Richard Schultz, a director, playwright, actor and arts administrator, has been active in the Phoenix and Chicago theatre communities. With a Master of Fine Arts in Directing from Illinois State University, he founded two nonprofit arts organizations, Theatre Eclectic, a professional theatre company in metro Chicago, and the Arizona Conservatory for Arts and Academics, a public charter arts academy in Phoenix. He has taught at the secondary and college levels, while also directing over fifty stage productions, festivals and events featuring national headliners such as RuPaul and Ben Veeren. His original interactive comedy, Patsy’s Bridal Shower, ran for five years at Theatre Eclectic and had an extended run in Mesa at the former Broadway Palm Theater. Locally, he directed the statewide tour of a play based on the life of Arizona Governor Raul Castro with New Capra Theatre. Recently, he directed The Jury Experience at the Herberger Theatre Center. He also worked as a regional arts columnist in Arizona, California, and Illinois and contributed feature stories and previews, often highlighting interviews with local, regional, and national artists. He is an associate member of The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC). In his career, he served as the Cultural Arts Manager for the City of Carlsbad, CA, and Public Arts Programs Manager for the City of Peoria, AZ.