Rick Jennings

Born in Albany, New York, Richard Morris Jennings relocated to Cleveland, Ohio, with his family in 1997. Jennings - who at this point had taken the nickname, Rick, despite strong opposition from his mother * was somewhat of a social misfit in his new environment. By senior year of high school, he gave up showering more than once a week and would frequently be seen wearing sweat pants, in a show of total social hopelessness. Despite his awkwardness, Jennings found ways to quietly express his genius as an actor, a director, and most importantly, as a writer. His cameo in the film, Coda, showed his grace and subtlety in front of a camera, while the characters he portrayed in his high school theatre program gave audiences a glimpse of the versatile young man he was to become. After graduating from Shaker Heights High School in the spring of 2003, Jennings returned to his native Albany to study at the University at Albany. By now it is almost a cliche to compare Rick Jennings to a good cult movie, but that is as apt an analogy as there is, for it was not until after his departure from Cleveland that his genius was truly recognized. Students who had been associates of Jennings began taking interest in his writing, particularly his one act play, 'Oh' - a scathing attack on society and the growing power of international political bodies, specifically the United Nations. It wasn't long before past teachers took notice of this powerful script and made it required reading for playwriting students. Gradually, the reputation and influence of Jennings became increasingly visible. On his first visit home from college, Jennings, to his surprise, was greeted by others his age who wanted to be his friends and artistic partners. Many of these peers got their wishes, and many still work with Jennings to this day. In the past two years, he has led them on such notable artistic projects as producing an improvisational comedy show, writing the pilot for a new sit-com, and - perhaps the most ambitious of his projects - making a concept art piece in which a shopping cart was converted into a sled. Currently, Jennings is a student at the University at Albany. He is also planning on making a bid for Shaker Heights City Council in 2005.