Theatre scores big on the Richter scale
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Joey Richter walks into Espresso Royale as if he’s stepping onto a Hollywood set.
A born comedian with impeccable timing, Richter came to U-M four years ago from his seaside hometown of Laguna Niguel, Calif. He will head back west after graduation to the congestion of L.A., where the soon-to-be theatre graduate will begin a career in television and film.
“I came to Michigan because I really wanted to experience the four seasons,” he says, staring into a bitterly cool late March afternoon. “I didn’t realize there were only two.”
In four years, Richter has gone from playing a supporting role during his freshman year in the theatre department’s production of George Bernard Shaw’s comedy “You Can Never Tell,” to a play where he bared his backside, to a crack-up portrayal of Ronald Weasely in the satirical underground hit, “A Very Potter Musical,” performed in Studio One inside the Walgreen Drama Center. To date, the YouTube video of the performances has attracted upwards of 20 million viewers.
The unexpected popularity of the Potter satire spawned Starkid Productions, formed by U-M grads, now working out of Chicago. It’s also been a springboard to get noticed by talent agencies, including New York-based CESD Agency, which represents Richter.
Joey Richter, who was deeply involved in theatre during his four years at U-M, soon will return to L.A. for a career in television and film. Photo by Frank Provenzano, News Service.
“I’m a trained actor who brings quirkiness to a situation,” he says, pointing from one ear to the other. “And, I have this: A distended jaw that I was born with. I’ve been told I have a ‘rubber face.’”
Apparently, it’s a badge of honor, especially when Richter lists the unique characteristics and physical comedy abilities of his favorite comedians — Jim Carey, Jerry Lewis, Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin.
By age 30, Richter hopes to be on his way to writing, directing and starring in comedy films and on television. “My goal is to have a career where I’m in a comfortable place creatively, and working with my friends.”
In the short-term, however, he’s willing to do whatever it takes.
“It’s time to pay my dues, and hopefully, in 10 years, I’ll have a private jet fully decorated. Or, if all fails, I have Plan B — I’ll become a marine biologist.”
