معرفی
Dr. Christiana Molldrem Harkulich serves as an Instructor (Lecturer) in the Department of Theatre at Eastern Illinois University since Fall 2020, with additional affiliations in Film Studies and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Her teaching portfolio includes foundational courses like Introduction to Theatre and Dramaturgy, alongside specialized topics such as Indigenous Drama of the Americas and Global Drag and Gender Performance, where she integrates theory, practice, and literature to create inclusive learning environments.
Her educational background features a BA from Wellesley College and MA/PhD in Theatre and Performance Studies from the University of Pittsburgh, supplemented by professional training in Shakespearean Acting and Alexander Technique. She previously founded To The Wall Productions in Philadelphia and developed dramaturgy programs at Miami University.
Dr. Harkulich's research program critically examines Indigenous Performance, Decolonization, and Drag performance through frameworks of Decolonial Theory and Border Theory. Her scholarship investigates representational politics in performance, particularly focusing on Indigenous women performers between 1890-1940, while exploring intersections with musical theatre and professional wrestling as cultural phenomena.
Recent publications demonstrate interdisciplinary range across nostalgia in musical theatre, classical play adaptation, and Indigenous naming politics, collectively reflecting her commitment to socially engaged scholarship that bridges historical analysis with contemporary performance practices.
Her scholarly recognition includes:
- ASTR Collaborative Research Grant for annotating Margaret Cavendish's "A Piece of A Play"
- Illinois State Library OER Grant for authoring an open-access Introduction to Theatre textbook
Educator testimonials highlight her transformative impact, with students noting increased confidence in dramaturgical skills and newfound appreciation for theatre's social justice dimensions. Beyond campus, she actively shapes regional arts through her role as artistic director of outreach for The Station Theatre in Urbana, designing community engagement initiatives that expand access to performing arts.
