Biography
Ken
Richters
first began performing in the early 1970's as a singer and
featured dancer with a number of regional theaters
throughout New England. Since that time, he has displayed a
unique blending of talents rarely seen in a single
performer. A familiar face to television audiences around
the country, he has been seen in a number of weekly series
and made-for-television movies. His motion picture work
includes a starring role in the award-winning independent
film JEAN, which was produced by the AMERICAN WRITER'S
THEATER FOUNDATION and Tom Fontana and filmed entirely on
location at the EUGENE O'NEILL CENTER in Connecticut.
His performance as Mark Twain was first brought to national
acclaim in 1981. Following a sold-out engagement in
Washington, D.C., television newscasters from across the
country had great fun covering Twain's salty comments to
members of the United States Congress. Since that time, the
production has been performed more than 1000 times in all 50
states, Canada, and Europe. The millennium found Ken
Richters as Mark Twain sharing the stage with another great
American author, Tom Wolfe, as part of HARPER'S MAGAZINE
star-studded 150th Anniversary Gala celebration in New York.
Following that performance, PBS had him provide the voice of
Mark Twain for their controversial series CULTURE SHOCK -
CHALLENGING ART.
Between television and motion picture engagements, he has
performed extensively in the legit end of show business,
starring in such live stage productions as BIG RIVER,
OKLAHOMA, THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG, PROMISES PROMISES,
COMPANY, MAN OF LAMANCHA, GEORGE M, and THE MAN WHO CAME TO
DINNER. He recently made his "operatic" debut receiving rave
reviews in the featured role of "Frosch the Jailer" in
CONNECTICUT OPERA'S production of DIE FLEDERMAUS.
Well known for his considerable vocal range, he has become a
favorite in the field of commercial and industrial
performing. He has been the on-camera and live industrial
spokesman for more than 50 large U.S. and European
corporations, including the International Paper, IBM, Lloyds
of London, and Sony. Television and radio commercial credits
include COCA-COLA, SEARS, EGGO WAFFLES, KIMBERLY CLARK,
AT&T, FEDERAL EXPRESS, UNITED ARTISTS TELEVISION, MOTRIN,
and just finished a five year run as the national commercial
voice for A.J. WRIGHT STORES - a division of the TJX
Corporation. He is also the featured narrator on more than
50 educational CD-ROMs for MCGRAW-HILL COMPANIES. Visitors
to the SMITHSONIAN in Washington, D.C. can hear Ken's work
with WALTER CRONKITE narrating the history of Fast Attack
Submarines.
In addition, Ken spends time each year working on a number
of special projects. He has been the opening act for many
show-business veterans including THE TEMPTATIONS, ROBERTA
FLACK, the late LAURA BRANIGAN and HENNY YOUNGMAN, and THE
SMOTHERS BROTHERS; co-starred with Academy Award actress
Nina Foch in her life's retrospective, AN EVENING WITH NINA
FOCH; and performed with Olympic Gold Medalist OKSANA BAIUL.
He often works behind-the-scenes doing private coaching and
consultation with corporate executives, politicians, and
bestselling authors, to assist them in preparing for public
appearances. Last year, he was the featured performer at an
annual benefit production for PAUL NEWMAN'S HOLE IN THE WALL
CAMP for children with cancer and other life-threatening
diseases.
