Chris Duval is an educator, actor, director, and fight director whose work has had a lasting impact on the modern practice of stage combat and performance training.

He currently serves as Chair and Professor in the Department of Theatre at the University of Utah, where he focuses on developing actors through a fully integrated approach that connects movement, voice, and storytelling.

Over the course of his career, Chris has led workshops and masterclasses at universities across the United States, sharing his expertise in theatrical combat and actor training with students and educators nationwide.

He has also spent more than two decades working with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, contributing as a fight director, performer, and instructor on a wide range of productions spanning Shakespearean classics and contemporary works.

His fight direction and performance credits extend to leading regional theatres across the country, and his influence can be seen in generations of actors and instructors working in stage combat today.

A Certified Teacher and Certified Fight Director with the Society of American Fight Directors, as well as a Master Instructor and Senior Fight Director with Dueling Arts International, Chris brings a deeply thoughtful and practical approach to the craft, one that emphasizes the connection between physical action, voice, and text.

He is also the author of Stage Combat Arts: An Integrated Approach to Acting, Voice and Text Work, a book that captures his philosophy on performance and physical storytelling.

In this episode, we explore the evolution of stage combat, the importance of integration in actor training, and how physical storytelling enhances performance at every level.

Please welcome to the show… Chris Duval.

Stage Combat Arts: An Integrated Approach to Acting, Voice and Text Work + Video (Theatre Arts Workbooks): DuVal, Christopher: 9781472526656: Amazon.com: Books