ABOUT RICHARD
Richard Sabellico is an acclaimed director, actor, and teacher based in New York City. In New York City, Richard has directed Wonderful Town (New York State Theatre), The Cocoanuts (American Place Theatre), A Majority of One (Drama Desk Nomination), The Home Of The Brave, (Playhouse 91), I Can Get It For You Wholesale (Drama Desk Award), Rags, Milk and Honey (American Jewish Theatre), “Leonard Bernstein; A Helluva Town" (Rainbow and Stars) and was associate director to Arthur Laurents on the BROADWAY revival of Gypsy starring Tyne Daly. National Tours include State Fair with John Davidson, The Music Man (35th Anniversary Tour) and Dial M for Murder with Juliet Mills and Maxwell Caulfield.
Richard has worked at most major theatres throughout the country with a host of extremely talented and interesting actors. In addition, he has written and/or doctored a sizable amount of produced properties as well as teaching a long running class; “Audition Therapy for the Musical Theatre.”
Throughout the '80s and '90s, Richard began teaching and directing at several colleges and universities including Harvard University, Syracuse University, Marymount College, Penn State University, and Carnegie-Mellon University. He also served as Artistic Director of Mount Washington Valley Theatre Co. and Associate Artistic Director of American Jewish Theatre and the Jewish Repertory Theatre.
Richard holds a Drama Desk Award for his work on Harold Rome's "I Can Get It For You Wholesale" and was an Outer Critics & Drama Desk nominee for several productions over the years.
As an actor, Richard appeared in 7 Broadway shows; most notably as Rooster Hannigan in Annie, Pasty in Angela Lansbury’s Gypsy, Manny in The Magic Show, Capt./Hennessy in Dames At Sea (1985) as well as 3 flops.
Currently, Richard is still directing across the country & teaches his “Audition Therapy for the Musical Theatre” class in New York City. He has also penned a musical based on the life of Ethel Merman appropriately called Merman.
THE DIRECTOR
"What would I ever have done without Richard?
He came to me as a life force of a director...
encouraging, teaching, stretching and affirming."
---Beth Leavel, Tony Award Winning Broadway Actor
"I found him invaluable in deepening the underpinnings of the script and in clarifying structure. He is a dedicated artist and doesn't rest until his standard of excellence is anchored in the work."
--Tovah Feldshuh; Multiple Tony Award Nominee, Television,
Film actress and Cabaret Chanteuse
"If he doesn't see what he wants, he can teach his actors how to deliver the nuance, history, depth, or the detail for which he searches. In my opinion, he is one of Broadway’s best kept secrets."
--Victoria Clark, Two-Time Tony Award Winner
THE MUSIC MAN
Richard Sabellico’s expert direction and choreography, and the finesse of a finely chosen cast suggests that the show is a stop over on an extended tour or perhaps a new start up revival. Wrong. Such is the ephemera of live theatre.
The New York Times; Alvin Klein
I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE
The songs are all superbly sung and more important, well acted. The director is Richard Sabellico who assisted Arthur Laurents on the recent revival of “Gypsy”. The Laurents concern for drama and character is highly evident in Mr. Sabellico’s expert work with his cast.
The New York Times; Frank Rich
RAGS
Richard Sabellico’s staging proves brisk, crisp and helpful in adding a cohesion and flow to the play that its first animators (Gene Saks, Ron Field) lacked. If you are one of the happy few who did catch it on Broadway. You’ll see how it should have been done the first time around.
NY Post; Clive Barnes
A MAJORITY OF ONE
Lessons in life, love, forgiveness, racial tolerance and global economics are derived with comic flair by an expert cast in the winning new revival of “A Majority of One”. Under the direction of Richard Sabellico, the performances are deft and the proceedings savory making for an evening filled with considerable pleasures.
The NY Times;
Lawrence Van Gelder
CLASS WITH RICHARD
In my class, I teach my students how to deal with and overcome the fears and anxieties which accompany them into the audition room. I turn that angst around and use the energy to present the best you for the auditors. It is a simple technique that is easily learned and applied. I also deal with the traumas that have accompanied you in life and stand in the way of you getting what it is you really want. I show you that your intention walking into that room is not to get a job but to demonstrate the depth and breadth of your talent and leave the result alone. And towards that end; in my class, we don’t refer to the process as auditions but as performance appointments... since that is what we directors expect of you... a performance.
I continue to be inspired by Richard's creative intuition. His class is a process oriented, low pressure testing ground that delivers solid results. Through his guidance, I keep discovering how to connect authentically with the material in a way that makes me feel safe and excited to express myself. Just do it - it’s great to be in class!
Jean Louisa Kelly
“Mr. Holland’s Opus”, “Uncle Buck”, “The Fantasticks”, “Top Gun”