Fields of Interest
Biography
Scott Magelssen is Head of Theatre History and Performance Studies, and Undergraduate Coordinator in the School of Drama. He holds a PhD in Theatre History, Theory, and Dramatic Literature from the University of Minnesota, and teaches Theatre History and Performance Studies. His most recent book, Performing Flight: From the Barnstormers to Space Tourism, was published by the University of Michigan Press in 2020. He is co-editing a collection of essays, Enveloping Worlds: Toward a Discourse of Immersive Performance with E. B. Hunter (Washington University in St. Louis), to be published in 2025. His current book project, Performing Prehistory: Dinosaur Encounters, Missing Links, and Repertoires of Racial Anxiety, is about popular representations of dinosaurs and cavemen starting in the nineteenth century. Scott is the author of Simming: Participatory Performance and the Making of Meaning (2014) and Living History Museums (2007), and co-editor of Enacting History (2011), Theatre Historiography: Critical Interventions (2010), and Querying Difference in Theatre History (2007).
Research & Creative Work
Representative Research
- Scott Magelssen. “Actors as Surrogate Sufferers? Toward a Model for Well-Being in Acting Training.” Humanities and Human Flourishing Project. Oxford University Press, 2023.
- Scott Magelssen. “Dinosaurs, Racial Anxiety, and Curatorial Intervention: Whiteness and Performative Historiography in the Museum.” Special Issue on Theatre Historiography, ed. Michal Kobialka. Pamietnik Teatralny 70.4 (2022).
- Performing Flight: From the Barnstormers to Space Tourism. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2020.
- Scott Magelssen and Shelby Lunderman. “Tactical Slowness: Fomenting a Culture of Mental Health in the Academy.” Reversing the Cult of Speed in Higher Education: The Slow Movement in the Arts and Humanities. Ed. Jonathan Chambers and Stephannie Gearhart (Routledge, 2018).
- Axel Andersson and Scott Magelssen, “Performing a Viking History of America: The 1893 Voyage and Display of a Viking Longship at the Columbus Quadricentennial.” Theatre Journal 69.2 (June 2017), pp. 175-195.
- Scott Magelssen, “Our Academic Discipline is Making Us Sicker.” Special Section: ASTR’s 60th Anniversary. Theatre Survey 57.3 (September, 2016) 389-394.
- Scott Magelssen, “White-Skinned Gods: Thor Heyerdahl, The Kon-Tiki Museum, and the Racial Theory of Polynesian Origins.” TDR: The Drama Review 60.1 [T229] (Winter, 2016).
- “Living History Museums: The Power and Perils of Performing History,” a lecture delivered at the Arts Club of Chicago, in conjunction with the Annie Smith exhibition. January, 2015
- Scott Magelssen. Simming: Participatory Performance and the Making of Meaning. U of Michigan Press, 2014.
- Scott Magelssen and Rhona Justice-Malloy, editors. Enacting History. U of Alabama Press, 2011.
- Scott Magelssen and Henry Bial, editors. Theater Historiography: Critical Interventions. U of Michigan Press, 2010.
- Scott Magelssen. Living History Museums: Undoing History Through Performance. Scarecrow, 2007.
- Scott Magelssen and Ann Haugo, editors. Querying Difference in Theatre History. Cambridge Scholars, 2007.
Representative Conferences
- “Dinosaurs, Race, and the Staging of Civilization: Lileana Blain-Cruz’s revival of The Skin of Our Teeth at Lincoln Center.” Mid-America Theatre Conference (MATC), Madison, 2024.
- “It all Comes Round Again: Immersive 1950s Simulations as Reminiscence Therapy.” Mid-America Theatre Conference (MATC), Cleveland, 2022.
- “The Character of Nostalgia: Meaning, Yearning, and Simulations of the Recent Past.” Mid-America Theatre Conference (MATC), Chicago, 2020.
- “Performance, Flight, and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum,” American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR). Arlington, 2019.
- “Spinning in Zero G: Playing Astronaut as Touristic Experience …and Theatre Research,” Mid-America Theatre Conference (MATC), Milwaukee, 2018.
- “Performing the American Astronaut: From Fighter Pilot to Cold Warrior.” Innovation Series. University of Houston. March, 2017.
Research Advised: Graduate Dissertations
- Merhi, Mona. Space Maneuverings in Post-Uprising Syrian Performances: Scarring Space and Language. 2023. University of Washington, PhD dissertation.
- Heiner, Cate. Affective Ambiguity: The Specifics of Staging Trauma and Negotiating Empathy. 2023. University of Washington, PhD dissertation.
- Salazar, Carlos. The Memory of the Islands: Cultural Negotiations and their Remains in (Post)Colonial Costa Rica. 2021. University of Washington, PhD dissertation.
- Cortes Viharo, Monica. Trauma Drama: The Translocal Legibility of Trauma and Utopia in Contemporary Feminist Performance. 2021. University of Washington, PhD dissertation.
- Lunderman, Shelby. Cruel and Unusual Performance: (Re)producing Capital Punishment on the U.S. Stage. 2020. University of Washington, PhD dissertation.
- Goodson, Christopher. Performing Precarity: Experimental Theater, Video, and Live Political Art with Undocumented Immigrants. 2017. University of Washington, PhD dissertation.
- Finque, Susan. Re-story(y)ing Theatre History in the Americas: Professional Players and the Callao Contract of 1599. 2017. University of Washington, PhD dissertation.
- Marsh, Sarah. Never Mere Observation: Performance, Technology, and the Act of Looking. 2017. University of Washington, PhD dissertation.
- Eric Villiers, “Staging Queer, Queer(ing) Curation: Queer Art, Queer Performativity, and Queer Curatorial Practices in Art Museums,” expected 2024.
- Mackenzie Bounds, “Technophobic Drama: America’s Stages Fearing Machines,” expected 2024.
- Wighs, Robert. Alaska Native Theatre: Cultural Resurgence and Reception in Post-Statehood Alaska. University of Washington, PhD dissertation. In progress.
- Eckard, Jason. Tenth and Eleventh Century Liturgical Drama and the Rise of the Latin Christian Church. University of Washington, PhD dissertation. In progress.
Courses Taught
Spring 2024
Spring 2023
Autumn 2022
Winter 2022
Spring 2021
Autumn 2020
Autumn 2019
Spring 2019
Autumn 2018
Autumn 2017
Winter 2017
Autumn 2016
Winter 2016
Autumn 2015
Spring 2015
Winter 2015
Autumn 2014
Winter 2014
Additional Courses
Spring 2017 - Museum 558, Museum Theatre and Performance
Resources & Related Links
Affiliations
News & Press
Related News
- Drama Students Shine in Neurology/Neurosurgery Simulation Sessions - February 13, 2024
- UW Drama Shines at the American Society for Theatre Research Conference - December 11, 2023
- Celebrating a Drama "Joy" Moment with Scott Magelssen, UW Drama Faculty! - June 28, 2023
- Praise the Pod - April 14, 2022
- Performing Flight: UW Drama Professor Scott Magelssen's Book Studies Aviation Through Perspective of Performance Studies. - April 14, 2022
- New Year, New Faculty & Staff Appointments in the School of Drama - October 8, 2020
- Scott Magelssen awarded Petersen Endowed Fellowship - January 8, 2019
- Unearthing Seattle’s Deeper Histories through Art and Humanities - October 9, 2018
- Summer 2018: What our students, faculty, and staff are up to! - June 12, 2018
- Meet a BA: Emma Halliday - May 29, 2018
- New year, new faculty appointments at UW Drama - September 28, 2017
- Skies Over Seattle featured in A&S Perspectives - May 4, 2016
- Performance Studies Research Group Lecture - January 19, 2016
- Members of PhD program participate in panel addressing the realities of being Muslim today - January 12, 2016
- Summer Plans 2015 - June 8, 2015
- Performance Studies Research Group Fosters Cross-disciplinary Conversations - May 7, 2015
- Building Connections Between Theatre and Museums - Scott Magelssen - March 12, 2015
- Scott Magelssen Profiled in Columns Magazine - September 17, 2014
- Problematic Simulations - Scott Magelssen - May 5, 2014
- Associate Professor Scott Magelssen Discusses Forthcoming Book - March 19, 2014
- UW Rocks ASTR - January 14, 2014
Related Events
- Edinburgh 2020 Study Abroad Q & A - December 9, 2019 - 4:00pm to 5:00pm
- Coffee and Concepts: The Face of God - October 18, 2019 - 2:00pm to 4:00pm
- Maple & Vine Lobby Talk: The Push for Pastness - January 29, 2017 - 1:00pm to 1:30pm
- Performing Arts Lectures: The Arts and Humanities in the STEM-Focused Academy - October 25, 2016 - 7:30pm
- Skies Over Seattle - June 3, 2016 to June 5, 2016
- Henry Bial: Jesus Christ, Broadway Star - May 20, 2016 - 4:00pm
- “A Racist Love Note: Stereotypes and Caricatures in early 20th Century Valentine’s Day Cards.” - January 22, 2016 - 5:00pm
- Some are Born Green, Some Achieve Greeness: Protest Theatre and Environmental Activism - October 15, 2013 - 7:30pm