Assistant Professor of Theatre History and Performance at University of Virginia
About
Katelyn Hale Wood is a performance studies scholar and theatre historian whose research engages the intersections of critical race and queer theory, gender studies, and 20th/21st century comedic performance.
Wood received her PhD in theatre history and criticism with an emphasis in African American studies from the University of Texas at Austin (2014).
At the University of Virginia, Wood teaches courses in theatre history, as well as interdisciplinary topics, such as race and performance in the Americas, queer and feminist performance in the US, and comedy as protest. Alongside her scholarship, Wood is also a dramaturge.
Current Work:
Dr. Wood's current book project, tentatively titled Modalities of Freedom: Black Feminist Comedic Performance in 20th and 21st Century USA, argues how the work of Black feminist stand-up comedians have played vital roles in queer, feminist, and anti-racist community building. In it, she examines works from comedians such as Jackie "Moms" Mabley, Mo'Nique, and Sasheer Zamata.
Research Area Keyword(s):
Performance studies, African American studies, gender and sexuality, theatre
