Underscore Theatre Company Names New Executive Director: Sebastian Fabál

CHICAGO (March 22, 2021) – Underscore Theatre Company today announced the appointment of Sebastian Fabál as its new Executive Director, succeeding Rachel Elise Johnson in the position.

Comments Founding Executive Director and current Board Member Laura Stratford, “Seb brings to the role a rare combination of real-world business acumen and demonstrated commitment to the development of new musicals. During a time in which the theatre community is re-examining how we work and how we foster inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility, we look forward to Seb’s leadership and collaboration with Artistic Director Whitney Rhodes.”

Fabál (he/him/his) seems to stand comfortably in both artistic and administrative spheres. He holds an MFA in Musical Theatre Writing from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts; and, since settling in Chicago, he’s worked as a musical dramaturg with The Second City, taught several musical writing classes through Chicago Dramatists, the Dramatists Guild Institute and Porchlight Music Theatre. Previous employment includes overseeing grand publishing rights of both the Rodgers & Hammerstein and Boosey & Hawkes catalogs; and he was most recently the Sr. Director of Customer Experience at Reverb.com, the music instrument/equipment resale website, where he oversaw the global Sales and Customer Services teams through the site’s acquisition by Etsy in the fall of 2019.

Fabál’s portfolio can be found here.

Rachel Johnson will continue working with the company as Producer of the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival.

As for the future, Underscore’s production of NOTES & LETTERS, indefinitely delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, is still in the line-up.

About Underscore Theatre Company

Founded in 2011, Underscore Theatre Company is a team of producing artists dedicated to exploring stories of power and resonance through a musical lens; fostering the development of new musicals; and bolstering Chicago’s role as a national leader in musical theatre. Since its creation, Underscore has produced or co-produced 65 new mainstage and workshop musicals in Chicago. Underscore is proud to be Chicago’s home for new musicals.