If you haven’t already heard the news, Peter Richards (actor, director and member of OHA’s Artistic Advisory Board) is one of our newest Board members. Maybe you’ve seen him at the shows he’s directed (Brilliant Traces, Dying City, The Aliens, Elizabeth Rex) or in those he’s performed in (Romeo and Juliet, R&J&Z) on the Opera House stage. Or maybe you’ve run into Peter down at the schools, where he pitches in with the OHA’s Shakespeare in Stonington immersion program. But regardless of where you’ve seen him, do you know what color rubber bands he used to have in his braces? You will soon…
1. Where did you grow up?
I grew up spending fall, winter, and spring in Santa Monica, CA, and summer in Stonington, ME.
2. How would your elementary school classmates remember you?
They’d probably think of me playing a lot of sports. And wearing braces. I had very bad teeth when I was a kid, and wore braces for 4 long years in elementary school. I even had the orthodontist put purple rubber bands in my braces this one time, giving me a colorful–and very strange looking–smile.
3. Name four fictional characters with whom you’d be okay being stuck in an elevator. Why them?
Why, Hamlet, of course! Because he’s the most eloquent and wittiest person ever imagined. We’d talk about the rotten state of the world, exchange tips on how to appear crazy while really being sane, and philosophize about the moral implications of revenge. It’d be a blast!
Sticking with Shakespeare, I wouldn’t mind being stuck with Iago. I’d finally get to ask him The Question everyone wants answered: WHY DID YOU DO IT, MAN??
Estragon form Waiting for Godot, because he’s a clown. And reeeeeeally good at waiting.
Lastly but not leastly, Nina from The Seagull because she’s just so lovely. Everyone falls in love with her. And she’s a survivor. (Shameless plug: come see the The Seagull this summer to find out more!)
4. If you were a cartoon character, what cartoon character would you be?
Voltron: Defender of the Universe
5. When did you fall in love with theater?
I fell in love with theater the day I realized theater attracted the most intelligent, imaginative, hard-working, fun, free, and creative people on the planet. That, and the fact that, when working with these awesome people in the theater, you have the great privilege of working on the greatest texts every written. Texts that help us the most on our never ending–and ever failing–quest to truly comprehend the truth of things. And yeah. It’s a lot of fun. The day I realized that.
Come say hi to Peter next week at the Opera House! He’s directing the latest “Our Own” production, Eugene O’Neill’s Anna Christie, on Wednesday, April 22 and Thursday, April 23.
Peter will also be spending a lot of time with us this summer – directing both The Seagull and “Our Own” Under Milkwood. Tickets for the summer season are now on sale! Check out our calendar, visit us down in the box office or call 207-367-2788.
