THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 3, 1994 TAG: 9406030063
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: B13 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HOLLY WESTER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940603 LENGTH: Medium
Richard, who currently stars in the live version of ``The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' every other Friday night at the Naro Expanded Cinema in Norfolk, has worn many masks since he began acting in eighth grade.
{REST} It all started at Deep Creek Junior High, when Richard played the emperor's son in ``The Emperor's New Clothes.'' Since then, he has starred in school plays including ``Robin Hood,'' and with the Hurrah Players in ``Aladdin'' and ``Alice in Wonderland.''
Outside of acting, Richard is a cartoonist. His favorite creation, Captain Bugg, is a comic book character straight out of outer space. He is working on having it published.
Richard would like to attend Wisconsin's Clown College in the fall. Only 30 students are accepted each year, and of those, only 10 end up traveling with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He auditioned in February and will learn this summer if he was accepted into the eight-week course.
Full name: Richard Stephen Kirsch
Birthdate: June 25, 1974
Birthplace: Portsmouth Naval Hospital
Education: Graduated from Deep Creek High School in 1993
Occupation: Freelance artist and starving actor
Siblings: One sister, Claire, 17
What is your idea of a perfect day off: Sleeping in, going to a movie and buying things I don't need.
Last smart thing you did: I did the art work in the Hurrah Players' ``Alice in Wonderland'' TV commercial.
Last dumb thing you did: Cleaned a stove burner immediately after cooking on it, resulting in the creation of a blister where my left hand used to be.
Favorite meal: Fried chicken, biscuits, french fries and corn.
Favorite movies: ``The Star Wars Trilogy'', ``Edward Scissorhands'', ``Jesus Christ, Superstar'' and ``Tommy''
Favorite song: ``Too Many Walls'' by Cathy Dennis
Favorite singer/band: Cathy Dennis; The Who
Last book read: ``Jedi Search'' and ``The Guide to the Star Wars Universe''
Hobbies: Drawing, acting in ``The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' at the Naro, filmmaking, reading, model making
Best date you've been on: Took a friend to go see ``The Best Christmas Pageant Ever'' then we went to Burger King and pigged out.
Worst date you've been on: Went to see ``Grease'' and my date was not feeling well. She was like, ``Let's see the show and take me home.''
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?: I wouldn't be such a picky eater.
If you could change one thing about your parents, what would it be?: My mom would quit smoking (hint, hint, Mother!) and my dad would listen to 96X instead of 2WD.
Secret vice: I'm hooked on ``The Bold and the Beautiful.'' Help me.
Favorite restaurant: Didio's in Churchland
Favorite place to shop: Music, book and movie stores
Your favorite night out on the town: Going out to the movies with my friends and then going to our restaurant and getting waited on by Fran.
Favorite TV shows: All three ``Star Treks,'' ``The Animaniacs,'' ``96X Radio Vision'' and ``Buz TV''
Last vacation: I had to go on a two day trek to New Orleans in the middle of August with no A/C and two teeny bopper girls to see a New Kids on the Block in concert. I still wake up at night screaming.
Pets: Three cats; Friskey, Cuddles and Miss Skitty
Best job: Working at Designs By Suzy J., Inc. in Virginia Beach
Worst job: Being a paper boy
What achievements are you most proud of?: Playing the Sultan in the Hurrah Players production of ``Aladdin'', seeing my drawings in the ``Alice'' TV commercial and getting my Captain Bugg character made into a real comic book.
What would you like to be in 10 years?: I would like to have graduated from Clown College, become a filmmaker and have Capt. Bugg made into a household name.
Heroes and role models: George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton, the Zucker brothers and my parents
Your most unique trait: Being generally weird, which is more fun than being generally normal.
Best subject: Drama/music
Worst subject: Anything math related. The only other person worse at math than me was Einstein and look what happened to him. E=mc2 dude. by CNB