Lloyd Richards

An esteemed director, educator, and actor—and one of the most important figures in American theatre during the latter half of the 20th century—Lloyd Richards was also a beloved Hunter College professor. A committed acting coach, he was instrumental in the careers and lives of countless students, including actress and Hunter graduate Ruby Dee, a student and collaborator.

Richards was a champion of more than three generations of actors, directors, and playwrights. Likewise, the careers of playwrights Lorraine Hansberry and August Wilson are inextricably linked with Richards’ own success. In 1959, he became the first African-American director on Broadway, with Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, directing the then-unknown actor Sydney Poitier. Richards discovered Wilson, and helped develop the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer’s voice through collaboration on Wilson’s significant early works for the stage, and directed their acclaimed Broadway runs.

Richards was the artistic director of the National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center from 1968 to1999, and after his tenure at Hunter, Richards was tapped to become the Dean of the Yale University School of Drama and the Artistic Director of the Yale Repertory Theatre. Richards was the recipient of the Pioneer Award of AUDELCO, the Frederick Douglass Award, and in 1993 was awarded the National Medal of the Arts.