Richard Skipper – Entertainer, Storyteller, Legacy KeepeR
RICHARD SKIPPER CELEBRATES!
Richard Skipper is an award-winning entertainer, host, producer, writer, and LIVE ENTERTAINMENT historian whose work is centered on celebration, connection, storytelling, and preserving the legacy of live entertainment.
He created Richard Skipper Celebrates in 2009 as a platform for celebrating artists and the work they have contributed to our cultural lives. What began as an interview and writing platform has grown into a multi-platform brand encompassing live performances, livestreamed conversations and podcasts, the weekly Monday Celebrations newsletter, RichardSkipper.com, and special events celebrating artists and their legacies.
Over the years, Richard has conducted hundreds of interviews with artists, entertainers, writers, directors, producers, and cultural figures. Guests have included Lesley Ann Warren, Melissa Manchester, Loretta Swit, Lillias White, Marilyn Maye, Andrea McArdle, Anita Gillette, Carole Demas, Don Most, Dee Wallace, Joyce Bulifant, Bill Boggs, Julie Budd, Jamie deRoy, David Sabella, Sue Matsuki, Lee Roy Reams, Karen Ziemba, Linda Purl, Melba Moore, Kathryn Crosby, and many others.
At the heart of all of Richard's work is a simple philosophy: the audience is the star.
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Here’s a look at the history of Richard Skipper Celebrates:
Origins: Richard Skipper originally gained fame as a tribute performer, particularly for his celebrated portrayal of Carol Channing. His extensive knowledge of theater and deep connections in the Broadway and cabaret communities led to the creation of Richard Skipper Celebrates as a way to spotlight other entertainers and notable figures in a similar spirit of honoring the past.
Format: The format of Richard Skipper Celebrates includes live shows, online interviews, and blog posts. Skipper often invites a range of guests, including Broadway actors, cabaret stars, composers, and directors, to engage in insightful and often nostalgic conversations. Each event features songs, performances, and discussions that focus on milestones in show business history.
Celebration of Broadway and Hollywood: A major focus of Skipper’s series is on Broadway history and the golden age of Hollywood. Through his interviews, Skipper sheds light on the work of both legendary performers and unsung heroes of the entertainment world. He also takes time to honor birthdays and anniversaries of major stars, linking their legacy to current industry trends.
Special Themes and Milestones: Skipper has celebrated key figures such as Carol Channing, Ethel Merman, and other Broadway legends. His tribute shows also delve into specific musicals, including Hello, Dolly!, and highlight their cultural impact. His show often coincides with important theater anniversaries or milestones, drawing audiences who appreciate deep dives into theater and entertainment history.
Community Engagement: Skipper’s events have become a staple in the New York cabaret and theater scene. With his effervescent personality and deep love for the arts, Richard Skipper Celebrates is known for creating an engaging, celebratory atmosphere where both performers and audiences share in their passion for the stage.
In essence, Richard Skipper Celebrates serves as both a platform to honor entertainment legends and a space for reflecting on the ongoing influence of past achievements on today’s entertainment landscape. Skipper’s contributions through this series help preserve the rich history of American theater and show business.
CallonDolly.com
Richard is the creator of CallonDolly.com, an extensive oral-history and research project devoted to preserving the history and legacy of Jerry Herman and Michael Stewart's Hello, Dolly!
Built from more than 25 years of research and over 1,000 interviews, the project documents the experiences of performers, directors, musicians, dancers, designers, producers, and others connected with productions of Hello, Dolly! throughout its history.
PRODUCER • ARTS ADVOCATE
In addition to his own performances and broadcasts, Richard regularly produces and participates in events celebrating other artists and the history of live entertainment.
His work includes tribute programs, benefits, artist showcases, community events, and special celebrations designed to preserve stories while bringing artists and audiences together.
Recent projects include producing and hosting Let's Celebrate Diana Templeton, a gathering of artists, musicians, colleagues, and friends celebrating the life and career of MAC Award-winning cabaret artist Diana Templeton.
Richard is also actively involved in arts and community organizations in New York's Hudson Valley and continues to advocate for live entertainment, cabaret, and the artists who create it.
CURRENT FOCUS
Through Richard Skipper Celebrates, Richard continues to expand a body of work connecting live performance, interviews, podcasting, publishing, entertainment history, and arts advocacy.
Whether onstage, behind a microphone, in his newsletter, or in conversation with another artist, his goal remains the same:
To celebrate the people whose work and lives deserve to be remembered, while creating experiences in which audiences feel seen, welcomed, and part of the celebration.
Who/What Are YOU Celebrating Today?
How Can I Celebrate YOU Today?
References, press materials, reviews, photographs, and additional information available upon request.
PODCAST • DIGITAL MEDIA
Richard Skipper Celebrates is available as a podcast and ongoing video conversation series, bringing together artists, writers, entertainers, and storytellers for discussions about their careers, influences, creative lives, and the people who helped shape them.
Richard also uses the platform to advocate for live entertainment and provide greater visibility to artists and projects deserving of wider attention.
Career as a Speaker and Writer
Beyond his cabaret work, Skipper has also established himself as a writer and public speaker. He frequently gives talks and lectures on Broadway history and the lives of famous performers. His work is often praised for its insight and warmth, as well as its commitment to preserving the rich legacy of American theater and performance.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Four MAC Awards — Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs
Bistro Award
Jim Speake Award, Singnasium — 2025
IRNE Award Nominee — Outstanding Male Singer
Named among Cabaret Scenes Magazine's “Top of the Century Premiere Cabaret Acts”
Named among Cabaret Hotline's Top Ten Cabaret Performers
Winner, Turner Classic Movies Classic Film Festival Competition
Richard continues to raise money for many worthwhile causes especially Arts in Education, The Entertainment Community (formerly-The Actors Fund), and GLAAD.
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Audiences across the country have laughed, sung along, reflected, and experienced something deeply personal through Richard Skipper Celebrates—evenings shaped not just by what happens on stage, but by the people in the room.
Now, that experience continues to evolve.
Richard Skipper Celebrates! Life Lessons from Legends: I have stepped into a new chapter—an audience-interactive experience where stories, songs, and memories come together to create something meaningful in real time.
This is not a traditional cabaret.
This is a living, breathing conversation about legacy, artistry, memory, and connection.
Drawing from a lifetime of encounters with legendary artists—those we know, those we don’t, and those we create in our own minds—I explore not just who they were, but what they’ve taught me… and what they might teach you.
And as always, the audience is the star.
Through what I call “Live Lesson Building,” audience members contribute questions, reflections, and moments from their own lives, and together, we shape the evening. No two performances are ever the same—because no two audiences are ever the same.
This format has created unforgettable nights in New York, Palm Springs, Provincetown, and beyond—proving that when an audience feels seen, heard, and included, something extraordinary happens.
My next performance of Richard Skipper Celebrates! Life Lessons from Legends takes place on July 10 at The Laurie Beechman Theatre in New York City
This evening will feature Special Guest Barbara Minkus, with Musical Director Dan Pardo and direction by James Beaman.
This is a night built on collaboration—on listening, responding, and creating something together in the moment.
Whether you have been part of this journey for years or are discovering it for the first time, you are not just attending a show.
You are helping create it.
And here’s your invitation:
Call the 1st name in your Friends List and invite them to join you.
Don’t come alone.
You never know who might show up… or what magic might unfold.
Warmly,
Richard Skipper