Richard came to theatre late in life not performing in his first show until he was 31 in Phoenix Player's production of Kiss Me Kate (2006). The following years saw him perform in a succession of shows ranging from musicals, plays and pantomimes. He had roles in more than 20 shows in the chorus, as a pit singer, playing minor roles and most recently as understudy for Javert in Canberra Philharmonics production of Les Miserables (2013). Annie Get Your Gun marks Richard's first time as the leading man in a show. "I'm both terrified and excited. Frank is a wonderful character to play and very challenging but the cast and production team have been wonderfully supportive."
As active off stage as he is on, Richard has served on the committees of local Canberra theatre companies including Phoenix Players and SUPA Productions, operated lighting and sound, crewed, production managed and last year directed his first show How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (2012) for Phoenix Player's Phoenix Rising Program for which he was nominated for the Canberra Area Theatre Patricia Kelson Encouragement Award. When not working in theatre Richard manages a publishing company and operates the popular theatre website StageCenta.com.
View My Personal BioRichard arrived on the Canberra theatre scene late in life, somewhere between his 31st and 32nd birthdays. His first show was in Phoenix Players production of Kiss Me Kate in 2006, where he "Fell in love with theatre" and since then he has appeared in dozens of shows ranging from plays to musicals to pantomimes.
In 2010 Richard began his foray into producing shows as the Production Manager for Phoenix Players Disney's double bill - Cinderella and The Aristocats. He found managing two casts of about 50 children set him up to handle adult casts like "no other text book training could ever have". In 2012 he got his first chance direct with How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying as part of the Phoenix Players - Phoenix Rising Program.
In 2013 he performed leading roles in Ickle Pickle's production of Oliver! playing the "suitably sinister" Bill Sikes, as Frank Butler in Queanbeyan Player's Annie Get Your Gun and as understudy for the role of Javert in Canberra Philharmonic Society's Les Miserable.
In 2013 Richard launched the StageCenta website as a resource and information hub for the theatre scene.
In 2014 Richard established Dramatic Productions to co-produce The Rokitelly Man with Ickle Pickle Productions. And then in 2015 directed and produced The Last Five Years and teaming up with the ANU School of Music Into the Woods which won 3 Canberra Area Theatre awards. In 2016 Richard directed Dramatic Productions 4th show Catch Me If You Can.
2017 saw the last production directed by Richard, Sweeney Todd. Afterwards he would exclusively produce theatre, staging Heathers the Musical in 2018 and then The Producers in 2019, starring Daryl Somers (Hey Hey Its Saturday) and directed by Rachael Beck.
View my Bio from Annie Get Your Gun