Masi Asare

Masi Asare is an Associate Professor at Northwestern University's School of Communication, specializing in Black Feminist Studies, Musical Theatre, and Voice. She holds affiliations with the Sound Arts and Industries Program and the Black Arts Consortium, and serves on the executive committee of the Interdisciplinary PhD in Theatre and Drama.

• PhD, Performance Studies, New York University (Tisch School of the Arts)
• MA, Performance Studies, New York University
• BA, Performance Studies, Harvard University (magna cum laude)

Her research explores the intersection of Black women's vocal performance, musical theatre history, and racial politics on stage. Current projects include a study of blues singers' influence on Broadway belting and co-editing a special issue on Global South musical theatre.

Recent publications include her forthcoming book Blues Mamas and Broadway Belters (Duke University Press, 2024) and a co-edited special issue on The Musical-Theatrical Global South (Studies in Musical Theatre, 2025). Her work spans sound studies, interdisciplinary performance, and musical composition.

• Tony Nominee, Best Original Score (2022)
• Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence (2024)
• Clarence Simon Award for Teaching and Mentoring (2022)
• Billie Burke Ziegfeld Award for a woman composer of musicals

Masi mentors Broadway performers and has received grants from the Theater Hall of Fame and Kaplan Institute for the Humanities. She contributes to clinical services through voice pedagogy and leads performative research labs on sound and identity.