native Son, dramatized for the stage by Paul Green
Elmer Rice's The Adding Machine
Loften Mitchell's Star of the Morning, a musical
Mort Schuman's Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, a musical revue
Murray Schisgal's LUV and Neil Simon's Last of the Red Hot Lovers
Ishmael Reed's novel Flight to Canada, adapted for the stage by W.W. Cook

PLAYWRIGHT

DANCE WITH ME, PLEASE? One-act play, staged reading at the Greenwich Street Theatre, NYC, 1995

Representative Performances As Actor

Jerry in Zoo Story by Edward Albee
Marvin Macy in Carson McCuller's Ballad of a Sad Cafe adapted by Edward Albee
English Soldier and other characters in Saint Joan by G.B. Shaw

Professional Memberships (Past and Present), The Dramatists Guild (DG), Actor's Equity Association (AEA), Society of Stage Directors, Choreographers (SSDC), Alliance of Regional Theaters/ New York (ART/NY), Theatre Communications Group (TCG)

Community Service Conceived and coordinated the formation of Manhattan's West Side Arts Coalition, a nonprofit association of artists organized to serve artistic disciplines of a designated geographic community; a forerunner of its type.

Complete dossier, including confidential letters of reference, available from Binghamton University Career Development Center, P.O. Box 6013, Binghamton, NY 13902-6013

REVIEWER'S COMMENTS OF PAST PRODUCTIONS

As a Director: NEW YORK Native Son by Paul Green and Richard Wright " . . . an incendiary work of theater." Mel Gussow, The New York Times; " . . . bright, beautifully staged. . . . a fresh stylistic vision . . . a stirring, dynamic production." Arthur Sainer, Village Voice; Blues for Mister Charlie by James Baldwin, "Dick Gaffield and his American Folk Theatre deserve kudos, encouragement and attendance. I think even James Baldwin would agree. It both made me wish all the more that I'd seen the original and made me know I didn't have to, that the overlapping visions of Baldwin and Dick Gaffield were all I needed to know . . . " Curt Davis, New York Post; East Liberty, PA* by Allan Bates "It's an entertainment . . . a grab bag of Americana with songs, balloons, hot dogs, grape Nehi, and absolutely marvelous moments of scenic magic. Everyone works smoothly under Dick Gaffield's direction. . . . and you get to take home your very own red balloon." The Soho Weekly News; Kid's Games* by Allan Bates, " . . . but the strongest production of the evening is Dick Gaffield's staging of Kid's Games." Michael Feingold, Village Voice; All Runners Come*, by James Childs " . . . is a low-keyed, intimate study of a man disintegrating on the eve of his 40th birthday . . . as the production, so sensitively directed, proceeds, it becomes increasingly apparent that life is being sliced more than skin deep . . . " The New Haven Register; CHICAGO Slow Dance on the Killing Ground* by William Hanley " . . . a forceful and fluid production . . . the performances are exceptionally fine." Dick Christensen, Daily News; My Sweet Charlie* by William Hanley "Is superb theater . . . a must to see." Daily Defender; The Laundromat* by Roger Cornish " . . . is winning theater." Skyline; ONTARIO The Last of the Red Hot Lovers* by Neil Simon "Satisfying without being too filling, flavorful, without being too sharp . . . Gaffield serves it up in appetizing style . . . a red hot comedy success . . . " London Free Press

As a Producer: NEW YORK Birthrites* by Elaine Jackson " . . . evokes the universality of an experience as momentous as it is commonplace. . . an elaborate ensemble piece . . . richly shaded comic portraits . . . " Stephen Holden, The New York Times.

As a Producer/Director: CHICAGO The Escape* by Victor Power "A sensation." Claudia Cassidy, WFMT-FM; "An ingenious ruse, imaginatively staged . . . " Glenna Syse, Chicago Sun Times; "Revealing and poignant . . . " Roger Detmer, Chicago Tribune.

As a Presenter: NEW YORK The Adapters in Autobahn " . . . a Manhattan attic that was once a roller skating rink . . . home of the American Folk Theatre . . . genuinely new, and the start of something big . . . an extraordinary experience. I recommend it most heartily." Clive Barnes, New York Post " . . . a satire on America's nervous love affair with technology . . . the message is the movement . . . ingenious." Walter Goodman, The New York Times

OTHER PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE

Director of Theater

1965	Invitation to a March by Arthur Laurents	Chicago Stage Guild	Chicago
1966	The Dock Brief by John Mortimer	Northshore One-Act Festival	Evanston, IL
1967	Blues for Mister Charlie by James Baldwin	Hull House Parkway Theater	Chicago
"	*The Integrators One-Act by Norman Mark and *Requiem for Brother X One-Act by William Wellington Mackey	"	"
"	My Sweet Charlie by David Westheimer	"	"
"	*Open All Night and *The Laundromat One-Acts by Roger Cornish	"	"
"	Slow Dance on the Killing Ground by William Hanley	"	"
1968	*That Old Rock-a-bye One-Act by Susan Yankowitz	Cooper Square Theater	New York
"	*What Do They Know About Love, Uptown? by Jerrold Dukor	WPA Theatre	"
1969	*The Salvation Army Band by Lee Goldman	"	"
"	The Star Spangled Girl by Neil Simon	The Yarmouth Playhouse	Cape Cod
"	Cactus Flower by Abe Burrows	"	"
"	Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon	"	"
"	Room Service by John Murray	"	"
"	Cactus Flower by Abe Burrows	The Plymouth Playhouse	Plymouth, MA
1970	The End of the World and Other Business by [?]	WPA Theatre	New York
"	Owl & the Pussycat by Bill Manhoff	The Yarmouth Playhouse	Cape Cod
"	You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running One-Acts by Robert Anderson	"	"
"	Luv by Murray Schisgal	"	"
1971	The Adding Machine by Elmer Rice	WPA Theatre	New York
"	*The Corruptors adapted from her novel, People vs. Baby by Gertrude Samuels	The Actors' Studio	"
1971	*Monkey Man Pick-up and *No Luggage People One-Acts by William Schlottman	The Cubiculo Theater	New York
"	*Thank You Mr. President Satire by Gertrude Samuels	The Actor's Studio	"
1972	The Effects of Trimethylchloride and Rainbows One-Acts by John Ford Noonan	Lincoln Center Library on a John Golden grant sponsored by the SSD&C	"
"	*Family Meeting by William Wellington Mackey	LaMama ETC 16 week workshop sponsored by the Rockefeller Fdn	"
1973	*Kid's Games One-Act by Allan Bates	WPA Theatre	"
1974	Luv by Murray Schisgal	London Dinner Theater	London, Ont.
"	*The Escape by Victor Power	The Happy Medium Theatre	Chicago
"	The Last of the Red Hot Lovers by Neil Simon	London Dinner Theater	London, Ont.
1975	Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris by Brel, Mort Schuman, etc.	"	"
1976	*East Liberty, PA. by Allan Bates	WPA Theatre	New York
"	*The Book of Lambert by Leslie Lee	American Theater Experiment at St. Clements Church	"
1977	*All Runners Come by James Childs	Terry Schrieber Studio Theatre	"
"	*Allegra by Allan Bates	Circle Rep Directors' Workshop at Westbeth	"
1978	Native Son Dramatization by Paul Green and Richard Wright with additional material from the novel and Paul Green	American Theater Experiment at Perry Street Theater	"
"	*Turkey Rush / OR One-Acts by Felton Perry	American Theater Experiment at 78th Street Theater Lab	"
1979	*Buy the Bi and Bye by Felton Perry	American Folk Theatre at Holy Name Church	"
"	Blues for Mister Charlie by James Baldwin	"	"
"	Richard II by William Shakespeare	"	"
1980	*Who Wants to be the Lone Ranger? by Lee Kalcheim	"	"
1981	Native Son Dramatization by Paul Green and Richard Wright with additional material from the novel and Paul Green	"	"
1982	*Flight to Canada Stage adaptation by W.W. Cook of the novel by Ishmael Reed	American Folk Theatre at Riverside Church	New York
1983	*One Big Happy Family by Don Evans	American Folk Theatre at the Richard Allen Center for Culture and Art	"
1984	*Man One-act by Laurence Holder	American Folk Theatre at the Judith Anderson Theatre	"
1985	*Star of the Morning Musical book by Loften Mitchell with music and lyrics by Louis B. Mitchell and Romare Bearden	American Folk Theatre at the No Smoking Playhouse	"
"	*The Toy Factory by [?]	American Folk Theatre at American Folk Theater	"
1986	*Surfacing by C. Dumas	"	"
1989	*Lifelines by Bonnie Bedford	State University of New York at Binghamton	Binghamton, NY

As a Producer of Theater

1974	*The Escape by Victor Power	The Happy Medium Theatre	Chicago
1970	Summertree by Ron Cowan	The Yarmouth Playhouse	Cape Cod
1988	*Anchorman Jazz Operetta by Paul Carter Harrison	American Folk Theatre at Theater Four	New York

Artistic Director of Theater

1980	*Darkness, Fierce Winds by James Childs	American Folk Theatre at Holy Name Church	New York
"	Mulatto by Langston Hughes	"	"
"	*A Long Way Back to Me by Shirley Peacock	"	"
1981	*In de Beginnin' by Oscar Brown Jr.	"	"
"	The Drunkard by William H. Smith	"	"
1982	Benito Cereño by Robert Lowell Anderson Adapted for the Company by John Bakos	American Folk Theatre at Riverside Church	"
"	*Cane by Jean Toomer Adapted for the Stage by Irving Lee with music by Grenaldo Frazier	"	"
1983	*Captain at Crickett by Clifford Mason and Anna Christie by Eugene O'Neill in repertory	American Folk Theatre at Richard Allen Center for Culture and Art	"
1983	1st Annual One-Act Festival *The Wig Lady, *Fobidden Copy, *Four O,Clock Ramble and *Ruby and Pearl: A Class Act 4 One-Acts by Leslie Lee, Percy Granger, Marcia Savin, and Laurence Holder, respectively	American Folk Theatre at the Samuel Beckett Theatre	New York
1984	*Willie by Leslie Lee	"	"
1985	Tell Pharaoh by Loften Mitchell	Benefit Performance for American Folk Theater with Oscar Brown, Jr., Frances Foster and Earle Hyman at Symphony Space	"
1985	2nd Annual One Act-Festival 9 previously unproduced One-Acts by writers including Elizabeth Diggs, Casey Kelly and Hanay Geiogamah	American Folk Theatre at the Judith Anderson Theatre	"
"	*Two in a Room and *Sequestered Two One-Acts by Lee Hunkins	American Folk Theatre at American Folk Theater	"
1986	Staged Reading Marathon 12 unproduced MSS by writers including: Ishmael Reed, Kerry Kennedy, Elaine Jackson, Laurence Holder and others.	"	"
1987	*Territorial Rights by Kerry Kennedy and *Birth Rites by Elaine Jackson in repertory	"	"
"	Staged Reading Marathon 12 unproduced MSS by writers including: Loften Mitchell, James Childs, Paul Carter Harrison and others.	"	"

Nonprofit Arts Administrator

1980	*Cadimus Machine	American Folk Theater Children's Theater Workshop at the Church of the Holy Name	New York
1981	*Pullin' Myself Together by Judith Jackson	"	"
1982	*Bustin' Out the Box by AFT's Children's Theatre Video Workshop Company	American Folk Theater Children's Theater Workshop at the Riverside Church	"
1983	*The Fission Mission by Walter Allen Bennett	American Folk Theater Children's Theater Workshop at the Actor's and Director's Theater on Theatre Row	New York
1984	*Talent Expo '84 Original Musical by Gerald Stevenson	American Folk Theater Young Company at Bank Street College	"
1985	*Tenement Tales by Arthur Williams and the AFT Young Company	The Albany Empire	London
1986	*Laughing Matters Improvisational theater by AFT Young Company under the direction of Jasper McGruder	Edinborough Fringe Festival	Edinborough, Scotland

As a Presenter of Theater

1985	Native American Theater Ensemble	American Folk Theatre One-Act Festival at the Judith Anderson Theater	New York
1986	Basement Group of the Albany Empire of London	American Folk Theatre One-Act Festival at the Judith Anderson Theater	"
"	Native American Theater Ensemble	American Folk Theatre at Judith Anderson Theater	"
1987	Spiderwoman Theatre	American Folk Theatre at the American Folk Theater	"
"	Scottish Youth Theatre	American Folk Theatre at The Cubiculo	"
1989	Tomagawa Gakuen of Tokyo	American Folk Theatre at Pace University Downtown Theater	"

*World or Regional Premieres