Anna Richards (B.A. '15)  is currently serving as Assistant Director for the Arkansas Repertory Theatre's production of The School for Lies by David Ives. In this role, she works with Director Giovanna Sardelli, observing her process and helping her work as efficiently and playfully as possible. This can come in many forms - she can handle things like to-do lists of moments in the play Gio wants to work and type out notes as she dictates them during runs.She has participated in production and designer meetings and helped compile the curtain call and act break music. After rehearsals, she will discuss plot lines and what needs to be adjusted or emphasized in order to be truthful and clear with the story they are telling. As they went into previews, much of her job was tracking the audiences' response to the comedy and pinpointing comedic bits and jokes they could make more specific and fun.

Anna Richards is a New York City-based director and actor. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in May 2015 with a BA in Drama. Her St. Louis directing credits include Steppin' Up with Solid Lines Productions, A Day in the Life (self-produced), and One Pacific Midnight Central with Thyrsus Exploratory Theatre. Assistant directing credits include Grey Gardens (assistant director to Annamaria Pileggi) with Max & Louie Productions and Telegraph (assistant director to Andrea Urice) with Washington University in St. Louis. She's performed in To Whom Should I Complain? and Or What You Will, Part Deux with Poor Monsters and Standing On My Knees with Solid Lines Productions. She spent the last year backpacking throughout Australia, Southeast Asia, and New Zealand and crewing a sailboat in the Bahamas and looks forward to using these life experiences to fuel her storytelling.