Sergio Costola is Professor of Theatre and Dean of the Faculty at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Bologna in Italy and a PhD from the University of California, in Los Angeles. His research interests focus on vision and the ways in which it has been constructed throughout history, in particular during the period that separates the medieval from the early modern period, with brief forays into nineteenth-century African American theatre. He is the author of Commedia dell’Arte Scenarios (Routledge 2021), has collaborated on The Dramaturgy of Commedia dell’Arte with Olly Crick (Routledge 2022), edited with Michael Saenger Shakespeare in Succession: Translation and Time (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2023), and is currently working on a monograph on Lucrezia Borgia and her performances at the Este court. He has also published various book chapters and articles in journals including Skene, Teatro e Storia, International Journal of Art and Technology, Renaissance Quarterly, Asian Theatre Journal, Mediaevalia, and The Journal of American Drama and Theatre.

Books:

Commedia dell’Arte Scenarios (New York and London: Routledge, 2021)

The Dramaturgy of Commedia dell’Arte. Olly Crick in collaboration with Sergio Costola (New York and London: Routledge, 2022)

Shakespeare in Succession. Translation and Time. Edited by Sergio Costola and Michael Saenger (Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2023)

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles:

“Lucrezia Borgia’s Triumphal Chariot: Notes on Performance Documentation” Skenè. Journal of Theatre and Drama Studies 10.1 (2024): 61-80

“The Politics of a Theatrical Event: The 1509 Performance of Ariosto’s I Suppositi.” Mediaevalia 33 (2013): 195-228 

“The Limits of Representation: William Wells Brown’s Panoramic Views.”  The Journal of American Drama and Theatre 24.2 (Spring 2012): 13-31

 “Byron’s Dramatic Theory: Writing for Theatre in an Age of Revolt.” The International Journal of the Arts in Society 6.1 (2011): 67-74.

“Strategies of Subversion: The Power of Live Performance Within the Walls of a Renaissance City.”  International Journal of Arts and Technology 2.3 (2009): 187-201

 “Storia di un pellegrinaggio. Momenti fra il sacro e il profano nella vita culturale ferrarese ai tempi di Ercole I d’Este.”  Teatro e Storia. Annali 18, XVI (1996): 205-240

Peer-Reviewed Book Chapters:

“Lucrezia Borgia’s Performances at the Este Court.” In The Borgia Family. Rumor and Representation. Edited by Jennifer Mara DeSilva, 70-85 (London-New York: Routledge, 2019)

“Shylock’s Venice and the Grammar of the Modern City.” Sergio Costola and Michael Saenger. In Shakespeare and the Italian Renaissance: Appropriation, Transformation, Opposition. Edited by Michele Marrapodi, 147-162 (Burlington: Ashgate, 2014)

“The Force of Theatre.”  In The Movement Culture of the Actor in the 21^st Century. 40 Years Stage Movement Department and 60 Years NATFA “Krustyo Sarafiv,” 203-212 (Sofia, 2009)

“La prima rappresentazione dei Suppositi di Ariosto nel 1509.”  In Lucrezia Borgia. Storia e Mito. Edited by Paolo Trovato and Michele Bordin, 75-96 (Florence: L. S. Olschki, 2006)

Book Reviews:

“The Spectacle of Clouds, 1439-1650 by Alessandra Buccheri.” Renaissance Quarterly 69.1 (Spring 2016): 233-234

“Paris/Artaud/Bali: Antonin Artaud vede il teatro balinese all’Esposizione Coloniale di Parigi del 1931 by Nicola Savarese.”  Asian Theatre Journal (Spring 2003): 253-55

Dramaturgy:

2022                 GHOST Unit: The Live Event (dir. CB Goodman). Kennedy Center American Colleges Theater Festival. Region 6. Virtual Festival 54 (February 24-27) and Festival Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland (August 3-14)

2021                 GHOST Unit: The Live Event (dir. CB Goodman). Jones Theater, Southwestern University, Georgetown, Texas

2017                Don Juan Project: A Lecture Performance (Dir. Paul Gaffney). Alma Thomas Theater, Southwestern University, Georgetown, Texas

2011                Hypatia.  (Dir. Alexandar Iliev). Rhodopi Dramatichen Teatar, (Smolyan, Bulgaria)

2007-2011       Resident Dramaturg for the Rhodopi International Theater Laboratory

2010                Orlando Furioso.  (Dir. Alexandar Iliev). Rhodopi Dramatichen Teatar, (Smolyan, Bulgaria)

2009                National Premiere of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America (dir. Jared J. Stein).  Opened December 30, 2009 at the Dramski Teatar, Skopje, Macedonia

2008                Aristophanes’ The Birds. (Dir. Alexandar Iliev). Rhodopi Dramatichen Teatar, (Smolyan, Bulgaria)

2007                The Virgin and the Unicorn.  Rhodopi Dramatichen Teatar, (Smolyan, Bulgaria)

2007                William Wycherley’s The Country Wife (Dir. Jared J. Stein). Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones Theater (Southwestern University)

2006                Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens, and Terrence McNally’s A Man of No Importance (Dir. Rod Caspers). Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones Theater (Southwestern University)

2005                Tom Stoppard’s on the Razzle (Dir. Christie Moore). Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones Theater (Southwestern University)

2004                The Tony Kushner Project (Dir. Kathleen Juhl). Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones Theater (Southwestern University)

                        Euripides’ Medea (Dir. Elena Araoz). Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones Theater (Southwestern University)

2001                Ionesco’s Macbett (Dir. Adam Shive).  UCLA

Playwriting/Translations:

2017                Don Juan Project: A Lecture Performance (Dir. Paul Gaffney). Alma Thomas Theater, Southwestern University, Georgetown, Texas

2011                Hypatia.  (Dir. Alexandar Iliev). Rhodopi Dramatichen Teatar, (Smolyan, Bulgaria)

2010                Orlando Furioso.  (Dir. Alexandar Iliev). Rhodopi Dramatichen Teatar, (Smolyan, Bulgaria)

2010                Co-translated with Tania Karbova.  Maria Stankova’s Pinocchio vietato ai bambini.  Festival Internazionale dei Burattini (Parma, 1-4 Luglio)

2010                Co-translated with Tania Karbova.  Maria Stankova’s La Grande Chisciottata (Dir. Veselka Kuncheva, Sofia Puppet Theatre).  Festival Internazionale dei Burattini (Parma, 1-4 Luglio)

2009                Co-written with Jason Hoogerhyde and Kim Smith.  The Color of Dissonance.  An Opera in Five Scenes.  Music by Jason Hoogerhyde (Dir. Alexandar Iliev). Alma Thomas Theatre (Southwestern University)

2009                Co-written with Jared Stein (Dir. Rick Roemer). Extremely Important Stories or the Truth About Spiders.  Rhodopi Dramatichen Teatar, (Smolyan, Bulgaria)

2007                Co-written with Alexandar Iliev.  The Virgin and the Unicorn.  Rhodopi Dramatichen Teatar (Smolyan, Bulgaria)

Directing:

 2009               Co-directed with Rick Roemer.  Sergio Costola and Jared J. Stein’s Extremely Important Stories or the Truth About Spiders.  Rhodopi Dramatichen Teatar, (Smolyan, Bulgaria) [TYA]

2008                Co-directed with Rick Roemer.  Barry Kornhauser’s This Is Not a Pipe Dream. Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones Theater (Southwestern University) [TYA]

2006                Assistant Director. Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens, and Terrence McNally’s A Man of No Importance (Dir. Rod Caspers). Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones Theater (Southwestern University)

Workshops/Master Classes Taught:

“The Dramaturgy of Commedia dell’Arte.”  7-day workshop. National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts, Sofia-Bulgaria (April 2010)

“Commedia dell’Arte Masks and Scenarios.”  7-day workshop. American Art Semester in Bulgaria.  Vassil Indzhev Spring Laboratory & Theatredreams (April 2010)

“Theatre Anthropology.” 2-hour Master Class. National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts, Sofia-Bulgaria (March 21, 2008)

“The Five Basic Principles of Theatre Anthorpology.” 4-day workshop.  National       Academy of Theatre and Film Arts, Sofia-Bulgaria (March 17-20, 2008)

“The Five Basic Principles of Theatre Anthropology.”  4-day workshop.  Smolyan,     Bulgaria. Rhodopi International Theater Collective (July-August 2007)

“Teaching Theatre and Social Change.”  Workshop developed in collaboration with Professors Kathleen Juhl (SU,) Ann Elizabeth Armstrong (Miami University of Ohio,) and student Lindsey Smith (SU). Pedagogy & Theatre of the Oppressed Conference, Minneapolis (May 31-June 3, 2007)

“The Tony Kushner Project: Pedagogical Musings in Retrospect.”  Workshop developed in collaboration with Professor Kathleen Juhl and students Clair Baker, Marie Draz, Liz Gumm, Liam Boyer, and Stephanie Dunbar. Pedagogy Symposium at the Mid-America Theatre Conference, Kansas City, MI (March 2005).

“Lucrezia Borgia Triumphal Chariot. Notes on Performance Documentation.” Keynote. RAPPRESENTARE GLI ESTE La comunicazione del potere Estense entro e oltre i confini della signoria Ferrara (May 23-25, 2024)

“The Battle of Polesella (1509): Diplomatic Relations and the Performing Arts.” Splendid Encounters Beyond The Truth: Misinformation and Credibility in Early Modern Diplomacy. Florence, Italy (October 12-14, 2022)

“Lucrezia Borgia and theatrical practice of women in elite society.” Memory and Performance: Classical Reception in Early Modern Festivals (15^th-18^th Century), organized by APGRD (Archive of Performances of Greek & Roman Drama). ­Parma, Italy (October 13-14, 2022).

“Theatre Education at a Crossroad: Lessons Learned during the Pandemic.” American Association of Colleges and Universities Conference on General Education, Pedagogy, and Assessment. San Diego, CA (February 10-12, 2022)

“CUR Creative Inquiry in the Arts and Humanities Institute (A&H).” Trinity University, San Antonio, TX (November 8-10, 2019)

“Polychronic Translation of Shakespeare.” Seminar led with Michael Saenger. European Shakespeare Research Association Conference. Università degli Studi Roma Tre, Italy (July 9–12, 2019)

“Lucrezia Borgia’s Theatre of Diplomacy (1509-1512).” Eighth Kings and Queens Conference, “Resilio Ergo Sum.” University of Catania, Italy (June 24-27, 2019)

“Lucrezia Borgia’s Performances at the Este Court (1503-1509).” Renaissance Society of America. Toronto, Canada (March 17-19, 2019)

“Lucrezia Borgia’s Performances at the Este Court.” Seventh Kings and Queens Conference, “Ruling Sexualities: Sexuality, Gender, and the Crown.” University of Winchester, United Kingdom (July 9–13, 2018)

NEH Summer Scholar ate the Summer Seminars and Institutes Program: Digital Technologies in Theatre and Performance Studies. University of Georgia, Athens (June 17–29, 2018)

“Improv(is)ing Interculturality through Five Centuries of Commedia dell’Arte: Mask and Play Innovation Across Disciplines and Cultures.” Panel with Nikole Pascetta and Oliver Crick. Global Improvisation Initiative Symposium. UC Irvine and Chapman University, Irvine (May 12-13, 2017)

“Poisoned Herbs of Thessaly.” English and Italian Hybridity: Intertextuality and Anatopicality. Renaissance Society of America, Chicago (March 29-April, 2017)

“Neo-Baroque Aspects of Societas Raffaello Sanzio’s Divina Commedia.” Intersections/Intersezioni. Florence, Italy (June 5-7, 2015)

“Mediterranean Go-Betweens: Shylock and Florio.” Renaissance Society of America. Berlin, Germany (March 24-26, 2015)

“Imaginary Space In Comedia Adaptation of Orlando Furioso.” Sixteenth Century Society and Conference. New Orleans, Louisiana (October 16-19, 2014)

“London’s Venice and Shylock’s Rialto.” 17^th Annual Mediterranean Studies Congress. Marbella, Spain (May 28-31, 2014)

“Basilio Locatelli’s Orlando furioso. Opera eroica rappresentativa.”  International Conference on Commedia dell’Arte: Crossing Boundaries: Commedia dell’ Arte Across Gender, Genre, and Geography. University of Windsor, Windsor Ontario Canada (February 15-17, 2013).

“William Wells Brown’s Panoramic Views.” The International Conference of the Image. San Sebastian, Spain (September 26-27, 2011)

“Byron’s Dramatic Theory.” The International Conference of the Arts in Society. Berlin, Germany (May 9-11, 2011)

Participation (invited) to The International Round Table on Theatre Anthropology.  The         National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts, Sophia, Bulgaria (March 20-23,            2008)

“William Wells Brown’s Panoramic Views.”  MATC Article-in-progress Workshop.  Kansas City, MO (February-March 2008)

 “The Importance of Theatre History and Historiography: Post-Positivist Does Not Necessarily Mean Postmodern.”  Seminar on “The Teaching of Theatre History and Historiography.”  American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR), Las Vegas, NV (November 2004)

“Cross-dressing and Female Masquerade in the 1509 Performance of Ludovico Ariosto’s I Suppositi.”  Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Binghamton, NY (October 2004)

“Seeing and Being Seen: Female Gaze and Representation in Italian Renaissance Theater.”  Renaissance Conference of Southern California, San Marino, CA (February 2004) and The 28^th Comparative Drama Conference, Columbus, OH (April 2004)

“Ludovico Ariosto’s Contrapuntal Dramaturgy: A Theatre of the Obscene.”  Renaissance Conference of Southern California, San Marino, CA (May 2003)

“Ludovico Ariosto and the Perspective Scene: The 1509 Performance of I Suppositi.” The 27^th Comparative Drama Conference, Columbus, OH (April 2003)

“Africanisms in August Wilson’s Jitney.”  The 26^th Comparative Drama Conference, Columbus, OH (April 2002)

“Byron’s Dramatic Theory: Writing for Theatre in an Age of Revolts.”  The Mid-America Theatre Conference (MATC), St. Louis, MO (March 2002)

“The 1509 Representation of Ariosto’s I Suppositi: Scenic and Dramaturgical Analysis.” International Conference “Lucrezia tra Letteratura e Storia.” University of  Ferrara, Italy (March 2002)

“Signifyin(g) upon the Great Chain of Being: William Wells Brown’s Identifications on the Abolitionist Platform.” American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR), Philadelphia, PA (November 2002)

“August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.”  Round Table. California State University, Northridge (2001)

“From Didacticism to Performance: William Wells Brown and the Abolitionist Platform.”  The 15^th Annual Conference of the Black Theatre Network (BTN), Winston-Salem, NC (July 2001)

“Dress-code in Renaissance Ferrara: The Case of Ercole I d’Este.”  1^st Seminar of the ‘Ente Ottava Medievale di Orte,’  Orte (Rome), Italy (November 1997)

“The Miracle of the Three Pilgrims.  A Textual Analysis of Its Different European  Versions.”  1^st Conference of the International Center of Studies ‘La Gerusalemme di San Vivaldo,’” San Vivaldo (Florence), Italy (July 1996)