Richard Lawson Actor Teacher mentor friends ..

                   RICHARD LAWSON

                          Biography

 

Richard Lawson has had a long and distinguished career wearing a variety of hats in show business.  He is an actor, director, choreographer, teacher and writer.

Lawson landed his first professional job in the national production of "No Place to Be Somebody".  He continued to work in the theater establishing himself as one of the most respected actors around by winning the Los Angeles drama critics award for best performances in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" and"Streamers".  He continued to rack up awards for his performances in "Full for Love", "Checkmates”, "Visions and Lovers" and "Hapgood".  On the New York stage he was seen in stellar productions of "The Mighty Gents" and "The Talented Tenth".  Most recently he starred in An Ovation award winning production of "The Exonerated".

          A select number of Lawson's films include "For Colored Girls", “Guess Who”, "Blue Hill Avenue”,Poltergeist", "Streets of Fire", "How Stella Got Her Groove Back", "Stick", "The Main Event", "Coming Home", "Wag the Dog", "Audrey Rose" and "Fraternity".

          He has guess starred in over 100 episodic television shows. A few shows from his vast television experience includes being a series regular on "The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd", "Dynasty", and "Chicago Story".  He has had critically acclaimed performances in movies of the week like "Jericho Mile", "The Golden Moment" and "Johnnie Gipson, FBI",  The critics lauded him in the highly acclaimed miniseries "Pandora's Clock" and "Jackie's Back". 

          Richard produced, directed, choreographed and co-wrote a highly successful musical adaptation of a book of poetry called "From the Heart of Love".  He has also directed productions of "No Place to Be Somebody", "Othello", "Lullaby Lady" and an adapted version of "the Fisher King" among other outstanding productions

          Lawson, a master teacher, has helped to guide some of the most successful actors and directors in the business. His 30 year teaching association with The Beverly Hills Playhouse, founded by Milton Katselas combined with the practical application of a successful career, has given him a rare insight into the components of what it takes to succeed in show business. With this knowledge, he created The Richard Lawson Studios. On the surface it is an acting school. Underneath the hood, it's an empowerment academy which focus’s on teaching the actor/artist how to do the job and then how to get the job. All of that passes through the ability to master three components of success. Politics, Personality and Craft - In that order.