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Biography
Dr Hannah Robbins (they/them) is an interdisciplinary musicologist and cultural historian focused on musical theatre and Black female singers in commercial entertainment. They have particular expertise in the representation and historical contributions of Black and "mixed heritage" people in musical theatre, film, and popular entertainment. They are also an expert on the music of beloved songwriter, Cole Porter. In July 2026, their first monograph on the Cole Porter musical Kiss Me, Kate (OUP) was released in the US. .
The former Director of Europe's first PhD in Black Studies, Hannah is a leader in Black Studies in the British Arts and Humanities, especially in Music and the performing arts. They have just completed a Leverhulme Research Fellowship, titled Intersectionality and the American Musical, highlighting Black female contributions to musical theatre. You can also hear them on the comedy history podcast You're Dead to Me! on the life and legacy of Lena Horne and the history of Broadway.
Expertise Summary
Hannah's general areas of expertise include:
- Musical theatre on stage and screen
- Race and gender in commercial entertainment
- Black female stardom, especially Lena Horne and Shirley Bassey
- Life and work of Cole Porter
- Disney on stage and screen
- Identity studies, positionality, and equality
- Black feminism, intersectionality, and music
Teaching Summary
Hannah has taught on a range of modules about twentieth-century popular culture, spanning musicology, musical theatre, Black Studies, Critical Race Theory, popular music, theatre, and film. They have… read more
Research Summary
Hannah is currently finishing a Cambridge Element on intersectionality and the American Musical. They are a Co-Investigator on a British Academy Knowledge Frontiers grant focused on identity… read more
Selected Publications
HANNAH THURAISINGAM ROBBINS, 2023. . In: ROBERT GORDON and OLAF JUBIN, eds., The Oxford Handbook of the Global Stage Musical Oxford University Press.
HANNAH ROBBINS, 2021. . In: OLAF JUBIN, ed., Paris in the Musical: The City of Light on Stage and Screen Routledge. 53-70
Hannah has taught on a range of modules about twentieth-century popular culture, spanning musicology, musical theatre, Black Studies, Critical Race Theory, popular music, theatre, and film. They have also also delivered specific teaching on approaches to race, gender, and queerness and supervised dissertations on a variety of topics including musical theatre, rap, hip-hop, celebrity culture, music education, opera, and equity in the music industry.
Current Research
Hannah is currently finishing a Cambridge Element on intersectionality and the American Musical. They are a Co-Investigator on a British Academy Knowledge Frontiers grant focused on identity formation in Black and Asian communities in the US and UK and are currently collaborating on a series of educational board games exploring the theatre industry. You can download their free zine on colourblind casting from their website or get in touch for a free copy.
Hannah is a member of the Editorial Board for Studies in Theatre and Performance, a Community Advisory Board Member for Anansi Theatre (Derby), and a co-founder of Black in the Arts and Humanities.