Key research themes
1. How does Teatro Luna utilize the concept of utopian performative to shape Latinx identity and collective theater praxis?
This research area investigates how Teatro Luna, an all-Latina and women of color ensemble, employs the notion of the utopian performative to resist cultural commodification and reimagine Latina and women of color theater. The focus is on the ensemble's creative process, performative embodiment, and manifesto-driven political action that collectively foster pan-Latina identity and community mobilization within American theater.
2. What architectural and acoustic innovations characterize 17th- and 18th-century Italian theatres like those designed by Antonio Galli Bibiena and their cultural significance?
This theme focuses on the architectural designs and acoustic characteristics of Italian baroque theatres, particularly those designed by the Galli Bibiena family, who introduced innovative bell-shaped plans contrasting the traditional horseshoe geometries to optimize sightlines, seating capacity, and acoustic quality. The studies clarify how these theatres supported the flourishing of artistic performance and impression on social strata, reflecting the interplay of economic factors, aesthetics, and function in historical theatre design.
3. How do interlingualism, identity construction, and bodily performance interact in intercultural theatre companies such as Teatro delle Albe in Italy?
This research theme explores multiple forms of translation occurring in theatre beyond textual transfer: the negotiation and hybridization of languages and cultures on stage, and how these processes interplay with actor bodies and performance roles to construct linguistic and cultural identities. The focus lies on intercultural theatre practices as dynamic 'translation zones' where languages, ethnicities, and performative functions intersect, contributing to debates in culturally oriented translation studies and theatre studies.