Arthur Richter, not a ‘senior’

Arthur Richter with his grandson Max. /Arthur RichterIf you ever find yourself chatting with Arthur Richter, a youth in his mid-70s, refrain from asking about his senior status. He’ll just look at you, dumbfounded, and shrug his shoulders, “Oh, I’m not a senior!” Richter, who says he feels like he’s in his 40s, will make you guess his age. Then, when you err by 10 years in his favor, he’ll smile victoriously, as if to say, “I told you so.”

Talking with Richter is a bit like trying to catch a fly. As soon as you think you’ve got it, it flies off to descend somewhere else, somewhere much higher and barely reachable. The man has more ideas and stories than Scheherazade, and sadly, we did not have 1,001 nights to talk. Once he starts on one topic, he remembers a relevant story and launches into that tale. Fortunately, Richter is adept at backtracking, revealing the original point and sharing the ending.

The students at Brown’s Lifelong Learning Collaborative (LLC) are able to enjoy Richter’s stories on a regular basis. Retired after a career as an independent import and export professional, he spent the first two years of freedom keeping busy. Yet, he doesn’t remember anything he did during that unstructured time. This is partially why Richter considers his foray into the LLC life-changing. He started out as a student and, after two sessions, transitioned to coordinator. Since Richter is happiest with a full schedule, he revels in being able to peer-teach three times a week. Crediting LLC for opening new doors and introducing him to “wonderful people,” many of whom became friends, he’s thrilled that he’s finally able to do what he enjoys.

A patron of many local theaters including the Wilbury Theatre Company and the Gamm Theatre, Richter sees many productions in addition to those he attends for the class he teaches at the LLC. In fact, theater is in his blood – Richter says that his uncle was one of the founders of Trinity Repertory Company, which Richter has been patronizing for 50 years. Richter would have loved to have worked in the arts, but until his retirement, the field has been a joyful outlet rather than an occupation. A father of two, he thinks it’s interesting that both of his sons are in the entertainment industry. One of his sons is Miley Cyrus’ business manager, while the other is production manager for the band REO Speedwagon. Asked about his children’s reactions to his post-retirement teaching career, he says that they’re happy when he’s happy.

Divorced since 1980, Richter values family time. He loves hanging out with his three grandchildren. In fact, it was when he was watching them one evening that he stumbled onto a new talent – writing stories. Putting the children to sleep, Richter was telling them a tale, which he was making up as he went along. The story grew into a book, now in the editing stages. “The Adventures of Majaty” – an acronym composed out of the kids’ names: Max, Jake and Tyler – the book features a mouse that comes to Provincetown, Massachusetts, on the Mayflower.

Provincetown holds a special place in Richter’s heart. He and Peter, his partner, have a summer house right on the beach there. Every year, they help out with Provincetown Harbor Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla, a fundraising event that benefits AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, Helping Our Women, Soup Kitchen of Provincetown, Outer Cape Health Services and The Provincetown Rescue Squad. Richter says that, last year, they raised $200,000 from 400 swimmers. Swimmers who raise the most receive prizes. His job is to collect all the prizes throughout the summer.

If you think that Richter is content to limit himself to the event’s administrative duties, you couldn’t be more wrong. For many years he’d ferry the swimmers from the boatslip to Long Point, marveling at their stamina. In 2008, an 82-year-old who completed the swim inspired him to compete. Richter knew that if a man who requires a walker can challenge himself to a 1.4-mile swim, he could do it too. After all, he did work as a lifeguard in his teen years. Richter and his grandson Max began training to prepare for the race, which they finished proudly in 2009.

Last year, the duo swam again, despite the fact that Richter had torn his rotator cuff. Undeterred by the setback, he’d perfected a one-arm stroke, dismissing the advice of family and physical therapists, choosing to rely on the cortisone shot he received a week before the swim. Terrified not of worsening his condition but of coming in last, Richter was dismayed to learn that he indeed was the last swimmer to finish. It wasn’t until he took some time to reflect that he allowed himself to feel proud of completing the swim under such challenging conditions, ultimately regarding himself as a winner for having done so.

Richter has always had a knack for competitions. When he was a student at Boston University, he entered the annual Stunt Night contest. As a freshman, Richter placed third for the play he wrote. His senior year, he won the top prize – an accomplishment unheard of for a business student. Richter’s studies with Marian Strauss, who mentored him at Hope High School, solidified his interest in the theater and polished his playwriting. Aware of his aptitude, Temple Emanu-El asked him to direct “Milk and Honey.” He says the production, which employed 100 people in the cast, was very well-received. Later, when Richter was a member of Temple Beth-El, he oversaw the synagogue’s youth group and directed various plays and small-scale productions, which included “Tevye.” He says longingly, “Theater has always been my love.” Ever since his acting debut as Tommy Marlowe in “Good News,” in a 1955 JCC production, he has been hooked.

That might be why Richter loves teaching Arts on the Rhode, a class the LLC describes as “a potpourri of arts where we will dance, sing, paint, perform, cook and taste.” During the 10-week course, participants travel to various venues that include EPIC and Wilbury theaters, attending performances and rehearsals. Co-coordinating the class with Sheila K. Lawrence and Stephanie Sullivan, Richter sees himself as “a shepherd” rather than an instructor, enabling the students to absorb information through presentation and discussion. He prefers taking the group to brunch with actors and director to lecturing. It’s hard to argue with LLC’s description of Richter, “a man of boundless energy.” So, if you’ve ever dreamed of writing a novel (Richter also co-coordinates Fact or Fiction, LLC’s creative writing class) or learning about the Rhode Island arts scene, let Richter be your guide. You might not get published or become famous, but you’ll have fun trying.

IRINA MISSIURO is a writer and editorial consultant for The Jewish Voice.