Richard Pluim
Richard H. Pluim is a director, actor, and voice teacher serving as Visiting Assistant Professor in the Theatre Department. His performance work has been seen internationally across the performance art, theatre, and film communities.From 2016-2022 he served on the board of The Southern California Shakespeare Festival Guild, a Los Angeles-based theatre company whose mission was to bring inclusive, professional Shakespeare performances to communities throughout southern California. In 2019 he was commissioned by Debbie Allen Dance Academy and The Carr Center to direct the musical theatre Summer Intensive in Detroit.
Richard is proud to have had his film work screened at such venues as The Golden State Film Festival, Oaxacas Film Festival, Druk International Film Festival, Lonely Wolf Film Festival (London), NYCITFF, The Portland Film Festival, among others.
While in Los Angeles, Richard was a founding member of Fast Track Comedy, who blended sketch comedy and multi-media, and was a member of The Speakeasy Society during the company’s early developmental period.
When not teaching or working creatively, Richard enjoys meditating. He has studied Nisargadatta Maharaj, Laozi, Shunryu Suzuki, Chögyam Trungpa, and lived as a monk at Tassajara Zen Monastery in 2016.
Education
MFA Acting, California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)
TEFL 60-hour certification from Bridge Education Group
BA Theatre Arts, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Teaching Areas
Performance: voice, speech, Shakespeare
Select Works/Awards
The Nether, director, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
King Lear 2021 SCSF, Edgar, director of photography
The Tempest 2021SCSF Guild, Ferdinand/Trinculo/Gonzalo
The Plaintiff and the Judge 2021 (12th Night adaptation) SCSF Guild, Malvolio, adapted by
Queen of the Angels, supporting, Pasadena Film Festival
Scourged 2021, director, commissioned by SCSF Guild
Tom’s Bench 2020, director. Winner ‘Best quarantine Short,’ Astoria Film Festival, Portland Film Festival
Open House 2019, supporting, Winner ‘Audience Choice Award’ Druk International Film Festival, Oaxacas Film Festival
Noises Off 2016, Frederick, Cabrillo Stage
Julius Caesar 2015, Marc Antony, SCSF
The Least Important Things, 2014 Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)