English alumna Megan Murphy Chambers returns to the stage at Rhynsburger Theatre

Mizzou English alumna Megan Murphy Chambers, BA ’01, recently returned to the Rhynsburger Theatre stage for the first time in more than 20 years. Now living and performing in Nashville, Tennessee, Chambers headlined the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies’ production of Heidi Schreck’s What the Constitution Means to Me, sponsored by the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy as the 2025 James E. Fleming & Linda C. McClain Constitution Day Lecture Event.

Originally from Pilot Grove, Chambers found her academic home in Mizzou’s Department of English, a place where her lifelong love of reading truly took root. 

“I have always been a voracious reader,” Chambers said, calling her undergraduate experience “amazing.” She added, “Some of my favorite moments in life are spent discussing books with other literary enthusiasts. My English degree allowed me to explore a subject I loved.”

While English shaped her intellectual foundation, Chambers’ involvement in college theater and summer stock helped solidify her dream of pursuing a career in acting. Her return to campus in September felt like a Homecoming of sorts, one shaped not only by her academic roots but by a friendship formed more than two decades earlier.

Chambers first met the show’s director, Claire Syler, in the late 1990s. Syler, then earning her own bachelor’s degree in performance, said the two bonded quickly over their shared passion for theatre. Now an associate professor in Mizzou’s Department of Theatre and Performance Studies and School of Visual Studies, and an affiliate faculty member in the Kinder Institute, Syler immediately thought of her former classmate for the lead role.

“The play is a vehicle for its lead actress, which means it's hard to imagine directing the play without thinking about casting,” said Syler. “I knew Megan would bring the necessary wit, charm, and humor to the role.”

Chambers said stepping into the part felt natural. 

“I found the role really easy to slip into, not only because it's beautifully written, but because I was able to use current events and my own lived experiences to layer in the kind of authenticity and detail that you always hope for,” she said. “Being able to pull from some deeply rooted parts of myself was a tremendous help.”

Schreck’s play imagines how the Constitution will shape future generations, blending personal storytelling, comedy, and civic debate while tracing the influence of the founding document across four generations of women.

Although the Kinder Institute’s James E. Fleming & Linda C. McClain Constitution Day Lecture typically features a traditional speaker, this year’s theatrical format offered a fresh way to reach new audiences, including high school students.

“We’re always looking for meaningful ways to deepen community engagement,” said Carin Huffman Grinch, head of outreach for the Kinder Institute. “With the encouragement of our donors, we saw an opportunity to reimagine how to connect with the community on the topic of constitutional scholarship.”

For Chambers, stepping back into the Rhynsburger Theatre was steeped in memory. 

“Returning was like being home,” she said. Even the call board near the dressing rooms sparked nostalgia: “I have such vivid memories of racing there to check for cast lists, signing in before a show, and posting homemade flyers for get-togethers at my off-campus house.”

Chambers also spent time with current Tigers pursuing degrees in theatre and performance studies, sharing insights from her career that began with an English major’s love of stories.

“I've really relished the opportunity to show these students that not everyone's path in this industry is the same, and that they have a lot of avenues open to them after they graduate,” she said. “The main thing I tried to pass on to them is to remain open and ready, and to remember that their worth is in no way tied to how many times they get cast, or what kinds of roles they get cast in. There's a lot more to life than that, and they all have so much to offer the world, right when we need it most.