It was a time when Gene came to rule the universe from the green room at Cheyenne Mountain High School and the Bionic Child roamed the auditorium during rehearsals. There was a magical man there who bestowed gifts on insecure, clueless, hormonal, self-centered, sometimes adrift, adolescents. He gave us gifts of Belief, Confidence, Trust, and Responsibility. Some of these attributes became part of us as we lived on, but they indeed began as gifts from Les Baird.
We learned from Les to find our feelings, perhaps tell ourselves the truth about them, and attempt to communicate these feelings to others; he called it acting. I believe it was therapy. We heard similar fears and feelings from fellow students and discovering these commonalities was revelation.
Being part of a play directed by Les provided a connection and community that forced growth and risks, as well as tolerance and collaboration. Yes, everyone had to perform; Les was not interested in directing robots to perform a soulless, ego driven, mise en scene. Thank Gene we did not have to work constrained by the politically correct police, that said Les created an inclusive environment before anyone knew what that even meant. Society would be much improved if we all possessed Baird’s ability to include and gather people.
Les would laugh, cry, tease, pun, curse, and challenge—in the span of a minute or two. Hooray for Captain Spaulding. Hey keep up here. Come up with a spontaneous pun, ace your scene, really connect with the audience, recover from a blunder, get a laugh, make props out of something you found in a dumpster, “find” materials, build scenery and you were a star. As a community we learned a common language--Benches were measured by the number people they would hold and the unit of measurement was the number of buns. Place the six bun bench down left……We learned to move “gaboons of gradu” and understand the occasional cautionary remark “sois sage mon enfant” (be wise my child).
His infectious enthusiasm for almost everything attracted people; He welcomed us completely into his life and home. When talking with Les you had his complete interest and felt important; after reading his opening night note you went on to perform knowing you were significant. What a gift.
I very much regret losing contact with Les and would like to tell him that I am eternally grateful for our magical time together and for his influence in my life. For all of us who love Les, my condolences. Gene juice for all in his memory.
Et lux perpetua luceat ei