Memorial for Director Lloyd Richards Set for 10/3

A memorial service, open to the public, will be held for Tony Award-winning director Lloyd Richards on October 3 at 1p.m. at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 242 West 45th Street. Richards died on June 29, his 87th birthday.

Richards directed original productions of A Raisin In The Sun starring Sidney Poitier, Seven Guitars, Fences, The Piano Lesson, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and Two Trains Running all by August Wilson and Paul Robeson and produced A Walk in the Woods starring Sam Waterston and Master Harold and the Boys. He also produced Jason Robards and Colleen Dewhurst in Ah, Wilderness and Long Day's Journey Into Night, which played in repertory. He served for many years as artistic director of the Yale Repertory Theatre.

Brian Stokes Mitchell, Charles Dutton Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, The Piano Lesson, Mary Alice Fences, Cicely Tyson, Ming Cho Lee, Ruby Dee A Raisin In The Sun, Avery Brooks Paul Robeson, Courtney Vance Fences, and Frankie Faison Fences are scheduled to speak at the memorial. Angela Bassett and Lawrence Fishburne will be in attendance and have recorded a special tribute to Richards. Sidney Poitier has also recorded a tribute.