EDUCATION
Ph.D., The Graduate Center, CUNY, Theatre - September 2023
M.Phil, The Graduate Center, CUNY, Theatre - September 2021
M.A., Hunter College, CUNY, Theatre - May 2011
B.A., Sarah Lawrence College, Double Major: Theatre and Literature - May 2000
ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT
Teaching:
New York University, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development - Musical Theatre History (January 2020-present)
Marymount Manhattan College - Musical Theatre History; Drama and Theatre in the United States (September 2018-present)
Baruch College - Speech Communication (September 2017-present)
Brooklyn College - Introduction to Acting; Acting Workshop; History of Theatre; The Broadway Musical in Culture, History, and Context (2011-2017)
Hunter College - Introduction to Theatre (2009)
Additional Employment:
Brooklyn College - Writing Across the Curriculum Fellow (2014-2017)
New York University, Tisch School of the Arts - Department Administrator for the Department of Art and Public Policy (2006-2008)
Purchase College, Conservatory of Theatre Arts & Film - Conservatory Coordinator (2004-2006)
AREAS OF SPECIALITY
Doctoral Exam Fields:
Broadway Musicals as Sites of Personal Identities and United States’ Histories
Acting Training in the United States, 1930 to Present Day: An Investigation of International Acting Techniques Amid Issues of Dissemination, Appropriation, and Adaptation
Theorizing a History of Jewishness Through Theatre and Performance in New York City from 1880s Through Present Day
Research and Teaching Specialities:
Specialties: World Theatre History; Acting Practice; Musical Theatre History; Musical Theatre Practice; Play Analysis; History of Acting; Directing Practice; 20th and 21st Century U.S. Drama; Jewish Theatre and Performance; Theories of Embodiment and Identity; Shakespeare in Practice; Developing New Works; Ensemble Building and Devised Work; Dramaturgy; Writing Across the Curriculum; Core Writing Courses; Speech and Communications
PUBLICATIONS
Edited Collections:
“Writing in Many Forms: The Unessay as Means of Accessibility and Creativity” as part of the collection A Classroom Guide to Writing in Theatre and Performance Studies , edited by Jeanmarie Higgins and Samuel Yates (forthcoming)
“‘To Being an Us for Once, Instead of Them’: Musical Theatre Aesthetics and Youth-Oriented Musicals” in Milestones in Musical Theatre, edited by Mary Jo Lodge
"Glee and the Ghosting of the Musical Theatre Canon: Framing Gender and Sexuality.” in Queer in the Choir Room (2014), edited by Michelle Parke.
Refereed Journal Articles:
"Glee and the Ghosting of the Musical Theatre Canon.” Popular Entertainment Studies Vol 2, no 2 (2011): 89-111.
Other Articles
“Finding Henry Street: the Broadway Revival of Funny Girl and New York City Dramaturgy.” Ransom Center Magazine, August 4, 2023.
Book Reviews:
Review of Beyond Broadway: The Pleasure and Promise of Musical Theatre Across America by Stacy Wolf in Studies in Musical Theatre, vol. 16, no. 1, April 2022.
Review of America in the Round: Capital, Race, and Nation at Washington, D.C.’s Arena Stage by Donatella Galella in Studies in Musical Theatre, vol. 14, no. 2, July 2020.
Review of Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the Roof by Alisa Solomon in Theatre Journal, vol. 66, no. 2
Review of Changed for Good: A Feminist History of the Broadway Musical by Stacy Wolf in Theatre Topics vol. 22, no. 1
Other Professional Publications:
Educator’s Guide for the Museum of Broadway - a guide for teachers to create contextual lessons before, during, and after a field trip to the Museum of Broadway
“Embracing Radical Inclusivity: Practical Steps for Creating and Intersectional, Interventionist Syllabus.” Visible Pedagogy, The Graduate Center Teaching and Learning Center Blog, August, 2020.
PUBLIC FACING SCHOLARSHIP
Funny Girl Revival on Broadway (2022) - researched, curated, and facilitated the lobby display featuring archival photographs and documents of Fanny Brice and the Ziegfeld Follies; created in collaboration with Doug Reside and the New York Public Library of the Performing Arts.
Museum of Broadway (opened November 2022) - serving as Education Consultant to create teaching/ learning materials for K-12 teachers and students who visit the museum and curating guest speakers for continuing education events.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS (refereed)
Paper Presentations:
“Creating Performance Out of Primary Sources or, How I Turned My Dissertation into a Cabaret,” Music Theatre Dance Association Winter Symposium - February 2024
“‘Location[s] of Possibility’: What it Takes to Embed Accessibility into Pedagogy and Practice,” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Digital Presentation - August 2023
“Linking Ideas: Making Research Fun via a Low-Stakes Assignment,” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Austin, TX - August 2023.
“Making History: Imagining the Future of Theatre Through a Creative Group Project,” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Detroit, MI - August 2022.
“‘Don’t Give Up and Don’t Give In’: Creating Accessibly Pedagogy By Removing Assumptions,” Music Theatre/Dance Pre-Conference, ATHE, Online Conference, August 2021.
“‘Mad About You’: Production Pedagogy and a Consideration of Extratextual Narratives in College Season Selection,” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Online Conference, August 2021.
“‘But I Hope it Gave You a Glimpse Into Me the Way I Wanted You To See Me...’:Virtual Realms and the Reality of Creating an Inclusive Production Process,” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Online Conference, August 2021.
“Creating Aspirational Worlds: Revising Musicals Through Directorial Intervention.” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Online Conference, August 2020.
“Embracing Radical Inclusivity: Practical Steps for Creating and Intersectional, Interventionist Syllabus.” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Online Conference, August 2020.
“The Haunted Jewish City: Representations of Ellis Island and The Lower East Side in Broadway Musicals.” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Orlando, FL - August 2019
“‘American Rags’: The Progressive Era Garment Industry, Union Square Strikes, and the Presence of Emma Goldman in Rags and Ragtime.” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Boston, NY - August 2018
“‘A Bagel on a Plate Full of Onion Rolls!’: The Jewishness of Funny Girl, Fanny Brice, Broadway, and American Burlesque.” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Las Vegas, NV - August 2017
“‘On the [Write] Track’ Writing Across the Musical Theatre Curriculum.” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Chicago, IL - August 2016
“Working Towards a Degree: The Double Life of Theatre Graduate Students as Students and Teachers (and Artists?)” presented as part of the working group: “Theatrical Labor and the (Perilous) Politics of Work in Academia,” American Society for Theatre Research, Portland, OR - November 2015
“All I Ever Needed Was the Music and the Classroom and the Chance: Pedagogy and Practical Lessons for Teaching Musical Theatre History” - Topic: Digital Pedagogy in the Musical Theatre Classroom. Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Montreal, CA - July 2015
“I Got Students, I Got Music, I got YouTube, Who Could Ask for Anything More: How Can We Make a Practically (Im)Perfect Archive Perform in the Musical Theater Classroom?”presented as part of the working group: “ATAP in Progress: What Makes an Archive Perform?” American Society for Theatre Research, Baltimore, MD - November 2014
“Passing as Citizens: Jewish Immigration and Acculturation in The Education of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N, Rags, and Ragtime.” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Scottsdale, AZ - July 2014
“‘When You’re Extraordinary, You Gotta Do Extraordinary Things’: The Spectacle o Pippin—Inside and Outside of the Frame, Now and Then.” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Scottsdale, AZ - July 2014
“Practice Makes Perfect Sense: Scholarship and Artistry Within and Around the Academy (A True Story).” City Wide Conference, New York, NY - November 2013
“Prayers, Folksongs, and Comic Shtick: Language and Music as a Negotiation of Jewish American Identity in Broadway Musicals of the 1960s.” New England Theatre Conference, Natick, MA - November 2013
“’Heart and Music’: Exploring Jewishness in Broadway Musicals Through the Interplay of Music and Lyrics; a Reading Lesson for Scholars and Practitioners.” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Orlando, FL - August 2013
“Embodying the Dybbuk of Yiddish Theatre: The Stages of Tevye, the Dairyman.” American Society for Theatre Research, Nashville, TN - November 2012
“’I’m Through and Through Red, White, and Bluish’: Divergent Representations of Jewish American Identity in Funny Girl and Parade.” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Washington D.C. - August 2012
“Negotiating Jewish American Identity On-Stage Through Broadway Musicals of the 1960s.” American Society for Theatre Research, Montreal, Canada - November 2011
“Glee and the “Ghosting” of the Musical Theatre Canon.” Popular Culture Association/ American Culture Association National Conference, San Antonio, TX - April 2011
“Telling the Story Their Way: The Role of Authorship, Devices, and Constructs in Broadway Musicals and The Scottsboro Boys.” The Art of Public Memory: An International, Interdisciplinary Conference, Greensboro, NC - April 2011
Panels Convened:
“Character Driven: How Casting Choices in Pre-Existing Musicals Create Extra-Textual Narratives” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Online Conference, August 2020.
“The Public’s Many Theatres” American Society for Theatre Research, Arlington, VA - November 2019
“‘Vision of Nowness’: A Roundtable About Noteworthy Happenings in Musical Theatre” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Orlando, FL - August 2019
“‘Sing of Today’: Musical Theatre Performance and Protest Through Blocking, Choreography, and Song.” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Boston, NY - August 2018
“Revolutions and Revelations in the Current Season: A Roundtable About Noteworthy Happenings in Musical Theatre.” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Boston, NY - August 2018
“All I Ever Needed Was the Music and the Classroom and the Chance: Pedagogy and Practical Lessons for Teaching Musical Theatre History.” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Montreal, CA - July 2015
“‘Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me’: Staging Stories of Immigration to the United States of America.” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Scottsdale, AZ - July 2014
“Practice Makes Perfect Sense: Scholarship and Artistry Within and Around the Academy (A True Story).” City Wide Conference, New York, NY - November 2013
“Bit By Byte, Putting it Together: A Multimedia Poster Session on the Practice, Pedagogy, and Scholarship of the Broadway Musical.” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Orlando, FL - August 2013
“Broadway Musicals as Sites of American Identities andAmerican Histories.” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Washington D.C. - August 2012
“The Scottsboro Boys Panel: A Comparative and Collective Analysis of the Recent Broadway Musical Considering Genre, Creation, and Reception.” The Art of Public Memory: An International, Interdisciplinary Conference, Greensboro, NC - April 2011
INVITED LECTURES & POST SHOW DISCUSSIONS
“‘“A Bagel on a Plate Full of Onion Rolls’: Funny Girl, Fanny Brice, and the Performance of Jewishness” - a Lecture and Discussion for the Jewish Women’s Archive - February 2024
Creator, Curator, and Moderator of GalleryTalks, a post-show discussion series, at the Gallery Players, Brooklyn, NY - September 2012-present
The Abrons Art Center - September 2019: Moderator and Coordinator of a talkback for jazz singer
The Abrons Art Center - September 2016: Moderator and Coordinator of a talkback for The Black Crook
Moderator of “Poetry: A playwriting device in Contemporary Latina authors” - a discussion conducted in English following the performance of Paper Airplanes, Teatro Círculo and Zer0Compañía, New York, NY - December 2011
Panelist for post show discussion on Apochrypha Now, The New York Shakespeare Exchange, New York, NY - May 2011
The American Musical Through History - Hunter College, World Theatre History, 2010
Twelfth Night : Character Development, Text Analysis, and Production History - Hunter College, Introduction to Theatre, 2010, & 2011
The Tempest – Character Development, Text Analysis, and Production History - Hunter College, Introduction to Theatre, 2009
“Systematic Understanding: Stanislavski in Translation, Adaptation and Appropriation in America” - Hunter College, 2009
“’That’s a Storm That’s Going To Last’: The Cradle Will Rock, it’s Premier Performance, it’s Impact on the Federal Theatre Project, and it’s Role on the American Theatre of Activism” - Hunter College, 2009
AWARDS & FELLOWSHIPS
GSO Star Award for Teaching, NYU Steinhardt - Aprill 2022
Connect New York Fellowship, Graduate Center, CUNY - June 2022
Writing Across the Curriculum Fellow, Brooklyn College, CUNY - September 2014- May 2017
Enhanced Chancellors Fellowship, Graduate Center, CUNY - August 2010-May 2015
Michael Schoenecke Travel Grant for Graduate Students to the National Conference of Popular Cultural Association / American Culture Association - April 2011
Arts Organization Grant, Brooklyn Arts Council, Brooklyn NY - 2007, 2008, and 2009
SERVICE
Conference Planner for the Music Theatre/ Dance Focus Group at the Association for Theatre in Higher Education - 2022 - present
Communications Coordinator for the Music Theatre/ Dance Focus Group at the Association for Theatre in Higher Education - 2019 - 2022
Graduate Student Representative for the Music Theatre/ Dance Focus Group at the Association for Theatre in Higher Education - 2015
University Service as a Scholar:
“The Room Where it Happens”: Revelations, Revolutions, and Resolutions About Classroom Space and Embodied Learning, Teach @CUNY Day - May 2016
Writing Across the Curriculum Using Low-Stakes Writing, Presenter at the Brooklyn College New Faculty Workshop - 2015 & 2016
Pedagogy for Doctoral Students of Theatre: A Practical, Digital, and Multidisciplinary Learning Resource, Graduate Professionalization Workshops at the Department of Theatre and Performance at The Graduate Center -March 2016
Applied Pedagogy: Reflections From the Field, Graduate Professionalization Workshops at the Department of Theatre and Performance at The Graduate Center -November 2013
Publish and Flourish, Graduate Professionalization Workshops at the Department of Theatre and Performance at The Graduate Center - March 2012
Digital Journal Project Manager, Western European Stages, May-August 2010
University Service as an Administrator:
Served on two hiring committees: one administrative hire, one tenure-track faculty hire - Purchase College, SUNY
Represented the Department of Art and Public Policy in the School-Wide Curriculum Committee - Tisch, NYU
Represented the Department of Theatre in the School-Wide Curriculum Committee - Purchase College, CUNY
RELATED ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE
(full list and job descriptions available upon request)
Director of Production & Membership – The Shakespeare Society (September 2008- August 2010)
Department Administrator –Art and Public Policy, Tisch School of the Arts, NYU (2006-June 2008)
Conservatory Coordinator - Purchase Conservatory of Theatre Arts & Film (2004-2006)
Programs Manager - Westchester Arts Council (2000-2004)
Special Skills Related to Academic Administration: departmental budget management, hiring process, supervising tenure committees, processing tenure documents and helping faculty through the tenure process, undergraduate recruitment, nation-wide audition process coordination, negotiating annual budgets with provost’s office, registration issues for students, producing department productions, liaising with theaters that house department productions
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Association of Theatre in Higher Education - 2010- present
American Society of Theatre Research -2010- present
Board Member of Gallery Players, Brooklyn, NY - 2013-present
PROFESSIONAL THEATRE EXPERIENCE
- signifies Choreographer as well as Director ** - signifies Fight Choreographer as well as Director *** signifies Choreographer and Fight Choreographer as well as Director
Collegiate Directing
Pippin* NYU, Steinhardt
She Kills Monsters: Virtual Realms* University of California, Riverside, January 2021
Professional Directing
Little Women*** Gallery Players, December 2019
Once Upon a Mattress * Gallery Players, February 2019
A New Brain * Gallery Players, February 2018
Marry Me a Little * Gallery Players, February 2017
You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown * Gallery Players, February 2017
Seussical * Gallery Players, January 2016
Emma (a new musical) * Overtures at TGP, November 2015
The Baker’s Wife Gallery Players, March 2015
The Yellow Wallpaper (a new musical) Overtures at TGP, November 2014
Lunacy (a new musical) * Overtures at TGP, September 2014
Where Bearded Ladies Come From ** Clurman Theatre, August 2013 (part of the Samuel French Short Play Festival)
Script Tease Adapts Brass Tacks Theatre, June 2013
Script Tease Has Genre Trouble Brass Tacks Theatre, May 2013
Bluebird/Blackbird (part of Sticky) Under St. Marks, May 2013
Script Tease Reveals Itself Brass Tacks Theatre, March 2013
The Tampon Play Sticky/ Blue Box, January 2013
St. Peter’s Question The Factory, July 2012
Ending of All Things Bowery Poetry Club, November 2011
Chosen Gallery Players, June 2011
The Bride at Midnight Bowery Poetry Club, March 2011
Oddities,or Frogboy Live! a Musical Freakshow * the cell, February 2011
The Cosmic Principles of Yin and Yang Workshop Theatre, September 2010
Oddities,or Frogboy Live! a Musical Freakshow * Brass Tacks Theatre, August 2010
Dignity Gallery Players, June 2010
First Date Bowery Poetry Club, February 2010
Wounds to the Face *** the cell, January 2010
Script Tease Gets Spooky Brass Tacks Theatre, October 2010
Twelfth Night *** Communicable Arts, July 2009
Bugs Gallery Players, June 2009
Nobody Sells Carpet Like Bill Gallery Players, June 2009
Dad’s Visit Ensemble Studio Theatre, October 2008
It’s Only a Play Center Stage, November 2008
Much Ado About Nothing *** Communicable Arts, July 2008
The Comedy of Errors *** Communicable Arts, July 2007
As You Like It *** Communicable Arts, July 2006
A Midsummer Nights Dream *** Communicable Arts, July 2005
Twelfth Night *** Communicable Arts, July 2004
Much Ado About Nothing *** Communicable Arts, August 2003
Two Gentlemen of Verona *** Communicable Arts, August 2002
A Midsummer Nights Dream *** Communicable Arts, September 2001
Directing at Performing Arts Festivals/Educational Institutions
Metamorphoses *** Wingspan Arts, Summer 2012
A Funny Thing Happened …Forum * Ardsley High School, Spring 2009
Kiss Me, Kate *** Ardsley High School, Spring 2008
A Chorus Line * Ardsley High School, Spring 2007
Collaborative Identity (a devised piece) * French Woods Festival, Summer 2000
Blythe Spirit ** French Woods Festival, Summer 2000
You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown * French Woods Festival, Summer 2000
Once Upon A Mattress * French Woods Festival, Summer 2000
Rumors ** French Woods Festival, Summer 1999
Really Rosie * French Woods Festival, Summer 1999
Free To Be * French Woods Festival, Summer 1999
Godspell *** French Woods Festival, Summer 1999
Joseph and… Dreamcoat * French Woods Festival, Summer 1998
Miracle Worker ** French Woods Festival, Summer 1998
Little Shop of Horrors * French Woods Festival, Summer 1998
Mary Poppins * French Woods Festival, Summer 1997
Producing Experience:
Producer and Director of Overtures, a New Musical Reading Series at The Gallery Players: a series of six new musicals presented in dynamic staged readings over the course of a season.
Producer of all Brass Tacks Theatre Collective productions (2010-present)
Producer of “The Black Box New Play Festival” at The Gallery Players in 2009, 2010, and 2011
Communicable Arts (2000-2010) -produced nine Shakespeare productions in Brooklyn parks and public spaces
Ardsley High School (2006-2008) – produced three musicals
Purchase Conservatory Acting Program (2004-2006) – produced the “Evening of New Works” at the Signature Theatre for two consecutive years and produced the Acting Showcase for graduating seniors in theaters in New York City and Los Angeles
LANGUAGES
Proficiency in French.
Basic knowledge of Yiddish.
Beginner knowledge of American Sign Language.