*“I’m a theatre nerd,” said Phil Richardson, an actor/dancer/singer/rapper/songwriter, who is starring in the Broadway production of The Wiz as the Tinman.
Phillip Johnson Richardson is a multi-talented artist who was on tour with The Wiz cast traveling around the country promoting it, in a sense, for the Broadway run in March when I talked to him.
The Wiz was in Los Angeles where he also performed at The Moroccan Lounge. The audience at his show got to see him be himself…a singer and rapper.
“The story is different…rewritten,” Phil said about the current Broadway run of The Wiz.
When I asked if his acting – body movements and singing are trying to mimic a “tin man” he said, “I sing the way I sing in my shows. I bring myself to the role.”
The Charlotte, North Carolina native attended the University of Cincinnati’s Conservatory of Music College. Soon after graduating, he toured with the Hamilton company as part of the ensemble as an understudy. His credits also include NBC’s “Chicago PD,” Fox’s “Proven Innocent,” HBO Max’s “The Other Two,” TBS’ “The Last OG,” Apple TV+ series “Little Voice,” and the A24 film Sharper.
“Yes, it’s hard on the body,” He admitted when I acknowledged that I knew how hard the entertainment business is.
I asked how he got such an outstanding leading role Phil said, “I heard about the show…coming back to Broadway. They posted something in 2022 about the tour. I decided to go for it…I didn’t have anything to lose. I knew the director, producer, and cast director and I went to the audition. I went to two auditions!”
“We are on tour for 6 months, then Broadway after that. Los Angeles is the last stop,” he pointed.
“I was in The Wiz in middle school,” Phil said. “It was my first musical. I was in the 7th grade. My first influence was the theatre. I fell in love with singing. My family sings…I always danced and sang…changed my whole life.”
In the summer of 2024 expect a Phil Richardson EP. www.WizMusical.com
SYNDICATED COLUMN: Dr. Eunice Moseley has an estimated weekly readership of over one million with The Pulse of Entertainment. She is also a Business Management/Public Relations Strategist and Consultant at Freelance Associates and is Promotions Director (at-large) for The Baltimore Times. www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com EVENTS: “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference (ULMII), founded by Eunice in 1999, is into its 25th year. Next events are coming to Baltimore via Zoom Saturday April 20, 2024, presented by Security Square Mall and The Baltimore Times, and Los Angeles via Zoom Saturday, November 9, 2024. The ULMII event is a free entertainment conference offering a Professional Panel Q&A Session, a Professional Talent Showcase and National Talent Competition (vocal, songwriting, dance and acting) where aspiring artists have a chance to receive over $19,000 valued in prizes/product/services. Log onto www.UpliftingMinds2.comor to RSVP for Zoom Access at EventBrite.com or email [email protected].
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