Katherine Steele Brokaw

Katherine Steele Brokaw is a Professor of English at the University of California, Merced, within the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts. She specializes in Shakespearean performance, eco-theatre, and medieval/early modern drama.

• Ph.D. (University of Michigan, 2011)
• M.A. (University of Cambridge, 2005)
• B.A. (Illinois Wesleyan University, 2002)

Her research explores:

• Community-based Shakespeare performances
• Eco-theatre practices in natural settings
• Medieval drama's religious-cultural context

Recent publications include:

• Shakespeare and Community Performance (2023) - analyzing grassroots theater
• Staging Harmony (2016) - music's role in religious drama
• Co-editing Sacred and Secular Transactions (2019)
• Arden Performance Edition of Macbeth (2019)
• Upcoming 2025 book on eco-theatre with RSC director Elizabeth Freestone

Awards:

• David Bevington Award (2018)

Co-founded Shakespeare in Yosemite (2017-present) and EarthShakes Alliance, with community-engaged productions across marginalized populations. Teaches in UC Merced's undergraduate Literatures in English and Environmental Humanities programs, plus graduate Interdisciplinary Humanities courses.