Debra Caplan

Debra Caplan is an Associate Professor of Theatre and Performance Research at Baruch College, City University of New York (CUNY). Her academic work focuses on modern Jewish theater, Yiddish theater, and diasporic performance studies, integrating digital humanities methodologies into theater scholarship.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University

Research Interests:

• Jewish and Yiddish theater traditions
• Theatrical travel and migration patterns
• Artistic networks in diasporic communities
• Digital humanities applications in performance studies

Scientific Awards:

• George Freedley Memorial Award (Theatre Library Association, best new book in theater studies)
• Leviant Memorial Prize in Yiddish Studies (Modern Language Association)

Caplan co-founded the Digital Yiddish Theater Project, an international research collective analyzing Yiddish theater through digital tools. She is currently writing a biography of Yiddish performer Molly Picon.