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Dr. Jenn Stephenson

I am an Associate Professor in the Dan School of Drama and Music at Queen’s University.  My principal areas of research interest are in contemporary Canadian drama, metatheatricality, “theatre of the real,” autobiographical performance, and performativity in fictional worlds-within.

Education

M.A. (English. University of Western Ontario)
M.F.A. (Theatre Design. University of Victoria)
Ph.D. (Drama. University of Toronto)

Awards

Tom Patterson Award, Stratford Festival (1996)
Clifford Leech Dissertation Prize from University of Toronto
Nominated for Governor General’s Gold Medal for Ph.D. (2003)
Honourable Mention Richard Plant Essay Award, CATR (2007)
Drama Department Teaching Award (2004-05, 2008-09, and 2014-15)
Ann Saddlemyer Award, Canadian Association for Theatre Research (2013)
Nominated for Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching (2015)

Recent Articles

“Winning and/or Losing: The Perils and Products of Insecurity in Postdramatic Autobiographical Performance” Theatre Journal (forthcoming May 2016)

“Performativité utopique du corps autobiographique (de la marionette), ou Billy Twinkle: Requiem for a Golden Boy et la vraie nature de l’amour” Interactions fictionnelles et scéniques dans le solo contemporain. Ed. Gilbert David and Francis Ducharme. L’annuaire théâtral 59 (forthcoming Winter 2016).

“Uncertainty: A User’s Guide.” Foreword to Winners and Losers by James Long and Marcus Youssef. (TalonBooks: Vancouver, 2015).

“Here’s to Shutting Up: Lessons of the MU-koan in A Beautiful View” New Essays in Canadian Theatre: Daniel MacIvor. Ed. Richie Wilcox. (Toronto: Playwrights Canada, 2015): 89-108.

“A list of questions about how we ask questions: Some thoughts on KMb and Theatre” Theatre Research in Canada 35.2 (2014): 242-243.

“After the Apple: Post-lapsarian Realism in Garden//Suburbia — an autobiographical site-specific work” New Canadian Realisms: New Essays on Canadian Theatre volume 2. Ed. Roberta Barker and Kim Solga. (Toronto: Playwrights Canada, 2012): 68-86.

“BIOBOXES: Artifacting Human Experience” introduction to playscripts. New Canadian Realisms: Eight Plays. Ed. Roberta Barker and Kim Solga (Toronto: Playwrights Canada, 2012): 128-133.

“The ICE Approach: Saving the World One Broken Toaster at a Time” co-authored with Grahame Renyk. Canadian Theatre Review 147 (Summer 2011).