About
Rick Harrelson was raised in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. He was a trumpet player for years before falling in love with theatre. Rick graduated from Oklahoma City University with a BFA in Musical Theatre.
Soon after, he moved to New York City to work as an actor. After some time there, he transferred coasts and moved to Seattle where he worked in regional theatre productions. In 2014, Rick moved back to Tulsa where he turned to directing shows, designing sets, and lighting productions. In October 2022, Rick moved with his partner Meghan to Bellingham, Washington where he plans to continue his directing career.
Between projects, Rick and Meghan are building a sustainable off-grid cabin near the Grand Canyon in Northern Arizona.
Directing Philosophy
Why do I direct?
I am drawn to discovery. The design and rehearsal process is a collaborative exploration, one that delves both into the script and ourselves. Every time there is something unexpected to be found or something unique to create that can enhance, illuminate, or greater facilitate the story being told.
I love to bring order from chaos. Every career I’ve pursued has had this challenge at its core; from Philosophy, to Game Design, to Entrepreneur. When it comes to theatre, even as the discovery process is ongoing, the pieces have to start coming together to form a cohesive whole. This is how the text is given life and it is a puzzle without a single or static solution, one I find endlessly fascinating.
Creation and Cohesion. Collaboration and Interpretation. Explorer and Architect. I cannot think of anything I’d rather do, or anything I’d be better suited for.
What inspires me?
The unforgettable. There are moments in our lives we will never forget. They made an impact on us, one that we feel no matter how long ago they may have happened. Most of the time they aren’t engineered. We go about our lives and out of the blue “Wham!”…something unexpected and unforgettable happens. Every now and then, Art can create that same lasting effect. We all have these moments when art was able to fascinate, resonate, surprise, or alter us in some way. On stage, it is sometimes referred to as Theatre Magic. I am energized, excited, and inspired by the ways, both subtle and over-the-top, art can change people.
What do I hope to accomplish?
I want to help theatre do for others what it has done for me. I want the audience, cast, and crew alike to leave the theatre with more than they arrived with. An unforgettable moment, or a few, that will stick around. It might be something that makes them think or question, it could be that they felt understood for the first time in a long time, or that they laughed so hard that they cried, or that something felt like it was just for them. I believe that theatre is about connection. Every night the cast and the audience come together with the same goal, to experience theatre magic. My goal is to make sure that they succeed.