Robb Hunter, Fight Director

Director/Choreographer Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
Fight Master Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD)
Certified Fight Director
SAFD
Certified Teacher SAFD
Certified Theatrical Firearms Instructor SAFD
Performer AEA, SAG/AFTRA

For Robb’s personal website with full CV and photo gallery, click HERE.

Résumé in Brief

Training and Education

M.F.A. in Theatre PedagogyVirginia Commonwealth University
> Acting/Directing Focus
B.A. in Theatre Performance, Minor in Dance, Radford University
> Stanislavsky Based
Fight Master, Certified Fight DirectorSociety of American Fight Directors
Certified Teacher, Theatrical Firearms InstructorSociety of American Fight Directors

View complete CV

What is a Fight Director?

A Fight Director is a movement specialist trained to choreograph and direct incidents of staged violence. Most have additional training in the martial arts, dance, fencing, stunts, gymnastics, or other specialties that focus on perfecting the physical instrument. Their expertise can prove to be an invaluable asset to any production in which physicality is a vital component.

The best Fight Directors have mastered several diverse specialties and have training and experience in most, if not all, theatrical performance areas including acting, directing, dance, improvisation, voice, and mime, as well as stage combat. Dedication to their craft finds them constantly seeking new opportunities to expand and improve their abilities. Their eye for realism, theatricality, and the delicate balance between the two can make even violence a thing of beauty.

My work as a Fight Director is continually informed and enriched by my training and experience as a professional actor (SAG, AFTRA, and AEA). Before choreographing my first show I had nearly a decade of theatrical experience both Off and Off-Off Broadway, at Lincoln Center, in regional theatres, summer stock theatres, and on tour as well as several television shows including Spin City and Whoopi… classical, contemporary, musicals, you name it.

I have likewise had the good fortune to direct violence in a multitude of styles and locations including outdoor Shakespeare in NYC, Italian operas in Brooklyn, large scale musicals in multi-million dollar theatres, and intimate contemporary dramas in the round. But one driving need that is present in every production, no matter what the venue or style, is “to tell the story,” a goal I always keep in sight.

The Word on the Street

Select Production Experience, Fight Direction

DC Area Productions

PRODUCTIONTHEATREDIRECTOR
GloriaWoolly Mammoth Theatre Co.Kip Fagan
Botticelli in the Fire Woolly Mammoth Theatre Co.Marti Lyons
HIR
(Helen Hayes Award: choreography)
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Co.Shana Cooper
Zombie, The American (world premiere)Woolly Mammoth Theatre Co.Howard Shalwitz
The Widow Lincoln (world premiere)Ford’s TheatreStephen Rayne
As You Like ItThe Shakespeare TheatreMichael Attenborough
Bad JewsThe Studio TheatreSerge Seiden
BellevilleThe Studio TheatreDavid Muse
The TournamentCapital Fringe FestivalLex Davis
The Piano LessonOlney Theatre CenterJamil Jude
Moby Dick (East Coast premiere)Washington National OperaLeonard Foglia
Measure for MeasureThe Shakespeare TheatreJonathan Munby
Red Speedo
(Helen Hayes nomination: choreography)
The Studio TheatreLila Neugebauer
The C.A. of John Blade (co-fight director)Capital Fringe FestivalChristopher Niebling
Caesar and Dada (world premiere)Washington ShakespeareLee Mikeska Gardner
The Winter’s Tale (movement consultant)The Shakespeare TheatreRebecca Taichman
Motherfucker with the HatThe Studio TheatreSerge Seiden
Invisible ManHuntington Theatre CoChristopher McElroen
Don GiovanniWashington National OperaJohn Pascoe
Invisible ManThe Studio TheatreChristopher McElroen
RuinedArena StageCharles Randolph-Wright
The Walworth Farce
(Helen Hayes nomination: choreography)
The Studio TheatreMatt Torney
The New Electric BallroomThe Studio TheatreMatt Torney
Superior DonutsThe Studio TheatreSerge Seiden
Legends!The Studio TheatreKirk Jackson
HamletWashington National OperaThaddeus Strassberger
American BuffaloThe Studio TheatreJoy Zinoman
Reasons to be PrettyThe Studio TheatreDavid Muse
Bus StopOlney Theatre CenterAustin Pendleton
Stick FlyArena StageKenny Leon
The AlchemistThe Shakespeare TheatreMichael Kahn
Hamlet (AFD to David Leong @ CB)The Shakespeare TheatreAlexander Burns
The Heidi ChroniclesArena StageTazewell Thompson
Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de LuneArena StageDavid Muse
Noises OffArena StageJonathan Munby
Oklahoma (AFD to David Leong)Arena StageMolly Smith
View from a Bridge (AFD to David Leong)Arena StageDaniel Aukin
Death of a Salesman (AFD to David Leong)Arena StageTimothy Bond
The Heavens are Hung in BlackFord’s TheatreStephen Rayne
The MillionairessOlney Theatre CenterJohn Going
13 Rue de L’AmourOlney Theatre CenterJohn Going
Oliver!Olney Theatre CenterBrad Watkins
CarouselOlney Theatre CenterBrad Watkins
In the Heart of AmericaRep StageKasi Campbell
A Little Night MusicCentrestageMark Lamos
MacbethBaltimore Shakespeare Fest.Tony Tsendeas
Fool for LoveSpooky Action TheatreKasi Campbell
Dark RaptureSpooky Action TheatrePaul Takacs
True WestThe Bay Theatre Company Lois Evans
DeathtrapThe Bay Theatre Company James Phillips
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s NestFirebelly ProductionsKathi Gollwitzer
To Kill a MockingbirdFirebelly ProductionsKathi Gollwitzer
Les Liaisons DangereusesActor’s Theatre of WashingtonLee Mikeska Gardner
Nothing SacredFirebelly ProductionsRobb Hunter

New York / Regional Productions

PRODUCTIONTHEATREDIRECTOR
Love Child (New York Premiere)Theatre HarlemJames Pringle
CyranoChekhov Theatre EnsembleFloyd Rumohr
A Soldier's PlayBlack Spectrum Theatre Carl Clay
OtelloRegina Opera Linda Lehr
CarmenRegina Opera Linda Lehr
I PagliacciRegina Opera Linda Lehr
Henry VI, part IArtemis and the Wild Things Linda Lehr
The Winter's Tale (2002 OOBR Award winner)The Bard’s Wench Alexandra Ornitz
HamletCastle Shakespeare Repertory Stan Barber
Romeo and JulietCastle Shakespeare Repertory Stan Barber
MacbethCastle Shakespeare Repertory Stan Barber
Complete Works of William ShakespeareCastle Shakespeare Repertory Stan Barber
Shakespeare Faire (R&J)New Perspectives Theatre Melody Brooks
The Lion, the Witch, and the WardrobeCharlotte Children’s Theatre Alan Poindexter