Research

I can trace the underpinnings of my doctoral research, my recent publications, and my professional practice back to my introduction to site-specific performance with Andy Houston, during my undergrad at the University of Waterloo. At Waterloo—a school known for its engineering and computer science programs—site-specific exercises were a method to bring performance out of our small theatre department, connect with the wider campus community, and remind the university that (between the new engineering buildings) theatre and the arts have a place in higher education.

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Through this, I found radical value in the site-specific form. With its grounding in the local and its frequent reliance on community-engaged creation, I saw its potential for accessibility. I saw it as a means to bring theatre directly to the doorsteps of new audiences; and, in their occupations of public space, I saw our site-based assignments as incredibly political. Here, I started to ask the questions that continue to underpin much of my research and practice today: How can we use performance to understand the complex diversity and history of place? How might site-specific and community-engaged performance offer space for social change? And, importantly, what are the ethics behind such public-facing and community-centered work?

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