Area chairs
Hank Willenbrink (University of Scranton)
Laura Smith (UCLA)
This area explores all aspects relating to theatre, dance, musical theatre, opera, and performance in popular and American culture, including theatrical productions, dramatic text and playwriting, modes of performance, actors and acting, theatre and dance history, political theatre, non-traditional performance, and the intersection between anthropology, sociology, theatre, and performance.
For papers relating to performance studies and religious ritual, please see Religion and Popular and/or American Culture.
For papers about the performativity of play, please see Play Studies.