Gerard Riley is an actor from Far Rockaway, Queens, who joined EPIC Players in September 2020. He made his EPIC mainstage debut in Almost, Maine, playing Lendall and Dave. His EPIC credits also include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Tartuffe (Orgon), Spring Awakening (Adult Man 1), and A Christmas Carol (Bob Cratchit). Gerard began performing through the drama ministry at Full Gospel Tabernacle, where he has been active since age 13. Since 2024, he has served as chair of the EPIC Players Committee, combining his work onstage with a leadership role in the company.
NB: Other than the amazing diversity, what do/did you love most about living in Queens? How has Queens changed over the years?
GR: Living in Queens is amazing! Many spots carry special memories. Over the years, Queens has changed a lot. Two of my favorite spots in Howard Beach are no longer there: Fuddruckers and the Q-Zar Arcade. I’ve also seen how society has changed for individuals living with developmental disabilities. There used to be little patience and no awareness of your needs, but I’m encouraged to see that changing, even if there are some still stuck in old ways. Even though it’s a different Queens than the one from my childhood, it still has very interesting spots that grab my attention to this very day.
NB: How does Queens inspire you? What are some of your favorite places to be inspired in Queens?
GR: Some of my earliest inspiration came from school trips to see theater at Queens College. I remember seeing Cinderella, and the production felt like watching the Disney classic come to life. Cinderella looked beautiful in her ball gown, and seeing the Prince made me think about how much I wanted to be up onstage myself. Years later, I played Prince Escalus in EPIC’s production of Romeo and Juliet. It brought me back to that childhood experience of watching a prince onstage and wishing I could do that one day.
Some of the places that inspire me are The Museum of the Moving Image, The Queens Museum, Forest Hills, Astoria, and Bayside. The neighbors of Forest Hills and Astoria have been an inspiration for some of my screenplays that I’ve been writing for a long time. Bayside played a huge part in my acting journey. P.S 710 was the school where I discovered my strong interest in acting. After various field trips, mostly to the movies and Queens College Theater Company, I discovered my fire-passion for telling stories as a character.
NB: What advice do you have for readers hoping to develop their acting or performing practice? Do you experience stage fright or have advice about overcoming it?
GR: My own experience has involved learning from teachers, taking classes, and finding opportunities to perform. I started in school productions, became involved in my church’s drama ministry, and later pursued professional acting classes and private voice acting lessons. At EPIC, I’ve continued developing my acting in ways I never thought possible. I did experience stage fright when I was younger. One of my teachers helped me overcome it, and I still remember the care she showed me. She even made a Batman cowl to go with my Halloween costume.
NB: How important is personal connection and communication in your industry?
GR: Personal connections have made a real difference in my journey. My voice acting teacher helped me find EPIC through one of his students. That connection opened the door to a company where I could continue developing my skills. At EPIC, I’ve worked together with Max Baudisch on my acting goals and my writing. But the most rewarding part has been finding real friendship. That was something I had always wanted, and it has become a very important part of my experience with the company.
NB: What are your favorite restaurants, cafes, theaters, bookstores, museums, communities, and venues in Queens? Favorite places to perform?
GR: Two communities in Queens that have been important to my development are the theater experiences I had at Queens College and my church, Full Gospel Tabernacle in Far Rockaway. Seeing productions at Queens College helped inspire my interest in performing, and my church’s drama ministry gave me opportunities to act. My favorite spots in Queens are: The Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Regal Cinemas in Atlas Park and Astoria, The Queens Museum in Astoria, the AMC Cinemas in Fresh Meadows, and Atlas Park.
NB: What do you wish more people knew about being an actor? What do you wish you knew before becoming one?
GR: My experience shows how much having an opportunity to participate can matter. In elementary school, I wanted to take part in a production of Pocahontas. I knew the lines for the roles I wanted, but I didn’t get the chance to participate. That hurt, and I almost lost interest in acting. When I was 13, I went with my mother to watch a church production rehearse, and one of the directors invited me to take a role. That helped bring me back to performing, and I continued with my church’s drama ministry afterward. At EPIC, I’ve been able to take my acting further than I ever thought possible.
NB: What is something you wish I had asked? Please provide the question and answer it.
GR: Question: What has being part of EPIC given you beyond opportunities to perform?
The most rewarding thing has been gaining something I always wanted: real friendship. I’ve also been able to develop my acting talent to a level I never thought possible. Another important achievement has been becoming an assistant teacher. I’ve worked alongside Max in schools, including
Children’s Academy for an entire spring semester. There was one student I got to know and connect with who told me I was his friend. That meant a lot to me.
NB: Do you have any upcoming events or projects you’d like to promote?
GR: I’m appearing in EPIC Players’ production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, running November 20 through December 6, 2026, at the ART/NY Mezzanine Theatre in Manhattan. I play the officer who arrests the main character early in the play, and I’m also part of the ensemble. I’m excited for audiences to see the production. Tickets and additional information are available at epicplayersnyc.org.
NB: Can you tell us more about your work with EPIC? What makes it fulfilling? How does your leadership role inform your work onstage?
GR: I joined EPIC during the pandemic after my voice acting teacher helped connect me with the company. I watched its virtual summer musical and was really impressed. I emailed to ask about auditioning, had an interview and audition, and was invited to join its virtual programming. Since joining, I’ve participated in summer showcases, EPIC Underground performances, a cabaret, and six Off- Broadway productions. Some of those productions are very close to my heart.
What makes EPIC most fulfilling is the friendship I’ve found and how much I’ve grown as an actor.
NB: What’s a wild, PG-13 story you have about NYC before cell phones or social media?
GR: One of my favorite childhood memories is a school trip to an indoor Halloween parade in an old airplane hangar at JFK Airport. I saw someone wearing the Tim Burton Batman suit from Batman Returns, and it made a huge impression on me. My father worked on clothing connected to Batman: The Animated Series, and I got a custom Batman costume. It didn’t have a cowl, so my teacher made one for me, inspired by Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns. She was also the teacher who helped me overcome my stage fright. That was such a special Halloween.
NB: How do you know when something you’re working on is done or ready to perform?
GR: With my writing, there can be a lot of revisiting and editing. I wrote an adaptation inspired by the video game Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade’s Revenge, adding more characters and expanding the story. Max and I spent about a year working through the first edit, and we’ve continued revisiting parts of it, including the relationship between Spider-Man and Black Cat.
NB: If you could play any role onstage, what would it be and why?
GR: One role I would love to play onstage is Captain Phoebus in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Captain Phoebus is a soldier who stands up for what he believes in and defends the innocent. He is a romantic person who is noble but who also likes to have fun at times. He reminds me a little bit of Keanu Reeves, who is an actor I admire. It would be an amazing feeling to play him on stage, defending Quasimodo and questioning Lord Frollo’s authority.
—Nicollette Barsamian The Local-Express interview series was originated on July 3, 2013 by Nicollette Barsamian.