By Robert A. Emmanuel
Lamar Richardson, of Antiguan parentage, has been nominated for a Tony Award for his role as co-producer of the hit Broadway musical, New York, New York.
The Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards are bestowed annually on theatre professionals for distinguished achievement and are one of the most coveted awards in the entertainment industry.
Observer media spoke to Richardson about his emotions when he first heard of the nomination.
“It was absolutely unreal, and it is a blessing to see that all the hard work, effort, sacrifice and prayers that went into this journey has now manifested itself to a major acknowledgement on such a large stage in the industry,” he told our newsroom.
The musical, New York, New York, received nine nominations and—inspired by the 1977 Martin Scorsese film of the same name—set in 1946 tells the tale of a city in the middle of a rebuilding phase after a war.
“It is a beautiful love letter to the city … this is such a beautiful show with big numbers, amazing choreography and stunning set design … it is about artists who come to the city to pursue their dreams, and in the midst of it, there is a love story.
“It is really about painting New York as a multicultural melting pot,” Richardson explained.
So, what made him so interested in producing shows? Richardson explained it was a passion he had since childhood.
“I always grew up acting in church plays, we always did performances for Black History Month, Martin Luther King Day, Easter, and it has always been a major interest, but it wasn’t until I was in New York studying at Columbia University that I really had a desire to pursue it full-time,” he revealed.
He also shared that the musical reflected his own story as an aspiring actor at the time, venturing out to pursue his passion.
Richardson spoke about producing a show, and what were the biggest challenges from such a profession.
“[Producing is about] helping to bring a production to stage and that involves everything from casting to the financing, the budget, having creative meetings and marketing meetings, and as a co-producer, a big responsibility is finding the financing.
“The most difficult part of producing the show, in a post-Covid world, is finding the money. These shows cost millions of dollars to put on stage and it is a producer’s job to go out and find investors,” he said.
However, being a producer has its benefits.
“It is really fulfilling to know that I played a part in bringing this story to the stage and this was my second show; my first show was ‘The Death of a Salesman’ in the [Fall 2022 revival] and … it was the first time it starred an all-Black cast—that was historic and my name will forever be above the title of that show on Broadway,” he said.
Richardson, the son of Victor and Yvette Richardson, spoke about his childhood, growing up in New Jersey and leaving home to find himself as far as Los Angeles, California.
“I always grew up knowing that my parents were Antiguan immigrants who moved to this country for a better life and to create opportunities for myself and my sister, so as a child they instilled into me values of hard work, being a good person, chasing my dreams,” he said.
He recalled that “10 years ago, when I was pursuing a career in business, so I had just an internship with Met Life, a big insurance company, and I had already found a job for the following summer with Barclays Investment Bank …where they had offered me a $10,000 scholarship.
“But that didn’t sit right with me, and I felt I was going down a traditional path. It wasn’t exciting for me and wasn’t speaking to my gifts, so I decided to turn down the job, turn down the scholarship and dive into an acting career.”
He added that his parents were extremely supportive of him when he told them about his decision.
He also referenced Phylicia Rashad as an inspiration to him as a young actor and future producer, where he got to work alongside big-name actors and actresses in Los Angeles for three years.
“Phylicia Rashad, who played Clare Huxtable on the Cosby Show, was directing a play in Los Angeles. We had worked together before at a screenplay reading in New York and she saw talent in me that she wanted to transfer into that play,” he said.
In his message to young Antiguans and Barbudans, Richardson encouraged them to become whatever they dream of, once they put their minds to it.
“You don’t have to come from money, you don’t have to have a lot of support, you don’t have to have a certain look or a certain height or certain skin complexion … all you have to have is an unwavering belief in yourself and to know that what you see for your life and the vision you have for yourself is so strong that it could happen, and all you have to do is hold on to that goal,” he advised.