- Associate Professor, Theatre and Performance
Research Interests
- Ancient Greek Theater; Contemporary US Theatre; Performance Theory; Historiography; Adaptation; Literary, Critical, and Cultural Theories
Education
- Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles
- M.A. University of Southern California
- M.St. Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford
- B.A. Columbia College, Columbia University
Contact
Affiliated Campus(es)
- John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Research Interests: Ancient Greek Theater; Contemporary US Theatre; Performance Theory; Historiography; Adaptation; Literary, Critical, and Cultural Theories
Melinda Powers is the editor of Reclaiming Greek Drama for Diverse Audiences: An Anthology of Adaptations and Interviews (Routledge 2020) and has authored two books Diversifying Greek Drama on the Contemporary US Stage (Oxford University Press, 2018) and Athenian Tragedy in Performance: A Guide to Contemporary Studies and Historical Debates (University of Iowa Press, 2014). These works focus on the historical performance conditions of ancient Greek theater and its reception on the contemporary US stage, in particular the creative ways in which theatre artists have reimagined Greek drama to explore the social, political, and economic concerns of underrepresented communities in the United States. In addition to her book publications, Prof. Powers has published articles, interviews, book and performance reviews about theatre artists, such as Luis Alfaro, Bill T. Jones, and Caryl Churchill; she has also produced a film of The Royal National Theater’s production of Euripides’ Bacchae, directed by Sir Peter Hall, at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus. A recipient of the Philadelphia Constantinidis Essay in Critical Theory Award and John Jay’s Scholarly Excellence Award, Prof. Powers has received national grants and participated in several National Endowment of the Humanities grants with Aquila Theatre which works on ancient Greek drama with U.S. veterans. With professional affiliations in both Classics and Theatre/Performance Studies, she has organized conference panels and delivered public talks on topics such Activism and the Classics and Ancient Theatre for Social Justice. Committed to introducing classical studies to undergraduates and increasing their exposure to research on the performing arts, Prof. Powers is also the recipient of CUNY’s Research in the Classroom Award and Fine and Performing Arts Course Design Award.
Melinda Powers is the editor of Reclaiming Greek Drama for Diverse Audiences: An Anthology of Adaptations and Interviews (Routledge 2020) and has authored two books Diversifying Greek Drama on the Contemporary US Stage (Oxford University Press, 2018) and Athenian Tragedy in Performance: A Guide to Contemporary Studies and Historical Debates (University of Iowa Press, 2014). These works focus on the historical performance conditions of ancient Greek theater and its reception on the contemporary US stage, in particular the creative ways in which theatre artists have reimagined Greek drama to explore the social, political, and economic concerns of underrepresented communities in the United States. In addition to her book publications, Prof. Powers has published articles, interviews, book and performance reviews about theatre artists, such as Luis Alfaro, Bill T. Jones, and Caryl Churchill; she has also produced a film of The Royal National Theater’s production of Euripides’ Bacchae, directed by Sir Peter Hall, at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus. A recipient of the Philadelphia Constantinidis Essay in Critical Theory Award and John Jay’s Scholarly Excellence Award, Prof. Powers has received national grants and participated in several National Endowment of the Humanities grants with Aquila Theatre which works on ancient Greek drama with U.S. veterans. With professional affiliations in both Classics and Theatre/Performance Studies, she has organized conference panels and delivered public talks on topics such Activism and the Classics and Ancient Theatre for Social Justice. Committed to introducing classical studies to undergraduates and increasing their exposure to research on the performing arts, Prof. Powers is also the recipient of CUNY’s Research in the Classroom Award and Fine and Performing Arts Course Design Award.
Contact
Affiliated Campus(es)
- John Jay College of Criminal Justice