MELINDA POWERS, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of English John Jay College of Criminal Justice – CUNY 524 W. 59th Street New York, NY 10019 Email: [email protected]

Research Interests Performance Theory, Historiography, Gender, Contemporary Theater, , especially the Production and Reception of Ancient Greek Drama.

Professional Positions Assistant Professor, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY. (Fall 2007 - Present). Teaching Assistant, University of California, Los Angeles. (Fall 2004 - Summer 2007). ESL Teacher and Evening Program Coordinator, Los Angeles, CA (Spring 2003-2004). Teaching Assistant, University of Southern California. (Fall 1999 - Spring 2003).

Education Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, 2007. Department: Theater and Performance Studies Dissertation Title: “A Genealogy of Corporeal Culture in Bakkhai” Advisor: Prof. Sue-Ellen Case

M.A., University of Southern California, 2003. Department: Completed Ph.D. Comprehensive Exams for the Degree

M.St., Corpus Christi College, , 1999. Department: Literae Humaniores Specialization: Ancient Greek Languages and Literature Completed Exams on Greek Meter, Papyrology, and Translating Euripides, as well as Essays on Euripides and a Thesis for the Degree

B.A., Columbia College of Columbia University, 1997. Department: Classics

Relevant Courses: ARCNET’s Course on Ancient Drama, Greece, 2004. Centro Maschere e Strutture Gestuali’s Course on Masks, Italy, 2000.

Publications

Authored Book

Athenian Tragedy in Performance: A Guide to Contemporary Studies and Historical Debates. University of Iowa Press. Forthcoming. Expected date of publication: Spring 2014.

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Articles in Refereed Journals

“Syncretic Sites in Luis Alfaro’s Electricidad.” Helios 38.2 (Fall 2011): 71-84.

“Unveiling Euripides.” Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism (Spring 2009): 5-20.

“Dressing-up Dramaturgy in Charles Mee’s Bacchae 2.1.” Text and Presentation (2007): 182-93.

Articles/Entries in Volumes

“Reclaiming Euripides in Harlem.” Forthcoming in The Oxford Handbook of Greek Drama in the Americas, edited by Fiona MacIntosh, Patrice Rankine, Kathryn Bosher, and Justine McConnell. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014. 25 pages.

“Ingmar Bergman’s Backanterna.” In Cinemythology, edited by Michel Demopoulos assisted by and trans. by Platon Mauroumoustakos, 314. Thessaloniki, Greece: Thessaloniki International Film Festival, 2003.

“Demosthenes XIX, Sections 155-6 (Oxyrhynchus Papyrus #4570).” In The Oxyrhynchus Papyri Vol. 67, edited by, R.A. Coles, N. Gonis, A. Nodar, D. Obbink, and R. Stewart, 82-83. London: The British Academy and Egypt Exploration Society, 2001.

Subtitle Translation

The Oxford Greek Play’s Euripides’ Iphigenia in Aulis in Ancient Greek. Newark, DE: Film Counselors Associates and Insight Media, 2000.

Performance Reviews

“Review of Luis Alfaro’s Electricidad.” Theatre Journal 57.4 (2005): 742-44.

Invited Talks

“Diversifying Greek Theater in Harlem.” Sawyer Seminar Series, Northwestern University and the Mellon Foundation, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL (March 2010).

“Euripidean Dramaturgy in Performance.” University of California, Los Angeles, Dept. of Theater, MFA program (October 2006).

“Roman Theater in Context” and “Greek Theater on the Contemporary Stage.” University of California, Los Angeles, Dept. of Theater, MFA program (November 2004).

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Select Presentations

“Ancient Greek Drama and Community Engagement.” Annual Conference, American Society for Theatre Research, Nashville, TN. (November 2012).

Panel Chair of “Academic Activism and the Classics: Teaching and Doing.” Annual Meeting, Classical Association of the Atlantic States, New York, NY. (October 2012).

“Reinforcing or Challenging Stereotypes in Lysistrata Jones?” Annual Meeting, American Theater in Higher Education, Washington DC. (August 2012).

“Crossing Borders through Adaptation.” Tri-Annual Meeting, Feminism and Classics Conference, Brock University, St. Catherines, Canada. (May 2012).

“The Chorus and Democracy in Caryl Churchill’s A Mouthful of Birds.” Annual Meeting, American Philological Association, San Antonio, TX. (January 2011).

Panel Moderator, Greek Drama Panel, Annual Comparative Drama Conference, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA. (March 2010).

“Adapting Frenzy in A Mouthful of Birds.” Annual Meeting, American Society for Theatre Research, Seattle, WA. (November 2010).

“Camping on Kithairon: Celebrating Euripides’ Bakkhai in West Hollywood.” Annual Meeting, American Philological Association, Anaheim, CA. (January 2010).

“Excess and Ecstasy in Sarah Kane’s Phaedra’s Love.” Annual Comparative Drama Conference, Comparative Drama and Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA. (March 2009).

“Unveiling the Bakkhai.” Annual Comparative Drama Conference, Comparative Drama and Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA. (March 2008).

“Performing Diversity in American Classics.” Annual Conference, American Philological Association, Chicago, IL. (January 2008).

“Choreographing the East in Bill T. Jones’ Bacchae.” Annual Conference, American Society for Theatre Research, Chicago, IL. (November 2007).

Select Artistic and Professional Performances

The Iliad, Book I (Post-Performance Moderator), Queens, NY, 2009. Swallow Song (Properties Master), Getty Center, Los Angeles, CA, 2004. The Royal National Theater’s Bacchae (Video Producer), Epidauros, Greece, 2002.

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Operation Graduation (Actor and TA for Inner-city Youth Theater Program), 24th Street Theater, Los Angeles, CA, 2002 - 2003. A Couple of White Chicks Sitting Around Talking (Hannah Mae Bindler), LA, CA, 2000. Euripides’ Iphigenia in Aulis in A. Greek (Chorus), Oxford University Greek Play, 1998. Checkov’s Seagull (Co-producer, role of Nina), Edinburgh Festival, Scotland, 1997. Euripides’ Herakles in A. Greek (Director/Designer/Lyssa), Columbia U., NY, 1997.

Grants

PSC-CUNY Research Award, Sponsored by CUNY PSC, $3,990. (2013). Local program scholar (Poughkeepsie, NY), Ancient Greeks, Modern Lives, Sponsored by the National Endowment for the prestigious $800,000 Chairman’s Special Award, the American Philological Association, and Aquila Theatre, Principal Investigator Peter Meineck, $1500. (May 2013). Local program scholar (Lake Placid, NY), Ancient Greeks, Modern Lives, $800. (February 2012). PSC-CUNY Research Award, Sponsored by CUNY PSC, $3,990. (2012). PSC-CUNY Research Award, Sponsored by CUNY PSC, $6,000. (2011). PSC-CUNY Research Award, Sponsored by CUNY PSC, $3,990. (2010). Local Program Scholar (Queens, NY), Page and Stage: Theater, Tradition, and Culture in America, Sponsored by National Endowment for the Humanities, American Philological Association, and Aquila Theatre, Principal Investigator Peter Meineck, $1,000. (2009). PSC-CUNY Research Award, Sponsored by CUNY PSC, $3,990. (2009). Making Objects Speak, Sponsored by National Endowment for the Humanities, $250. (2009). UCLA Summer Research Mentorship, Sponsored by University of California, Los Angeles, $2,000. (2005). UCLA Department of Theater Travel Grant, Sponsored by University of California, Los Angeles, $2,000. (2004). Ahmanson Foundation Grant, Sponsored by Ahmanson Foundation and the University of Southern California, $2,000. (2000).

Awards and Honors

Philadelphia Constantinidis Essay in Critical Theory Award, Board of Comparative Drama Conference. (2010). Dissertation Award, American Society for Theatre Research. (2007). Thomas Marshall Graduate Student Award, American Society for Theater Research. (2007). Chancellor’s Fellowship, University of California, Los Angeles. (2007). New Scholar’s Essay Prize for Scholars 35 and Under, Third Place, International Federation for Theatre Research. (2006). UCLA Dissertation Year Fellowship. (2005 - 6). Bursary, Classical Association and the Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies. (2006). Aaron Curtis Taylor Award, UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television. (2005).

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Merit Fellowship, University of Southern California. (F99 - S03). Overseas Student Bursary, Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford. (F98 - S99). Milstein Scholar, Columbia College of Columbia University. (1997). Earle Prize for Sight Translation of Ancient Greek and , Department of Classics, Columbia College of Columbia University. (1997). Scholar Athlete Award (Fencing), Columbia College of Columbia University. (1997).

Teaching

John Jay College of Criminal Justice – CUNY, Department of English Courses: Classical Literature, General Education, F07 - F14. Ancient Tragedy, Upper Division, F10 The Classical Body, Upper Division, F13. Mythology in Literature, Upper Division, F08, S09, and F13. Writing Across the Curriculum, General Education, F07. Course Development: Performance and Justice, Reimagining Antiquity, Topics in Ancient Literature.

CUNY Graduate Center, Ph.D. Program in Theatre The Body in Performance, S13. Diversifying Greek Tragedy on the Contemporary Stage, S11.

University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Theater and Performance, T.A. Courses: Theater History F04 - S05 and F06 - S07.

University of Southern California, Department of Classics, T.A. Courses: Ancient Greek Myth: S01 - S03. Ancient Greek History: F00.

Service

College Service Faculty Senate, At-large Committee Member. (May 2012 - Present). College Council. (May 2012 - Present). English Department, Curriculum Committee. (S12 and F13 - S14). Curriculum Development, General Education, four courses, (F08 - Present). English Department Minute Taker. (F10 - Present). University Faculty Senate. (May 2011 - S12). Student Advisor. (F08 - S11). Major Advisory Committee. (F08 - S10) Committee on Student Interests. (F10 - S11).

Professional Service Philadelphia Constantinidis Essay in Critical Theory Award Committee. Manuscript Referee: International Journal of the Classical Tradition.

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Professional Memberships American Philological Association. Classical Association of the Atlantic States. American Theater in Higher Education. American Society for Theatre Research.

Languages Reading knowledge of Ancient Greek, Latin, Italian, and Spanish.

References Available Upon Request

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