Rick Huddle
Portland, Oregon, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Last Friday, Portland Story Theater opened its third show of 2008 with Rick Huddle's On Sale Now! Rick is one of my favorite performers; nevertheless, I was nervous, because the theme of consumerism can be so polarizing. I steeled myself for an evening that, for all I knew, could have been subtitled Money Is Evil. I needn't have worried.
Rick doesn't tell safe stories (one of the things I like about him), but I always feel safe with him (another thing I like). He takes care of his audience.
What else do I like about Rick? He's physical. He skips, hops, preens, and teaches audience members to flip through catalog pages as he shares a game from his childhood. He projects a captivating childlike energy, an irresistable invitation to come out and play. He has a Puckish, mischievous air that's both grounding and exciting. Kind of like watching a seven-year-old balance atop a wall.
And his stories touch universal human preoccupations: respect, inner worth, relationships, cultural values, work, dreams, family.
I arrived at Hipbone Studios before the doors opened. After confirming my reservation and purchasing my ticket, I was handed some Monopoly money and urged to go buy a snack. I wandered over to the concession table, where a variety of chips and sodas were on display. I bought a copy of Rick's CD and signed the unique On Sale Now! guest book.
As usual, Huddle's performance was stellar. He takes the most mundane events and arranges and polishes them into treasures. It's truly a coal-into diamond effect, and I always marvel.
For me, the most memorable story of the night reminded me of some of Milton Erickson's work. Rick described the first time he identified with clothing: a pair of green Converse Chuck Taylor tennis shoes he owned as a kid. From having his foot measured (I thought I was the only child enchanted by those metal things that had that little sliding gizmo that pressed up against the ball of your foot) to the way the shoes almost magically transform his world to the sad end of the relationship, it's a sweet and penetrating portrayal of identity, autonomy, personal symbols, and personal power.
Are sweatshops evil? And what about Wal Mart? What happens when our dream jobs become brain drains? Is it impossible to imagine that something as simple and transitory as a coconut cupcake could be a legitimate source of happiness? Huddle poses more questions than answers, thank goodness, giving the audience the opportunity to explore as they pursue their own journeys. - Michelle DeLude
He made the most of the possibilities of one body onstage. - San Francisco Chronicle
Huddle is an engrossing presence. I could've listened to this guy for hours. - Just Out
Acclaimed by The Oregonian for his "rubbery face and expressive body language”, his performance is honest and straightforward. DC Theatre Scene calls him “dynamic!” The San Francisco Chronicle says he makes “the most of the possibilities of one body on stage.”
“One of the Northwest’s funniest children’s entertainers.” - The Ashland Daily Tidings
“Funny and engaging performer.” - The Willamette Week
“An assured performer with an easy on-stage presence. You just want more!” - Portland Tribune
"Huddle is an engrossing presence. His observations about relationships are refreshingly universal. He brings a surprisingly strong physicality to the stage with his lithe movements.
- Just Out
“Moving and enthralling.” Kate Sokoloff, Artistic Producer, Live Wire Radio
“Rick brought such a gift. It was a thrill to see the kids treated with such genuine respect and open affection.” – Rebecca Cohen, Director of Stories by the Sea Festival
“Playful. Empowering. Normalizing the ‘others’.” – Amy Saidman, Artistic Director, Speakeasy DC, Washington, D.C.
"Rick is a warm, natural performer committed to discovering the real truth of the world and ourselves."
Mike Daisey, monologist
“Rick Huddle is the Hoover vacuum of storytellers- he just sucks you right in.” - Marc Acito, author of “How I Paid for College”
“Rick Huddle’s stories and storytelling reveal a deep sense of joy that compassionately explore the frailty of the human experience. Humorous, kindhearted, and rooted in personal experience, Rick holds up a mirror in which we can see ourselves and smile.” - Olga Sanchez, Artistic Director, Miracle Theater Group
- many
Huddle is an engrossing presence. I could've listened to this guy for hours. - Just Out
Discography
Hello Muddah
Arrrr! Pirates Have Feelings Too (EP)
Alien Invasion! (EP)
Secret Agent: Underground (EP)
Citizen of the World
Photos
Bio
One evening, First Mate Rick got in a heated discussion with his best friend, Cookie, about who could sleep on the top bunk. Words escalated into action. Swords were drawn by both men, and when all the slashing was done, Cookie was missing a hand.
Cookie now has a hook where his hand used to be. Says he, “me hook comes in ‘handy’ when I be shreddin’ chicken for taco Tuesdays, but it’s a bit of a hazard when me nose itches.”
First Mate Rick felt horribly about cutting off his life-long friend’s appendage and has since vowed to never raise his sword in anger again. He attends anger management seminars and is learning how to use his words. He’s out to let the world know that not all pirates have mean hearts. “Pirates have feelings too,” he says.
Like all of us, they just struggle sometimes with how to properly express them.
Rick's story:
When 5-year old Ricky’s kindergarten teacher asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up, he replied, “A clown- so I can make people laugh.”
He doesn’t wear a red nose or floppy shoes, but he has made lots of people laugh- tens of thousands of kids and adults- all over the United States and Mexico.
He’s a captivating storyteller, a gifted dancer, and can play the guitar, dulcimer, 6-string ukulele, and nose harp (but usually not at the same time). He provides fun, lively, and thoughtful performances that leave audiences of all ages laughing.
He lives in Portland, Oregon with his talented and charming wife, Kristin, and their grouchy and occasionally endearing cat, Fozzie.
Acclaimed by The Oregonian for his "rubbery face and expressive body language”, his performance is honest and straightforward. DC Theatre Scene calls him “dynamic!” The San Francisco Chronicle says he makes “the most of the possibilities of one body on stage.”
“One of the Northwest’s funniest children’s entertainers.” - The Ashland Daily Tidings
Rick has performed at theaters and festivals all over the country: Long Island Children's Museum, the SF Bay Area Storytelling Festival, the Capital Fringe Festival in DC, the NW Folklife Festival in Seattle, the San Francisco Fringe Festival, and Portland’s Tapestry of Tales Festival. He is currently on a nationwide tour of elementary and middle schools. Later in 2011, he will be at MidFest in Ohio, The Freeman Stage in Delaware, and many others.
“Uncover your light and show who you really are, not who you’re ‘supposed’ to be.”- Rick Huddle
Links
