Rich Swingle
Biography
Rich Swingle has performed and/or taught on six continents, in 39 nations and in hundreds of venues, mostly with a dozen one-man plays he has written or helped develop: A Clear Leading, Big Fish Little Worm, The Revelation, The Acts, Alien Immigration Training, Views of the Manger, Five Bells for 9/11, Journey to the Garden, Paradise Lost, God of Hope, Shepherds Reflect on the 23rd Psalm, and Beyond the Chariots, which he's performed Off-Broadway, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (the largest arts festival in the world), in LA, Toronto, Hong Kong, Shangai, Transylvania, and in Beijing, Vancouver, Singapore and London while those cities hosted the Olympics.
Rich has lived in New York City since 1993, where he's acted in a number of productions, film, radio, and CD-ROM. He has been featured in 21 movies, most notably the lead role of Frederich Lehman in Indescribable, the lead role of Mitchell Little in Providence, the featured role of Dr. Bonneville in Beyond the Mask, the featured role of Claud in the award-winning A Christmas Snow, the principal role of Coach Sean Ryan in For the Glory, and the featured role of Sheriff Hanson in the award-winning Pawn's Move, the featured role of John Gray in In His Steps, the featured role of a land speculator in Alone Yet Not Alone, Hollywood director Forrest Woods in The Screenwriters, a quirky clerk in Christmas Grace, a lead in the short film Settled, the featured role of Dr. Bonneville in Beyond the Mask, the featured role of a land speculator in Polycarp: Destroyer of Gods, the featured role of a homeless man in Confessions of a Prodigal Son, the featured role of a newscaster in Creed of Gold, and the featured role of Nigel Livengood in Princess Cut. For the complete lineup visit www.IMDb.me/RichSwingle and www.RichDrama.com/Films.
Rich has co-directed with John Kirby (acting coach on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, DéJà Vu, Count of Monte Cristo) on Tartuffe and Our Town, during which Rich performed the role of the Stage Manager, and The Miracle Worker. He worked with Patricia Mauceri (Broadway: Othello with James Earl Jones, film: Don Juan de Marco with Johnny Depp and TV: One Life to Live) to direct The Crucible, The Jeweler's Shop by Pope John Paul II, Twelve Angry Jurors, and Much Ado About Nothing. The last three plays were performed in Theatre 315, and Off-Broadway space.
He received his master's degree in theatre from Hunter College, where he studied under Eric Bentley--who was a student of C. S. Lewis--Tina Howe (playwriting), Patricia Sternberg (sociodrama)--a student of sociodrama's inventor, Jacob L. Moreno--and Jerome Coopersmith (screenwriting)--screenwriter for An American Christmas Carol and many of the original Hawaii Five-O episodes.
Known For

Film
Polycarp
2015

Film
Skydog
2020

Film
A Christmas Snow
Claud
2010

Film
The Farmer and the Belle: Saving Santaland
Conrad
2020
Film
The Screenwriters
2016

Film
Jesus Freaks
2024

Film
Princess Cut
2015

Film
Confessions of a Prodigal Son
Homeless man
2015

Film
For the Glory
2012

Film
Courageous Love
2017

Film
It's a Life Worth Living
Charles
2020

Film
The Messenger's Box
2015

Film
Christmas Grace
Clerk
2014

Film
The Unexpected Bar Mitzvah
Micah Maslow
2015

Film
Mayflower II
Ferris Chapman
2020

Film
The Staying Kind
Mr. Cole
2018

Film
Indescribable
Papa Lehman
2013

Film
The Beginner's Bible: Volume 2
(voice)
2015
Film
Providence
Adult Mitchell
2016

Film
Quakers: The Quiet Revolutionaries
John Woolman
2019
Filmography
2024FilmJesus Freaks2021FilmSecond Chancesas Alan2020FilmThe Farmer and the Belle: Saving Santalandas Conrad2020FilmSkydog2020FilmMayflower IIas Ferris Chapman2020FilmIt's a Life Worth Livingas Charles2019FilmQuakers: The Quiet Revolutionariesas John Woolman2018FilmThe Staying Kindas Mr. Cole2017FilmCourageous Love2016FilmThe Screenwriters2016FilmProvidenceas Adult Mitchell2015FilmPrincess Cut2015FilmThe Messenger's Box2015FilmThe Unexpected Bar Mitzvahas Micah Maslow2015FilmPolycarp2015FilmThe Beginner's Bible: Volume 2as (voice)2015FilmConfessions of a Prodigal Sonas Homeless man2014FilmChristmas Graceas Clerk2014FilmCreed of Goldas TV Reporter2013FilmIndescribableas Papa Lehman2012FilmFor the Glory2010FilmA Christmas Snowas Claud
