Rick Boynton, 38, works for Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.
He has a Cool Job as a Casting Director / Art Director.

His Gig:
Boynton has been at Chicago Shakespeare Theater for 5 years. He started as a Casting Director. His new position is Associate Artistic Director. "I've always loved theater. I knew I wanted to be involved in the business. I loved performing. I also always loved and appreciated other actors’ talents.” As an actor, Boynton’s first big break was winning his first Joseph Jefferson Award for the Courier in 1776 at The Marriott Theatre. As a casting director it was getting hired by Jane Alderman and being casting director for a TV series within his first month there.

A Day In The Life Of:
“The difference with this job might be that my brain is constantly working on finding that perfect person for the show. A lot of time I bolt out of bed at 3:00am to jot a name or two down.” On a daily basis, Boynton meets with the director of the current show he is working on to discuss their vision for the piece. They set up auditions and brainstorm ideas for the perfect character. Some days he works 8 hours and some 14.

Career Path:
“I was a working Equity actor in Chicago making a pretty good living, when one day backstage I had a realization that until I croaked I would be in the same audition pool trying to get the next job. It gave me the willies.”

High Five:
“The creative process of realizing someone’s vision and watching it come to life.”

Down Low:
“Knowing the perfect person or persons for the job and none of them are available.”

Wish List:
“Everybody I want to cast is available, excited and willing to work for scale.”

Extras:
Boynton heads to the country for some R and R. “I love taking walks on the beach. Cooking is also a favorite
pastime of mine.”

Words from the Wise:
“Start identifying what you enjoy and appreciate in someone’s performance. Observe who is working and why."

Education:
B.S. School of Speech - Theatre Major- Northwestern University.
Boynton grew up in a little town in northern New Hampshire called Whitefield.