Personal History
With the given name, Ernest R. Thorpe Jr., Bud Thorpe was born in May 1951 and was raised in the small coastal village of Westbrook, Connecticut. He graduated from the town’s High School and went on to receive a Bachelors of Arts degree in Dramatic Arts from Allegheny College in 1973. Upon graduation he was hired as a Lighting Director for McManus Enterprises and toured the United States and Canada with such Rockin’ Roll music icons as Elton John, The Moody Blues, Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Who.
A year later in 1974, Mr. Thorpe moved to Chicago and formed a comedy group with former classmates from college days. The group specialized in “Original Sketch Comedy.” Combining the use of language and “over the top” characterizations, in the style of England’s Monty Python, they presented fast paced non-stop performances. In a three year span, with the name The UnNatural Acts, the comedy troupe went on to
premiere seven unique shows at theatres, comedy venues, music clubs and pubs around the city of Chicago.
Bud Thorpe broadened his horizons by joining the artistic staff of a newly formed theatre The St. Nicholas Theatre Company. With playwright David Mamet, who would later receive the Pulitzer Prize for his works, at the artistic helm, the company would become the driving force behind the emergence of a theatre explosion in Chicago.
Although regional and national recognition was given to the artistic vision of St. Nicholas, Bud always returned to his comic roots. In late 1976 he was approached by Rick Cluchey, founder of the San Quentin Drama Workshop, to perform the role of Vladimir in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting For Godot to be performed at the American Indian Center in Chicago. The production was so successful, that it brought in the “Fur Coat Theatre Crowd” to the uptown venue that was considered a ghetto district and an area to be avoided. This presentation would become the turning point in his artistic journey which would later introduce him to world stages and international recognition.
He moved to New York City in 1981. Over the next 15 years, when he was not touring, he performed in almost 100 television commercials and voice overs as a signed client for the William Morris Agency. During this time period also he was introduced to Story Theatre, inspired by the theatre teachings of Paul Sills. Bud Thorpe directed and designed 5 original productions presented in New York City at different theatre venues.
In 1997 he began his teaching career. He was hired by The Theatre Arts Production Company, New York City School 10X225 in the fall of 1998 to teach History and Theatre. During his tenure, he produced and directed 14 main stage presentations and 43 black-box productions. Bud Thorpe officially retired from the NYC Department of Education July 1, 2018. He was invited back to The Theatre Arts Production Company (TAPCo.) for the 2018-2019 school year, as a Teaching Consultant, to teach 3 Technical Theatre/Scenic Design classes.