Richard Carsey is a conductor, pianist, and actor. He is a Conductor for the longest-running musical in history, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA on Broadway, as well as the current revival of CAROUSEL featuring Joshua Henry, Jessie Mueller, and Renee Fleming. National tours include Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of PHANTOM, and the revival of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES with George Hamilton. Also on Broadway, he was Music Supervisor of THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES starring Ben Stiller and Edie Falco, and Musical Director for Joshua Schmidt’s musical A MINISTER’S WIFE at Lincoln Center Theater.
Internationally, he has performed as pianist and conductor in such exotic locales as Lima, Athens, Barcelona, Islamabad, and Kuwait. Richard enjoyed a long association with the Skylight Opera Theatre in Milwaukee, WI as Principal Conductor, and for nine seasons was Artistic Director. Highlights include the world premiere and television broadcast of Richard Wargo’s opera BALLYMORE; a PBS broadcast of THE MIKADO; and the world premiere of the opera THE RIVALS by Kirke Mechem. He has provided musical direction for regional productions throughout the U.S. including the Marriott Theater, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Florida State Opera, and the Guthrie in Minneapolis.
He has been guest conductor with the symphony orchestras of Rochester (NY), Kansas City, Indianapolis, Hartford, Sacramento, and St. Louis, among others. As an actor he has appeared in over 400 performances of the play 2 PIANOS 4 HANDS at regional theaters including Dallas Theater Center, Actor’s Theater of Louisville, The Globe (Saskatchewan), Laguna Beach Playhouse, and Hartford Stage (Connecticut Critic’s Circle Award). Other acting highlights include THE BOYS IN THE BAND (Harold); TWELFTH NIGHT (Malvolio); SOUVENIR (Cosme) and OLD WICKED SONGS (Mashkin).
In 2019, he will assume the position of Conductor and Music Director for DISNEY ON CLASSIC, an annual tour with eight singers and The Orchestra Japan, presenting more than 60 concerts in Tokyo, Okinawa, Osaka, and other locations throughout Japan.