WHO ARE WE?
Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is an innovative and comprehensive program of graduate training in the fields of drama, theatre, and performance, with an emphasis on work that crosses geographical and disciplinary boundaries.
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OUR PROGRAMS
- Through rigorous coursework, participation in a variety of research and artistic activities, the Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies program prepares graduates for positions as college and university researchers and instructors as well as public intellectuals, dramaturgs, and critics.
- The Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies can serve as a preparatory degree for the Ph.D., or as a terminal degree for students seeking greater exposure to theatre studies beyond the undergraduate degree.
- We also offer a flexible 9-credit Doctoral Minor, which is available to any UW-Madison Ph.D. student with an interest in theatre and performance studies. The minor can be tailored to a student’s program or interests.
Faculty Spotlight
Luís Madureira
Professor of African Cultural Studies
Luís Madureira earned his Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of California, San Diego. His research interests include Luso-Brazilian colonial and postcolonial studies, Modernism and Modernity in Latin America, Africa and the Caribbean, early modern and colonial studies, and theatre and performance in Africa. He has published two books and several articles on these and related topics.
WHY ITS?
“The program is really and truly interdisciplinary. You have the opportunity to interact with and learn from so many scholars in so many fields, which gives us a really unique perspective on our own work.”
“It feels very special to be encouraged to find professors to work with in various areas of expertise, and to have the freedom to build our own areas of study within the frame of theatre and performance studies. The program’s small size also means that you form particularly deep and valuable relationships with professors.”
Student Spotlight
Ames Palson
Ph.D. Candidate
Getting Attached, a new short play by Ames Palson (pictured second from left), won first place in the A is For Playwriting Contest. This organization is committed to creating conversations around abortion and bodily autonomy through the arts. As part of winning first place, they were awarded $5,000 and brought to New York City for a reading of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners at Playwrights Horizons.
This fall, their short play Miss Julie will be published in the Lanford Wilson Festival Short Play Collection. It will be produced at the Dobbins Conservatory of Theatre & Dance as part of a short play festival in October.
Values Statement & Land Acknowledgment
The Program in Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies is a thriving and inclusive community in which individuals from any culture, background, ability, and socioeconomic standing can flourish. Inclusive excellence in teaching and community building are central to our core mission our founding mission, and they guide us in designing our program. We welcome diverse perspectives, especially from marginalized or vulnerable members of society.
The University of Wisconsin–Madison occupies ancestral Ho-Chunk land, a place their nation has called Teejop (day-JOPE) since time immemorial. In an 1832 treaty, the Ho-Chunk were forced to cede this territory. Decades of ethnic cleansing followed when both the federal and state government repeatedly, but unsuccessfully, sought to forcibly remove the Ho-Chunk from Wisconsin. This history of colonization informs our shared future of collaboration and innovation. Today, UW–Madison respects the inherent sovereignty of the Ho-Chunk Nation, along with the eleven other First Nations of Wisconsin.
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