by Jeffrey Stanley

"The arts are hazy to people, especially theatre. It’s not always seen as hard work or a professional endeavor." Jeremy Richards has been the BFS drama teacher for three years, and had a quick pre-class chat in the Meeting House with Jeffrey Stanley about what drew him from a promising career as a professional actor to teaching drama to young people. He teaches up to six classes per semester in addition to directing the Middle School and Upper School plays, and he still has even bigger fish to fry at BFS.

1. What did you do before you came here?
I was a professional actor. I went to SUNY Purchase and then NYU Tisch School of the Arts graduate acting program.

2. What roles were you proudest of during your days as an actor?
The biggest film role I had is a movie that never came out.

3. Ouch. You’re in a tough racket.
It was shot in Harlem. I was in two other major features that haven’t been released yet. Onstage I performed at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, the Hip-Hop Theatre Festival, Clubbed Thumb, New York Stage & Film, millions of things.

4. Where are you from originally?
Cleveland, Ohio. I was born in Lorain, Ohio, Toni Morrison’s birthplace.

5. How did you wind up at BFS?
Dori Dietz [Director of College Guidance] is a friend of my mom. My mom and Dori were talking about there being an opening for a drama teacher, they told me about it so I sent in a résumé.

6. You teach six classes, which is a big enough load, but you also direct the school’s musicals and straight plays. How are musicals different for you as a director?
One thing about a musical is that music director Neil Ginsberg is a big part of it, and now there’s dance teacher Jesse Phillips-Fein who’s our choreographer this year. It’s a very different entity and more adults are involved with me. Also I work with technical director Catherine Clark on every production.

7.You’ve stayed around a few years now. What is it about BFS that suits you?
I really enjoy sharing my art with young people to inspire them. If they grasp it on some level it’s rewarding for me.

8. What’s the best part of your job?
I think it’s helping the young people find their artist. I want them to raise their definitions of themselves, their personal expectations.

9. What’s your favorite BFS production you’ve directed so far? 
I would have to say A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It was a challenge to get Middle School students to do Shakespeare. And they did it well. I like raising the bar. Next I want to get them to do a Moliere play.

10. What would your dream play be to do at BFS someday?
Easy. West Side Story. I don’t think we’re able to do it yet but we’re heading in the right direction. Neil’s doing a great job with the music program. Part of it too is generating excitement within the community. Hopefully we’re getting there.

11. What do you like to do when you’re not busting heads at BFS?
I’m a big football guy. I play pickup football on Saturdays and watch it on Sundays.

12. Where do you play?
In Prospect Park. We call it the Prospect Park Football League, PPFL. I also made up a drink called the PPFL—ginger ale with a splash of cranberry. I usually have one after we play.

13. Who’s your favorite team?
The Cleveland Browns.

14. How are they doing this year?
Horribly.

15. Where do you live?
In Washington Heights.

16. Do you have a favorite New York City restaurant?
Green. It’s a vegetarian Chinese restaurant near BFS.

17. The big question. I always think this is the easiest one but it stumps people. Surely though you’ve thought long and hard about it and have a concise answer for me. Desert island—what three things would you need to have with you in order to survive?
Friends—no, wait, I’m alone though, right? Oh my gosh...the Internet, is that allowed?

18. Sure.
My play that I’ve been writing for seven years. It’s a musical called Morgan Street.

19. And a third thing?
Some kind of ball. Probably not a football because you need two people for that. I’ll say soccer ball. [Middle School students begin streaming noisily into the Meeting House.] That’s my next class.