lamar
written by
clifton Joseph

Actor-producer Lamar Richardson has garnered a Tony Award nomination for his work on the remount of the renowned musical "New York New York".  He caps years of work acting in television, the movies and on-stage and as a celebrated producer, including glowing reviews for a recent rendiion of Arhur Miller's "Death of a Salesman".

Richardson has accrued, accumulated (and) been accredited wih accolades and a wherewihhal of-awards /that include(:) "Acting Ensemble of a Play @ LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards";  The Hollywood Reporter Cover Photo Feature; Best Ensemble & McCulloh Award for Revival @ LA Drama Critics Circle Awards; UCB Diversity Scholarship;  "Theatermania", a glowing review for his performance,  "Sweet and sad as the stuttering Sylvester, Lamar Richardson has the audience rooting for his success."

Richardson's Industry Profile  reveals his longstanding interest and excellence in the arts of acting and producing:

"Lamar Richardson is a Tony Award® Nominated producer and actor born in New Brunswick, New Jersey and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. After starting his undergraduate education at Duke University and later studying abroad at Oxford University's New College in 2012, he received his B.A. from Columbia University in 2015. In 2016, Richardson made his regional theater debut as Sylvester in Phylicia Rashad's production of August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom at the Mark Taper Forum.

Most recently, he appeared on screen in CBS' FBI, NBC's New Amsterdam, Charlie Sanders and Jordan Peele's Weird City, and James Sweeney's Straight Up. He will be seen next in the season 13 finale of CBS' Blue Bloods and Richard Lawson's Black Terror, which is co-produced with Tina Knowles-Lawson. On Broadway, Richardson made his debut as a Co-Producer of the Fall 2022 revival of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman starring Wendell Pierce, Sharon D. Clarke, and Andre de Shields. He is also a Co-Producer of the Tony Award® Nominee for Best Musical New York, New York. In March 2023, he produced and starred in a staged reading of Afrika Brown's The Fight as a part of The Apollo Salon Series. Richardson is the CEO of Ivy Lion Productions and is also the recipient of Stephen Byrd and Alia Jones-Harvey's 2022 Front Row Productions Fellowship at Columbia University. He credits Phylicia Rashad with starting his career."

When Richardson recently  won the prestigious "Front Row Fellowship", a media outlet profiled the prolific actor, producer and theatrical facilitator:

"Broadway producers Stephen Byrd and Alia Jones-Harvey, along with Steven Chaikelson, head of the M.F.A. theatre management and producing concentration at Columbia University, have named Lamar Richardson as the 2022 Front Row Fellow. The Front Row Fellowship, which launched last year in collaboration with Columbia, is a year-long program that aims to foster a pipeline for future Broadway producers of color. It seeks to advance individuals who have producing and theatre management backgrounds by giving them the tools to succeed in a competitive theatrical industry.

The fellowship provides entrepreneurial skills, the opportunity to create business opportunities, and access and guidance to New York and regional industry professionals. The goal is for the fellow to be able to take an existing project to the next stage of development in hopes of becoming a future leading commercial producer.

As the 2022 Fellow, Richardson will receive a $10,000 stipend, a $20,000 budget to cover development costs, one-on-one support from mentors and advisors, access to Columbia University resources, including the library system, and courses offered through the MFA concentration in theatre management and producing, and the opportunity to participate in the Theatre Management & Producing Concentration’s Producer Exchange Program with Stage One in the U.K.

“We are thrilled to announce Lamar as 2022 Front Row Productions Fellow at Columbia University,” said Byrd and Jones-Harvey in a joint statement. “The enthusiasm, innovative approaches to theatre, and acumen of the applicants this year made our selection process a challenge. Along with our mentors, advisors, and Steven Chaikelson, we look forward to working with Lamar on his journey to bring his project to the commercial theatre and expand upon his very intention to be a catalyst for change.”