The Back Page: Richard H. Blake, A Broadway Baby Comes of Age
George Balanchine very much admired Fred Astaire. David Howard says that Eleanor Powell was the best dancer ever. Why do two prominent figures in the ballet world speak so highly of tap dancers?
Richard H. Blake got the tap dance bug when he was just a youngster at age four. He was a “clumsy kid” living in Providence, Rhode Island. After breaking his nose, his parents decided to enroll him in gymnastics. Walking past a studio that was having a tap class, Richard decided “that was what he wanted to do and has never stopped.” His dad also enrolled him in martial arts classes. As an only child, his ambition to be a tap dancer was well supported by his family. They attended all of the competitions he entered. His wanted to go to New York to make commercials. After winning the Talent America finals, he was signed to a contract by Davina Wells at the Schuller Agency. At age eight he booked his first show, “The Broadway Baby” at the Godspeed Opera House in Connecticut. The show was heavy on dance and put Richard’s tap talent to good use.
When he was 11, Richard moved with his family to New York to continue auditioning but they also kept their close ties to Providence. His academic education was shared between his home school, Professional Children’s School in New York and On Location tutoring when he appeared in his first Broadway musical “Teddy and Alice.” To prove his versatility as an actor, Richard’s next Broadway appearance was in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” starring Christopher Plummer, Glenda Jackson and a yet-to-be-discovered Cherry Jones. He said it was “amazing working with these great people.” He continued to work steadily, won "Star Search," was the youngest performer in a title role, “The Prince of Central Park” on Broadway, and then in his teens took some time off to rethink what he wanted for the future; in the end, it was the theatre. As for children in the theatre, Richard says, “We have to have them. It is not a glamorous life; they miss out on a lot so both the children and their parents must have a solid foundation.” He got his big break through competitions and feels that “they are great and healthy if you don’t get carried away. You should do them for a sense of pride and an incentive to work harder.” He has received over 200 regional and professional awards and left all of his trophies in Rhode Island.
Laura Bell Bundy & Richard H. Blake
in a scene from "Legally Blonde The Musical"
Richard has worked steadily on Broadway and in touring companies since 1985 with many shows to his credit, among them “The Sound of Music,” “Saturday Night Fever,” and “Rent” a particular favorite of his, in which he was the dance captain. He is currently starring on Broadway in “Legally Blonde.” He has had great mentors along the way, starting with his parents, his first dance teacher, Ann Carr, the director Jack O’Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell. He says “Having a good relationship with the directors and choreographers gives you a leg up at auditions for future casting.” He met his wife, dancer Teri DiGianfelice, who appeared on Broadway in “Dame Edna,” while on the national tour of “Footloose.”
Richard has studied dance with Phil Black, Judy Bassing, Henry LeTang and Frank Hatchett and has taught tap at Broadway Dance Center in New York. Dance is what got him into the business. He has never studied voice but does work with a vocal coach for auditions. In his spare time, he enjoys playing poker and golf and has a dart team with his friends. For the future, he thinks about possibly becoming a director.
Richard’s advice to future performers: “You really have to want this career in the theatre. It should be the first thing you think about in the morning and the last thing you think about at night.”