Rich Swingle
| Rich Swingle | |
|---|---|
 Swingle on the set of the upcoming film Rather to be Chosen. | |
| Born |
May 30 Medford, Oregon |
| Nationality |
 United States |
| Occupation | Actor, director, teacher, presentation coach, producer |
Rich Swingle is an American film actor, screenwriter and stage actor. He also directs the theatre program for the MasterWorks Festival and is a Freedom Finder for Graceworks Inc. After growing up on a farm in Medford, Oregon, he went on to study at George Fox University, Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary and Hunter College, ultimately receiving a master's degree from the latter. He has appeared in numerous films, including A Christmas Snow, Indescribable, Alone yet Not Alone and Christmas Grace, and he is well known for his one-man theatre acts.
Biography
Rich Swingle was born in Medford, Oregon. His mother is a medical transcriptionist, and his father is a pilot, inventor, and retired farmer. Rich was raised on a farm that had been in the family since the 1920s. Swingle graduated from George Fox University, where "he spent many of his weekends visiting elementary schools and churches as part of the student touring drama group George Fox Players."[1] He was named their alumnus of the year in 1999. He is an evangelical Christian and, "After years of feeling called to ministry, Rich Swingle entered Massachusetts’ Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary, one of the country’s top five evangelical seminaries,"[2] which he attended from 1991 to 1992. 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 An American Christmas Carol and for many episodes of the original Hawaii Five-O. He has been married to Joyce Swingle since 1998. She is currently a counselor, actor, Director of Pastoral Care for the MasterWorks Festival, and pastor at Westchester Chapel Church of the Nazarene in White Plains, New York.
Playwright and Stage Actor
Swingle has lived in New York City since 1993, where he's acted in a number of productions of both stage and film. He has performed and/or taught on five continents, in 27 nations and in hundreds of venues, mostly with a dozen one-man plays he has written or helped develop. His one man play "Beyond the Chariots"[3] about the later life of Eric Liddell has been featured around the world and at various Olympic events. He also performed it at the Edinburgh Festival. Regarding the production and life of Eric Liddell, Swingle said, "Chariots of Fire deeply inspired me as a young man. I ran a cross-country race in China 20 years ago so that aspect of Eric's life is embedded in mine even more. I admire his deep convictions and willingness to stand behind them..."[4] "Despite all the fame and adulation he was showered with after the Olympics and all the career opportunities that were presenting themselves at the time, Liddell chose to return to China and teach."[5]
Swingle has performed several other one-man acts, such as "5 Bells for 9/11", a play tells the stories of three people, including firefighter Bruce Van Hine from Squad 41.[6] "Soon after 9/11, an Indiana church asked Mr. Swingle to find a New Yorker willing to speak about his or her experiences during the tragedy. "And I realized, wait a minute, why just have one person tell their story of that day?"[7]
Presentations Trainer and Coach
Since 2001 Swingle has been a Freedom Finder for Graceworks, helping presenters in a variety of fields overcome stage fright and connect with their audiences through seminars and project coaching. Swingle said, "I have seen fear visibly melt away as clients learn to connect with their listeners. It's exhilarating to see people go beyond what they thought possible!"[8]
Director
He worked with John Kirby (acting coach on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Déjà Vu, The Count of Monte Cristo) to co-direct Tartuffe and Our Town, during which he performed the role of the Stage Manager, and The Miracle Worker. He also directed Cyrano de Bergerac, The Jeweler's Shop, Twelve Angry Jurors, and Much Ado About Nothing, all with assistance from Patricia Mauceri and Susan Somerville Brown.
Teacher
He has performed and/or taught workshops in more than 40 colleges and universities, including his alma mater, George Fox University, University of Memphis, Namseoul University in Korea, Singapore Bible College, and Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary in the Philippines. Each spring he teaches a workshop at Princeton University. Swingle also spoke at the Ivy League Congress on Faith and Action, hosted by the Harvard University chapter of Christian Union. He has taught acting seminars and performed on the main stage at the 2014 Christian Worldview Film Festival in San Antonio, Texas.
Film actor
Since 2010 Swingle has been performed in over 20 films. He plays the lead role of Mitchell Little, which was distributed through AMC Independent starting February 12, 2016. His wife Joyce has played his fictional wife in four of those projects: Indescribable, The Unexpected Bar Mitzvah, Rather to Be Chosen, and Mayflower II.
Awards
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | George Fox University Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award | |
| 2013 | The HARK Award for Best Actor | For the role of Claud in A Christmas Snow. |
| 2015 | Aletheia Fellowship of the Arts Feature Film Awards | Nominated for the role of Micah Maslow in The Unexpected Bar Mitzvah |
| 2016 | The Christian Film Festival Award for Best Actor | For the role of Mitchell Little in "Providence" |
| 2016 | The Christian Film Festival Award for Fan Favorite Best Actor | For the role of Mitchell Little in "Providence" |
| 2016 | The Christian Film Festival Award for Best Cast | For the role of Mitchell Little in "Providence" |
Bibliography
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | The Fall | 1-act based on "Les Misérables". |
| 1992 | I Come and Go at His Command | A play based on the martyrdom of Mary Dyer. |
| 1993 | A Clear Leading | The story of John Woolman, turned into a 1-man play in 1995. |
| 1995 | Big Fish Little Worm | 1-man play. Monologue "Lazarus" by Sean Gaffney. |
| 1997 | Views of the Manger | A 1-man Christmas play including the monologue "Harvey Silverstein" by Mac Nelson. |
| 1998 | The Revelation | A 1-man play based on the Book of Revelation. |
| 1999 | The Acts | A 1-man play based on the Acts of the Apostles. |
| 2001 | The Fall | An adaptation of Swingle's 1-act play based on "Les Misérables" as a radio drama for Stage Shadows starring Rob Evan, reprising his Broadway role as Jean Valjean and George Merritt--of Broadway's Jekyll & Hyde (musical)--as the Bishop Welcome. |
| 2002 | Alien Immigration Training | A 1-man play. |
| 2002 | Five Bells for 9/11 | A 1-man play based on interviews with those that experienced the September 11 attacks first hand. |
| 2003 | Journey to the Garden | A 1-man play based on Jesus Christ's Passion (Christianity). |
| 2004 | Beyond the Chariots | A 1-man play based on Eric Liddell. |
| 2011 | Shepherds Reflect on the 23rd Psalm | Conceived by Pastor Linda Warren, developed by Rich and Joyce Swingle for Morrison Academy in Taichung, Taiwan, and based on Psalm 23. |
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | The Beginner's Bible: The Story of Creation | Adam and The Serpent |
| 1995 | The Beginner's Bible: The Story of Noah's Ark | Shem and Villager |
| 1995 | The Beginner's Bible: The Story of Moses | Pharaoh, Slave Master, Young Moses, Advisor to Pharaoh |
| 1995 | The Beginner's Bible: The Story of David and Goliath | Shammah, Hebrew Soldiers, Philistine Soldiers |
| 1995 | The Beginner's Bible: The Nativity | Second Shepherd, Third Wise Man, Advisor to Herod, Centurion, Villager |
| 1995 | The Beginner's Bible: The Story of Easter | Jesus, John, Villager |
| 2010 | A Christmas Snow | Claud |
| 2011 | Pawn's Move | Sheriff Hansen |
| 2012 | For the Glory | Coach Ryan |
| 2012 | Indescribable | Fredrick Lehman |
| 2012 | Settled (Short) | Tom |
| 2013 | Alone yet Not Alone | Speculator |
| 2013 | In His Steps | John Gray |
| 2013 | Christmas Grace | Clerk |
| 2014 | Creed of Gold | TV Reporter |
| 2014 | Confessions of a Prodigal Son | Homeless Man |
| 2014 | The Screenwriters | Forrest Woods |
| 2014 | Beyond the Mask | Dr. Bonneville |
| 2015 | Princess Cut | Nigel Livengood |
| 2015 | Polycarp | Auctioneer |
| 2015 | The Unexpected Bar Mitzvah | Micah Maslow |
| 2015 | Rather to Be Chosen | Alex Shelby, Sr. |
| 2015 | Mayflower II | Ferris Chapman |
| 2015 | Lifestone Velocity | Dr. Allister Walker |
| 2015 | The Messenger's Box | Jesus |
| 2015 | Providence | Mitchell Little |
| 2015 | The Staying Kind (Short) | Mr. Cole |
Audio Drama
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | The Extraordinary Adventures of G.A. Henty: The Dragon and the Raven | Theodore the Monk opposite Brian Deacon, Olaf and Villager opposite Stephen Greif, and Ethelbert | Recorded in London |
| 2015 | Renting to Parakletos | Jeeves Meriwether |
References
- ↑ Hubbell, Barry (Spring 2009). "A class act". George Fox Journal: The Magazine of George Fox University. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ↑ Blaney, Retta (April 7, 2006). "Rich Swingle acts out his ministry". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ↑ Dassow, Richard (October 4, 2007). "Rich Swingle To Perform "Acts"". Fox Point Now. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
- ↑ Smith, David (September 8, 2007). "Chariots rerun 'overplays religion'". The Guardian. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
- ↑ Williams, Douglas (January 13, 2007). "Hero honored". Shanghai Daily. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ↑ Dawson, Mike (September 12, 2006). "Play in Washingtonville remembers 9/11 heroes". Times Herald-Record. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
- ↑ Angell, Kate Luce (September 6, 2007). "Building hope from tragedy: 'Five Bells' brings 9/11 story to Bethel Park". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ↑ http://graceworksinc.com/whatwedo_who.html#2