Join Professor Emeritus, Robert Chapel on December 6, 2021 at 12:00 noon to discuss “The Evolution of American Musical Theatre (with Backstories)”.
This discussion will provide an overview of the greatest composers and their musicals of the American Musical Theatre since its beginning in 1866 with some possibly unknown backstories, some humorous, some sad, that may surprise you.
During his time at UVA, Chapel has served as a drama professor and chaired UVA’s Drama Department (1990-2005) as well as serving as producing artistic director of the Heritage Theatre Festival for twenty years. Throughout his career, Chapel was named a Paul Harris Fellow and was a Fulbright grant recipient. Other notable achievements and activities include that of chairing the Virginia 2020 Commission on the Fine and Performing Arts and serving as academic dean for UVA’s Semester at Sea around the world voyage in 2009. He has directed over 140 theatrical productions, including one in Launceston, Tasmania and the Russian premiere of “Sweeney Todd” in Moscow. He is a recipient of a Raven Faculty Award.