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. The program’s faculty are drawn from departments such as African Studies, African-American Studies, Art, Art History, Classics, Communication Arts, Dance, English, French and Italian, Gender and Women’s Studies, German, Music, Spanish and Portuguese, Theatre and Drama, and Visual Cultures, and their areas of expertise include South Asia, Latinx America, Africa, Europe, and the US. Many ITS students also work closely with faculty who are not formal Affiliates, bringing an even broader interdisciplinary approach to their research.
Our goal is to create a holistic understanding of theatre and performance
as aesthetic, cultural, and sociopolitical constructs through a diverse curriculum that explores the theory, history, and practice of these forms in worldwide frames. Through rigorous coursework and participation in a variety of research and artistic activities, including practice-based research, the program in Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies prepares graduates for college and university positions as scholars and teachers, as well as for alt/ac careers as public intellectuals, theatre artists, dramaturgs, and critics. Graduate students draw on faculty expertise to create a richly diverse, customized course of study that shapes them as the next generation of versatile theatre and performance scholars and practitioners.
The program attracts students from across the United States as well as internationally
and creates opportunities for students to engage in teaching and practice as part of their research. Many of our students participate in theatre and performance groups as actors, dramaturgs, directors, devisers, designers and playwrights on and off campus, allowing them to experiment with a wide range of performance modes. At the same time, all students are expected to develop a strong foundation in current practices in theatre history, theatre and performance theory, criticism, and dramatic literature, in addition to their specific areas of interest.
