Richard Roland, actor, director, singer and vocal arranger, is a native New Yorker, having grown up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He a fourth-generation performer; the son of two Broadway veterans: Steve Roland and Liz Roland (nee Nelson). His father had appeared on Broadway in SOUTH PACIFIC, BELLS ARE RINGING, 110 IN THE SHADE, PIPE DREAM, COME ON STRONG and others, while his mother had appeared on Broadway in JENNIE, MR. PRESIDENT, and KEAN, among others. They met one another in the Broadway production of I HAD A BALL starring Buddy Hackett, Richard Keilly and Karen Morrow. To this day, Richard's father still works in commercial voice-overs.

The artistic streak runs deep throughout the family tree: his grandmother was a famous voice teacher and choir director in New York; his grandfather was a trumpet player and teacher; his aunt was a dancer; his great-grandfather was a famous Finnish bandleader. His godfather was Dick Perry, a well-known trumpet player whose career spanned several decades and took him from playing for Sinatra to top trumpet in several Broadway show orchestras. While growing up, his house was always filled with the show-business types so he was very much steeped in the business from day one.

He went to school in New York, first at Trinity, then high school at Lenox. As a boy, he sang in the choir of The Church of the Transfiguation ("The Little Church Around the Corner") where he was featured as a soloist. His first television appearance was at the age of eleven, singing "Once In Royal David's City" on a live Christmas Eve broadcast from Marble Collegiate Church in Manhattan. During the summers he attended French Woods, a performing arts camp. He attended college at Denison University in Granville, Ohio where he received a BFA degree in Theatre. He was also a member of Burpee's Seedy Theatrical Company, a comedy improvisation group on campus.

Richard has made his own mark on the Broadway and National Tour Stages: he made his debut in the original Broadway production of THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL (version 1.0), then played Young Ben in the 2001 Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's FOLLIES. He most recently understudied (and performed many times) the role of Jimmy in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, subsequently taking over the role on the National Tour for the summer of 2004. He also toured the US from 1998 to 2000 as Jim Farrell, then as Barrett the Stoker in TITANIC.

His off-Broadway credits began with FOREVER PLAID, then moved on to THE FANTASTICKS. He created the role of Jonny in the rock musical ZOMBIE PROM, which didn't run very long at the Variety Arts Theatre, but lives on through the recording. Immediately following that he originated the role of Bob in THE COCOANUTS at the American Jewish Theatre.

Regionally, he appeared as Paul in BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, Frankie, Sparky and Smudge in FOREVER PLAID, Danny in GREASE, Sam in SHENANDOAH, Gilbert in Joe DiPietro's O. HENRY'S LOVERS, Trevor Graydon in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, Cliff in CABARET, Gus Esmond, Jr. in GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, Captain Walker in THE WHO'S TOMMY, Tony in WEST SIDE STORY, Joe Hardy in DAMN YANKEES, Jean-Michel in LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, Older Patrick in MAME, and Rolf in THE SOUND OF MUSIC, and has worked at the Goodspeed Opera House, The Old Globe Theatre (got his Equity card there), North Shore Music Theatre, Westchester Broadway, Maltz-Jupiter, St. Louis MUNY, Walnut Street, and the North Carolina Theatre, to name a few.

As a singer, Richard has performed cross-country and in New York, but his pride and passion is being a co-founder and primary vocal arranger for the jazz vocal group Monday Off, with whom he has appeared in concerts all over the States as well as in New York; from clubs and bars to the Broadway stage and major events. He co-produced and co-arranged the group's first album effort Christmas Time Is Here with jazz guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli. The CD, released in December of 2001, has garnered the group wonderful critical attention. He also co-produced the group's self-titled second CD, released December of 2006.

Richard is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association (AEA), The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), Screen Actors Guild (SAG), and, most recently, The Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers (SSDC).