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American Conservatory Theatre Director Mark Rucker Found Dead

By Paul Birchall

The SF Gate and American Theatre magazine are reporting the unexpected death of Mark Rucker, associate artistic director of San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theatre.  His body was found in his apartment early this morning – no cause of death has been released, though when we find out something we’ll let you know.
 
Rucker was a highly regarded theater director, responsible for a number of critically and audience popular productions, including, most recently, Mr. Burns: A Post Electricity Play, which riffed on themes and characters from the TV series The Simpsons.  Although ACT was Rucker’s primary professional home, where he staged (amongst many others) acclaimed productions of Amy Freed’s The Beard of Avon, Amy Herzog’s 4000 Miles, and Jordan Harrison’s Maple and Vine, he was also an in-demand director of national status, and his productions in the late 90s and early 2000s at South Coast Rep thrilled local audiences.  His local productions included Richard Greenberg’s The Dazzle (2002), Beth Henley’s Exposed (2002), and John Glore’s On The Jump.
 
Rucker hailed from Newport Beach, and graduated from UCLA’s theater school.  During the 1980s, he directed regularly for the California Shakespeare, Berkeley Rep, the Arena Stage, and the Intiman Theater, before settling in the North.  His film, the camp comedy “Die Mommy Die,” based on the drag play by Charles Busch, created a mild sensation upon its independent release in 2003.  In a statement released this morning by ACT, Artistic Director Carey Perloff said, “He was a treasured friend, an inspirational colleague, a brilliant artist and an extraordinary mentor to generations of young theater artists. We will miss him terribly. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark’s family and his friends around the globe.”   Rucker was 56.