Mark Ricche

Mark Ricche is now celebrating his thirtieth anniversary as a film maker, theatrical producer, writer, director, actor, arts educator & financier, pod caster and blogger. He is the CEO of the film production company Cryptic Pictures, owner and Creative Artistic Director of the Maryland based theatrical production company IMPERIAL Theatrical Production Services PRESENTS, owner and Chief Creative Director of Zoop Studios and co-owner of Escapist-Entertainment.com, an entertainment services company based in Washington D.C. Cryptic Pictures LLC is an award winning independent film production company founded by Mr. Ricche in 2009. Previously in 2008, Mr. Ricche's film work had caught the attention of the American Film Institute where eight of his short film projects were screened. His company's most recent feature film entitled, Mortal Remains, received four awards at film festivals in Philadelphia, Pa., Northern Virginia and Atlanta, Ga. In association with Cryptic Pictures, Mr. Ricche is also the co-host of CryptiCast, a podcast for independent filmmakers and the lead writer for The Walla Group, and blog focusing on the industry and commerce of the modern day film industry. Imperial Theatrical Production Services Presents is a theatrical production company focused primarily on educating youth in the classical arts, with a special emphasis on Shakespearean studies. The company incorporates four divisions and was the recipient of the Maryland Theater Citation for Contributions to Educational Theater. The company has also received honorable mention for its service in teaching the dramatic arts to students with special needs in Montgomery County, Md. In his work with I.T.P.S.P., Mr. Ricche has been commissioned in the adaptation of 13 Shakespearean plays adapted for the youth stage. Mr. Ricche's work in and around the Washington D.C. theatre community has included being commissioned to write and direct for the Kennedy Center-- "Fighting Back: Ideological and Theatrical Responses to Oppression"-- as well being a commissioned director for the theatrical residency "Sobering Thoughts", a multi-year project funded via grant from the Maryland State Governors Office on Crime Control and Prevention. Regionally Mr. Ricche has performed for Arena Stage, produced for Olney Theatre and was a resident director and a commissioned writer with Round House Theater for the Heyday Players-- work for which he received an "Artistic Commendation" from Montgomery County Council Executive Douglas Duncan. Mr. Ricche is also the winner of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Best Actor Award for two consecutive years. He has produced several award winning productions for: the Maryland State Theatre Festival, the National Invitational Theatre Festival and the Folger Shakespeare Festival. Mr. Ricche has taught in over fifty schools and/or instructional institutions in Maryland, D.C. and Northern Virginia in programs involving various performing arts mediums, including: Shakespearean studies, film/video production, mime, dance, improv, playwriting and screenwriting. As owner and Chief Creative Director for Zoop Studios, Mr, Ricche is involved in the day to day operations and creative development of one of the internet's newest leaders in online content aggregation. Mr. Ricche is also co-owner of Escapist Entertainment, an entertainment services company that has been hired by such major nation wide corporations as Sprint.com and Glatfelter Industries. The company has performed nationally from Los Angeles, California, to Boston, Massachusetts to Washington, DC and beyond.