Robert Cunningham (Communication ’18) grew up where Netflix’s “Stranger Things” was filmed. Years later, they originated a role in the show’s Broadway prequel, taking their experience at Northwestern to the stage.
“Stranger Things: The First Shadow” opened on Broadway on April 22, 2025, and Cunningham originated the role of Charles Sinclair, the father of siblings Lucas and Erica Sinclair from “Stranger Things.” The show will wrap Jan. 3, 2027, after an almost two-year run.
The Broadway adaptation proved timely as “Stranger Things” creators Matt and Ross Duffer incorporated the prequel’s lore into the fifth and final season of “Stranger Things.”
The Daily spoke with Cunningham about how their time at NU shaped their career.
This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.
The Daily: How did your Northwestern experience shape you into the actor you are today?
Cunningham: What’s really funny is I wasn’t even a theater major. At first, I thought I wanted to be a journalist, but I enjoyed doing theater. … Northwestern, of course, has ample opportunity to pursue acting, and I think that was kind of like when the path really began, where I was like, “I think I do want to p...