Gillian Rodger

Gillian Rodger is a Professor of History & Literature in Musicology & Ethnomusicology and Chair of the Department of Music Education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She holds a PhD in Ethnomusicology from the University of Pittsburgh, an MM in Ethnomusicology from UW-Madison, and a BA in Music Education from the University of Melbourne, Australia.

Her research focuses on 19th-century American musical theater, working-class culture, and gender/sexuality in performance. Key projects include studies of variety theater's evolution into vaudeville, male impersonation in U.S. entertainment, and legal frameworks shaping theater practices. She authored Champagne Charlie and Pretty Jemima (2010) and Just One of the Boys (2018), examining cross-dressing and gender dynamics. Recent work explores Tony Pastor's vaudeville legacy and Annie Lennox's performance strategies.

Rodger’s research highlights song as a narrative device in non-linear theater, linking musical performance to socio-historical contexts. She critiques gender norms through analyses of historical and contemporary performance practices, emphasizing how music shapes identity and cultural narratives.

Her grants and advising are not detailed in the provided texts.