Richard Gershman

Biography

Richard Gershman began his career in theatre where he served on the Artistic Staff of two of the most prominent theatres in America, the Mark Taper Forum and the Seattle Repertory Theatre.  He has over fifty stage productions to his credit.  Among his credits as a director are: GRANDMA MOSES with Cloris Leachman (Elitch Theatre), THE WRONG BOX (Catalina Productions), BODIES with Lawrence Pressman and Cristina Pickles (South Coast Repertory), DEAD WRONG and AGNES OF GOD (Stage West), SPOKESONG (Seattle Repertory Theatre), LUCKY LINDY (Mark Taper Forum), and as an assistant director: CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD (Broadway, London, National Tour), FOOLS (pre-Broadway), THE LADY AND THE CLARINET (pre-Broadway), CHEKHOV IN YALTA, PAL JOEY, SAINT JOAN, THE TEMPEST, TERRA NOVA and TWELFTH NIGHT.

Mr. Gershman's work in television and film includes his direction of multiple episodes of JUDGING AMY and CHICAGO HOPE, and the award winning short subject, JONI & THE WHALES (HBO, A&E Network).  He has also worked as an assistant director on the features, THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, QUEEN’S LOGIC, ONCE BITTEN, ZOOT SUIT, THE LAST MOVIE STAR and on numerous TV shows as a UPM or 1st AD including LOST, UGLY BETTY, CLOSE TO HOME, NIGHTSTALKER, BONES, JUDGING AMY, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, CHICAGO HOPE, L.A. LAW, ELVIS, THE OLDEST ROOKIE, CHINA BEACH, and COLUMBO.

Mr. Gershman's work has earned him grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the American Film Institute Center for Advanced Film and Television Studies.  His theatre productions have earned him a total of 10 Dramalogue Awards including 2 for Best Direction, and his film, JONI & THE WHALES was a top award winner at the Chicago and Houston International Film Festivals.

Mr. Gershman is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and holds advanced degrees from New York University Tisch School of the Arts and the American Film Institute Center for Advanced Film and Television Studies.