Robert Stoddard

  • Professor of Theatre
  • Theatre Program Coordinator

Education

  • M.F.A. in Directing and Musical Playwriting, University of Utah, 1986
  • B.A. in Theatre, Brigham Young University, 1973

For most of my life, I’ve had the privilege of being involved in theatre through several prisms: as a teacher, actor, director, playwright and composer. I absolutely love the collaboration process and have learned so much by creating plays and musicals with Southern Virginia students through the years. It’s been addicting to teach them the techniques of theatre and learn from them as they discover their own artistic prisms and reflect in them the light of their expanding imaginations. I’m also passionate about instilling in theatre students the values that will serve them throughout their careers.


Education

  • M.F.A. in Directing and Musical Playwriting, University of Utah, 1986
  • B.A. in Theatre, Brigham Young University, 1973

Courses

  • Theatre Major: Acting I & II, Applied Theatre I & II, Directing, Senior Projects

Teaching Positions & Professional Experience

  • Joined the Southern Virginia University faculty in 2003
  • Deputy Administrator for five departments in the UCLA School of Medicine: Crump Institute for Biological Imaging, Nuclear Medicine Clinic, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, Laboratory of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles 1995–2003
  • Vice President, KRJ Associates, which administered the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Medical Imaging, 1997-2003

Scholarship & Creative Work

  • Wrote several popular musicals with frequent collaborator Orson Scott Card, including “Stone Tables,” the score of which was released on CD by Shadow Mountain; and “Father, Mother, Mother, Mom,” which was performed at Robert Redford’s Sundance Theatre and throughout the intermountain west
  • Dramatized Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” (2011) and wrote musical versions of Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” (2012); and Jane Austen’s “Mansfield Park” (2014) all premiered at Southern Virginia University
  • Released a recording of his Christmas carols, “December Tales,” 2001 
  • Wrote music for television (“Border Town”), music, lyrics and sketches for stage revues (“Wasatch Boulevard”) and songs for other recording artists (Adelaide Sinclair and Charlotte Smurthwaite)
  • Directed the world premiere of the musical “Innocents Abroad” (1983) at the Gene Dynarski Theatre in Los Angeles

Awards, Leadership & Service

  • Theatre Program Coordinator, Southern Virginia University, 2004–present
  • Fine & Performing Arts Division Chair, Southern Virginia University, 2009–2013
  • Musical, “Giraffe Story,” for which he wrote the book, music and lyrics, won the Utah Fine Arts Playwriting Contest (1973) and has been produced nationally, 1974–1992