Zaid Farid (1953-2022)
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Zaid was an actor, writer, and director who was instrumental in fostering and growing the early Organic Theater family in the 70s and early 80s.
Growing up at East Garfield Park’s Providence-St Mel high school, Zaid majored in theater at Eastern Illinois University. He went on to co-author (with Stuart Gordon) one of The Organic's biggest hits, “E/R: Emergency Room” which ran for 2 years from 1982-1984, and was the basis for a short-lived TV show “E/R”. Also in 1982 Farid appeared in WTTW’s video adaptation of “TIES”, directed by Dennis Zacek of Victory Gardens’ fame. Earlier, Zaid appeared in Organic's “The Special Prosecutor”, an adaptation of Gogol's “The Inspector General” set in Richard J Daley’s Chicago. He eventually moved to LA to successfully garner multiple TV & film roles. During his time in the Chicago theater scene, one of Zaid’s most notable turns was the 2-man show ''Riffin` with Semple” in which Farid played the title role as well as adapted the script with director Bob Curry, from sketches written by Langston Hughes for the Chicago Defender. Langston’s work and the stage show explored the hopes and fears of black men through the particular speech rhythms and idioms of Harlem, and was performed in the upstairs ''Greenhouse'' space on the 2nd floor of the Organic Theater. Film Work: Role Models (2008), Showtime (2002), Bowfinger (1999) and Above the Law (1988). TV Work: Two and a Half Men, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Role Models, Scrubs, Showtime, and Spin City. |