East Meadow Attorney to Co-Star in Off-Off Broadway Play

Rick Collins, a criminal defense attorney and an East Meadow resident for 20 years, will co-star in the Off-Off Broadway play, "Line," the longest running play in Off-Off Broadway's history.

Collins has not done live theatre in 20 years.

“I’m thrilled to be returning to the stage in this role, after so many years of putting acting aside to build my law practice," he said.

Line, a play by Israel Horovitz, is a comedy that explores questions that emerge when five people wait on a line.  

Collins, a former Nassau County Assistant District Attorney, concentrates his legal practice in criminal defense, dietary supplements and the anabolic steroids law.

He said that he took an interest in acting in his younger days.

"I studied drama quite a bit in college, but ultimately opted for the security of the legal field over the too-regular unemployment of the working actor," he said.  

While becoming a lawyer, Collins acted in a variety of film and television roles.

He has appeared in all of the “Toxic Avenger” movies, in an episode of  “The Sopranos” and in the 2008 documentary “Bigger, Stronger, Faster,” in which he spoke about legal issues surrounding performance enhancing drugs.

He said that acting allows him to utilize his creativity.

"In my courtroom practice of law, there are winners and losers, but in film and theatre, you can simply have fun and explore," he said.  

Collins said that practicing law and acting are not that different.

"The skill set of good actors and trial lawyers are very similar and not surprisingly many lawyers are frustrated actors," he said.

Line will be playing at 13th Street Repertory Company at 50 West 13th Street in Manhattan on Saturdays in July and August.