Matthew McMahan

Matthew McMahan serves as Assistant Professor of Comedic Studies in the Department of Performing Arts at Emerson College, Boston, specializing in historical and cross-cultural comedic performance traditions. His affiliations include leadership roles in academic organizations and active engagement with professional theatre communities.

Education:

• B.A., Olivet Nazarene University
• M.F.A., State University of New York, Stony Brook
• Ph.D., Tufts University

McMahan's research centers on physical comedy, clowning, and commedia dell'arte, extending to vaudeville, French farce, and contemporary migration narratives in comedy. He examines how embodiment, consent, and cultural identity manifest in comedic performance across historical periods, with particular focus on circus arts and improvisational practices. His work bridges archival scholarship with practical performance applications through professional dramaturgy and improv coaching.

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals persistent engagement with embodied comedy as a lens for examining power dynamics, cultural exchange, and social critique. Key trajectories include gender representation in circus clowning, transnational satire addressing Islamophobia, copyright frameworks for vaudeville, and methodological innovations in teaching historical performance traditions.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Honorable Mention for the Robert A. Schanke Research Award (Mid-America Theatre Conference)
• ASTR Co-Sponsored Event Award for the Comedy and Embodiment Symposium

As a professional dramaturg specializing in adaptation and new works, McMahan advises theatre companies including San Diego Repertory Theatre and Atlantic Theatre Company. His applied improvisation workshops at Harvard, Tufts, and Brandeis demonstrate commitment to translating academic research into practical training. He has spearheaded the comedy studies working group at the American Society for Theatre Research for five years.

McMahan co-founded the Comedy and Embodiment research collective, which convened the MIT symposium inspiring a special Theatre Topics issue. His active performance career includes appearances at Del Close Marathon and Providence Improv Fest, directly informing his scholarly investigations into comedic practice.