Troy Heard is in rehearsal when I reach him by phone. That’s not surprising; the man works. The artistic director of acclaimed local company Majestic Repertory Theatre has staged everything from interactive, free-roaming theater productions (Horrorwood Video, The Garden Party) to ambitious musicals (The Sandman, The Craft) to provocative, politically charged works whose names alone could get them banned in Florida (Empanada Loca, Angry F*gs). And Heard’s “experiential marketing” agency, Table 8 Immersive, has designed interactive events for Usher and Cirque du Soleil, among others.
This particular evening, Heard is developing an upcoming show with Robert Taylor and Richard Oberacker, who wrote The Sandman. Fittingly, actors and musicians are warming up in the background as Heard shares with the Weekly the artistic inspirations—global and local, past and present—that fuel his prolific imagination.
What first inspired you to get into theater? It was Sweeney Todd. I was a weird little kid who was obsessed with horror movies and haunted houses, and all of a sudden there was a slasher film onstage. That was a very powerful experience.
How old were you? I was 15. I immediately became a producer-director. I was given the keys to my high school auditorium and a line item in the budget and told “make it happen.” It was a Catholic school, so it was some nativity play. But it was a little too edgy for the school; there was a line that Herod had, telling his castle wenches to “wash their pungent undies.” Right off the bat, I was being provocative.
Who do you look to, locally, when you’re developing productions? What artists and creators fire you up? Well, No. 1 is Shawn Gatlin, [also known as] You Killed Me First, and his Cult 33 crew. I’ve collaborated with all of them for scenic design and creating pieces for the lobby. Their aesthetic is fun, and it really captures the flavor of SoCal/Vegas with their Disney influence. I like Justin Favela for similar reasons; his blending of the local culture in his piñata paper art is very inspirational. Oh, and Lance Smith! Beverly Chillz, who’s killing it with his parties. There are just so many people I look up to here in the art scene.
And, of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Todd vonBastiaans and Bryan McCarthy. They’re the whole reason that Majestic even exists. They gave us a home in [their Arts District gallery space] Alios, but I’d heard about them before I even met them, with the pancake pillows and the pop-up mini golf course they did. I think they really paved the way for a lot of artists here.
When I look at theater, I don’t just look at playwrights and actors. I look at how we stay in communication with the art scene of Las Vegas.
You can really see that in Majestic shows like Clown Bar, Hedwig and The Sandman. The show begins even before the actors do. That’s where I’m at right now, with [Sandman’s] Richard and Robert. We’re premiering a new show of theirs in October called The House on Watch Hill. … This one is set in 1984. It’s about a group of kids who band together to make the best neighborhood haunted house ever. Richard and I both made haunted houses as kids, so we bonded over that. One of the concepts we’re considering is creating a walk-through version of the house these kids make.
Sounds very cinematic. Do you get out to the movies much? I wish. That’s where I fall short. When I sit down to watch something, I’m usually asleep within a few minutes. But I’m excited for the Beverly Theater. I’d be remiss in not giving props to Kip Kelly. He’s just starting, but the fact that he put Leprechaun 3 in the Beverly’s programming is a hopeful portent.
Are you a big reader? If you only knew. It drives [my wife] Kady crazy; the house looks like a bookstore exploded, like the Writer’s Block just took a dump. John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces is one I go back to again and again. I’m in the middle of Ghost Story by Peter Straub. … And, honestly, I’m looking at a lot of public domain literature, to see what’s adaptable right now.
Who are some local actors that inspire you? Eric Amblad and I have forged a relationship this past year; we’re hitting ‘em outta the park. I love working with Daz Weller. And there’s a crop of talented young kids coming up now through LVA [Las Vegas Academy]. This Watch Hill project uses a cast of seven kids. Every so often I’m able to see this new batch of kids grow up and leave Las Vegas with all this talent.
Click HERE to subscribe for free to the Weekly Fix, the digital edition of Las Vegas Weekly! Stay up to date with the latest on Las Vegas concerts, shows, restaurants, bars and more, sent directly to your inbox!
