CLASSICAL

Peter Richards directs Michael Trevino as Raskolnikov, with his portrayal being one of the most intense I have ever seen on the stage. All at once, you will feel sorry for the poor, starving man who can't catch a break or find a job, living in a squalid one-room basement invested with rats. … While the intensity of CRIME AND PUNISHMENT may be best appreciated by die-hard drama fans, the sheer inventive presentation of such a mind-boggling tale makes it an ideal way to examine how losing yourself to a character can create magic of the imagination onstage.

Technical credits are solid with the multi-level set designed by Pete Hickok moodily lit by Derrick McDaniel, with sound and video designer Mark Van Hare working closely with Richards to incorporate live camera feeds, projecting oversized images of the actors in real time that magnify the psychological depth and impact of their words, letting the audience see into their eyes during the performance. Most notably, the camera allows us to focus on the various emotions crossing through Raskolnikov's mind as Trevino's brilliant portrayal takes us through his deeply troubled psyche. —Shari Barrett, Broadway World

The gist of the play…lies in the cat-and-mouse game that Inspector Porfiry enters into with Raskolnikov, manipulating him in such a masterful way that the latter can’t help but break down and confess his sins. This new CRIME AND PUNISHMENT is an actor’s vehicle, and it managed to connect powerfully with the audience, thanks to the masterful work by Trevino and Wallace. —Willard Manus, Total Theater

Trevino’s Raskolnikov is a fidgety, anxious man teetering on the brink of holding it together, one stray thought from disaster. His intensity is dialed up to 11 throughout, his mind working overtime, attempting to self-justify his despicable actions. It is an effective performance in a demanding role—he never leaves the stage, and the cameras combined with the intimate space accentuate the fact that he literally and figuratively has nowhere to hide. Overall, it is easy to see why this adaptation has received such acclaim—it successfully makes a text that is often seen as intimidating accessible, and its simplicity allows the natural tension and psychological dynamics of the story to take center stage. —Erin Conley, On Stage and Screen

Mr. Trevino dominates in a whirlwind of emotion as he prowls the stage hunched and anguished in his guilt and resentment. His emotional anguish surges out as in a Greek tragedy, when the corresponding emotions of sorrow and pity infects those in the audience. Performed on a bare bones set by Pete Hickok, Crime and Punishment is enhanced by sound and projection designer Mark Van Hare’s three enormous video screens that project the action, first in a view looking straight down at the stage, and later in giant, high-def images of Raskolnikov and others that suggest his alienation. Pretty cool is the term that comes to mind.   —Paul Myrvold, Theatre Notes

“Richards…again has worked his magic. Shakespeare lovers should rush down Route 15 to see this unforgettable forging of nature and theater that will take up residence in their souls and never leave. Nothing the magician of William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” calls up can compare or compete with the place director Peter Richards chose to set the play. “The Tempest” is performed in five different locations at the Ames Farm on Indian Point Road overlooking the sea. The audience moves from one spectacular view to another with the cast at one point performing on rocks at low tide. By having the audience move about the saltwater farm, Richards makes theatergoers feel as if they are part of the flora, fauna, birds and/or spirits that live on the island Prospero claims as his home. … Brooks’ portrayal of Ariel is totally original and constantly surprising. …It is a commanding and unforgettable performance. Ryan Knowles’ Caliban is equally riveting…The comic duo of “The Tempest” are Arisael Rivera as Sebastian and Bari Robinson as Trinculo. Their antics with Caliban are hysterical.” —Judy Harrison, Bangor Daily News

“The shore of Deer Island Thorofare, it turns out, is exactly where William Shakespeare’s last solo play was made to be staged. Magic everywhere. This “Tempest” is an immersive experience for the audience, who follow a path to five different settings. … Wisely, Richards left in most of the comic relief, featuring the butler Stephano (Arisael Rivera), the jester Trinculo (Bari Robinson) and the monster Caliban (Ryan Knowles). The three actors are a seamless, slapstick team, capering about on the rocks plotting murder. … Costume designer Jennifer Paar had a field day costuming the spirits. Ariel’s feathered body suit establishes her as a bird-spirit and also lets her move like one. Minor spirits appear as walking thickets or bird nests, reminiscent of Hieronymus Bosch. Caliban’s costume is simple and evocative — the poor monster’s got barnacles.” —Ellen Booraem, The Ellsworth American

ANNA CHRISTIE                                               by Eugene O'neill

directed by
Peter Richards

scenic design: David M. Barber                 lighting design: Scott Bolman
sound design: Mark van Hare
costume design: Moria Sine Clinton              props design: Emily Naylor                              stage manager: Marci Skolnick
line producer: Natalie Gershtein
casting director: Rebecca Feldman

with Scott Aiello, Ben Chase, Stephen D’Ambrose, Tina Johnson, and Therese Plaehn                                                                

at the Wild Project in New York, NY; Dec. 2016                                                           photos by Maria Baranova           

"...in Working Barn Productions’ lively revival, director Peter Richards and a gifted cast rise admirably to the challenge. In addition to embodying the vernacular poetry of O’Neill’s language, the actors capture the human, often comically, contradictory traits of characters’ personalities. D’Ambrose’s Chris is both worldly and naïve, Plaehn’s vibrant Anna shows the scars of a hardscrabble life along with the angelic purity that causes Mat to mistake her for a mermaid. The show’s impressive production values also help to deepen the mood and advance the story. Moria Sine Clinton’s costumes and Emily Naylor’s props reflect the built-to-last dauntless of the Early 20th Century strivers they serve.  Scott Bolman’s muted lights and David M. Barber’s Whistleresque set design evoke a maritime world in which both danger and deliverance might lie in wait in the foggy distance."                          --Ethan Kanfer, NY Theater Reviews 

 "Working Barn Productions’ earnest re-imagination of Anna Christie brings the Eugene O’Neill classic up to date...With feminism on the foreground of the 21st-century social-political landscape, director Peter Richards must have seen the urgency and relevance of Anna Christie....And indeed, Anna Christie features disturbingly accurate metaphors of what women still experience—getting slut-shamed for their life choices and gas-lighted by their male cohorts. Working Barn's production makes an excellent case for this piece's continued relevance."                     --Ran Xia, Theatre Is Easy

"The 1922 drama is now being a given a thoughtful, atmospheric revival directed by Peter Richards at the Wild Project...Director Richards and the actors keep the outbursts to a minimum.  In doing so, Anna is neither a suffragette nor flapper of her era, but an independent woman...Therese Plaehn’s Anna succeeds at being both plain-spoken and vulnerable.  Her instinctive, natural approach allows her to fully reveal how the “old devil” sea that separated her from her father and killed her brothers gives her a new life.  Stephen D’Ambrose and Ben Chase are ultimately sympathetic as the uncomplicated men who love – and respect – her."                                                                           --Patricia Contino, New York Theatre Guide                                                                                    

THE SEAGULL
by Anton Chekhov                                    translated by Paul Schmidt

directed by
Peter Richards

scenic design: Ray Neufeld
lighting design: Natalie Robin
sound design: Mark van Hare
costume design: Carol Farrell

with Craig Baldwin, Jeffrey Brink, Paul Farwell, Rebecca Hart,  Susannah Hoffman, Matt Hurley, John Lincoln, Marvin Merritt, Rachel Benbow Murdy, Thomas Piper, Kathleen Turco-Lyon

Site-specific production at Ames Farm in Stonington, Maine.

"...director Peter Richards has given new life and depth to Anton Chekhov’s "The Seagull"...By taking the play outside to a stunningly beautiful seaside setting and then moving into a claustrophobic barn, the director and his cast have made modern the conflicts Chekhov set in 1895 at a farm outside Moscow....“The Seagull” is a perfect example of how a play written more than 100 years ago and half a world away from Maine’s rocky shore can be made relevant, its characters real, in the 21st century. It’s a production that should not be missed."                            --Judy Harrison, Bangor Daily News

"...this [is] a lively, funny, yet ultimately tragic examination of family, love, the Arts (with a capital A), envy, jealousy, fame and competitiveness. The cast...is a seamless ensemble whose every character fascinates...The scenic design (by Ray Neufeld) is pure genius...the play really is funny, as human foibles are. Much [of] the humor depends on the lines’ delivery by a corps of good and experienced actors, expertly directed by OHA regular Peter Richards."           --Ellen Booraem, The Ellsworth American

MACBETH
by William Shakespeare

directed by
Peter Richards

at Edgemar Center for the Arts                  Santa Monica, CA

scenic and projection design: Yee Eun Nam
lighting design: Anna Cecilia Martin
sound design: Matt Glenn
costume design: Jennifer Foldenauer

with Jenny Greer, Thomas Piper,  Mark Rimer,  Christine Sage, Evan Smith, Lucia Yamuy     

"Directed by Peter Richards, every bodily sense is played upon…The show's six-actor cast slips into the demands of the play like a glove….It takes a truly talented ensemble to take a behemoth of a show like "Macbeth," and, using six people, address the questions that audiences have pondered for centuries. The fact that we still wonder what will happen next, even at the bloody end of the play (due to a brilliant ending choice by director Peter Richards), shows the merit [of] this small gem of a production." --Ryan Brophy, Neon Tommy

JULIUS CAESAR
by William Shakespeare                                

directed by                                                Peter Richards

at Opera House Arts                         Stonington, ME

scenic design: Robin Vest                           lighting design: Natalie Robin                        costume design:  Kate Mincer                        sound design: Mark van Hare

with Melody Bates, Matt Hurley, Christopher Michael McFarland, Jason Martin, Eric Messner, Thomas Piper, Bari Robinson

“…director Peter Richards subtlely parallels the politics of ancient Rome with those rumbling across America today… The cast gives outstanding performances….As Brutus’ foil Mark Antony, Thomas Piper is brilliant…The design team has done fine work executing Richard’s vision of Rome. The lighting design by Natalie Robin…give(s) the production a rare visual vibrancy that only happens when the director and the designers share the same vision. The result…is that theatergoers feel as though they are peeking around pillars, eavesdropping on the local political intrigue similar to what might be discussed in any town square before an annual town meeting. Opera House Arts again sends theatergoers home asking question not just about society but about how susceptible they are to mob rhetoric.”               --Judy Harrison, Bangor Daily News