Broadway stage manager speaks to drama students
Cody Renard Richard spoke to students in Honors Theatre Production class at Harry S. Truman High School.
After Texas native Richard graduated from Webster University in 2010, he moved to New York City to pursue a career in stage management. He shared with students his determination to “ask and let people know of your sincere interest and availability.” Richard also believes in “abundance” and that opportunities will always arise, and they did.
One of the few Black stage managers on Broadway since 2011, Richard was an assistant stage manager for Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen and The Lion King.
Additionally, Richard worked on live televised musicals including The Wiz, Hairspray and Jesus Christ Superstar. He was one of the many stage managers for the 2019 Tony Awards where he worked on the creative design awards and with the trophy presenters, as well as a stage manager for the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards.
One of Richard’s most unique experiences was serving as the production stage manager for Freestyle Love Supreme, a freestyle hip-hop performance featuring fully improvised musical numbers based on audience suggestions. There was no script and each night there was a new guest.
Director of Truman Drama Tracey Gatte said that students appreciated that he was honest about the stress and responsibility throughout his career. They also enjoyed his funny anecdotes about some very well-known Broadway productions.