Best of 2000: Best Theater Caretaker

Richard Knight

When Sledgehammer Theatre took over St. Cecilia's Playhouse from the San Diego Rep in 1992, part of the agreement was that the new proprietors would keep Richard Knight as caretaker. A soft-spoken man in his early '60s, Knight has taken care of the playhouse on Sixth Avenue at least since 1985. St. Cecilia's used to be a funeral home. Knight's "day room," also Sledgehammer's prop shop, is downstairs, where the home used to store caskets. Knight sweeps and mops and "keeps an eye on things." Though there have been "attempts at break-ins," nothing has been stolen during Knight's tenure. For Sledgehammer's recent production of Ghost Sonata, Knight worked crew voluntarily. In the show, actor Tim West based his character on Knight and made his first entrance from the door that leads to Knight's room.