Curtain Call

Rob Richter ’82 retires after 27 years directing arts programming at Conn.

After 27 years directing arts programming at Conn, Rob Richter ’82 officially retired in August. 

Richter, who majored in theater and anthropology and went on to earn a master’s degree from Wesleyan University, oversaw the popular onStage series and developed the related academic programming, in consultation with academic departments across campus, for decades. 

“I’ve prided myself on bringing in artists and ensembles who might not be seen anywhere else in Connecticut, or even New England,” Richter told the CT Examiner. 

Those acts have included Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Pacifica Quartet, violinist Regina Carter, the Ronald K. Brown/Evidence dance company and A Far Cry chamber orchestra. 

Richter counts a Martha Graham Dance Company retrospective, a SITI Company rework of The Trojan Women and a 2014 performance by the Pakistani rock band Khumariyaan—for which he traveled to Islamabad as part of a U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs diplomacy initiative—among his favorite performances. 

A scholar of the Nobel Prize-winning playwright Eugene O’Neill, Richter is also the author of Eugene O’Neill and Dat Ole Davil Sea. 

In September, Richter was honored with a Certificate of Accomplishment from U.S. Sen. Christopher S. Murphy in recognition of his work “opening doors to artists” and “giving students and the community new opportunities to educate themselves and engage with the arts.” 

“Your steadfast commitment to fostering creativity and supporting students has inspired both peers and generations of learners, setting an example for others to follow,” Murphy wrote. “The compassion, vision and dedication you brought to your role brings tremendous pride to the State of Connecticut.” 

Above L-R: Erin McBride, senior outreach assistant to U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy; retired Director of Arts Programming Rob Richter and President Andrea E. Chapdelaine