Joseph Robinette was a Tony-nominated playwright, professor emeritus and a devoted family man whose literary works touched generations of theatergoers. Robinette’s journey into the world of storytelling began at just 10 years old when he shared a scene onstage with the legendary Boris Karloff. That formative moment planted the seed for a lifelong devotion to the theatrical arts. Robinette joined the faculty at Rowan University in 1971, where he taught theatre arts for more than three decades, mentoring hundreds of students and helping to shape the university’s performing arts legacy. Beyond the classroom, Robinette authored or co-authored more than 55 published plays and musicals, including his best-known work, A Christmas Story, The Musical, for which he received a Tony Award nomination in 2013. He also collaborated with E.B. White on the authorized stage adaptation of Charlotte’s Web. When asked what he felt his greatest accomplishment was, he said “writing a letter to E.B. White.” Robinette also wrote stage adaptations of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Anne of Green Gables and Sarah, Plain and Tall, among many others. He was honored throughout his career by AATE, CTFA and other organizations for his enduring contributions to family and educational theatre. His family, students, colleagues and readers remember him as a man of humor, humility and heart—someone who taught that stories matter, and that teaching is an act of love.
