Dr Jennifer Parker-Starbuck

 

Job Title: Senior Lecturer Qualifications: Ph.D. Telephone: +44 (0)20 8392 3851 Email Address: J.Parker-starbuck@roehampton.ac.uk

Academic Activities and Interests

Jennifer is a Senior Lecturer in Drama, Theatre, and Performance Studies. She is currently the Undergraduate Programme Convenor for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies. Her work has focused upon the historical and theoretical implications of new media/multimedia and its relationship to the live body in performance. This work with multimedia has expanded to include work on cyborg performance, trauma and memory in performance, dis/ability in performance, feminism, animality and the non-human, and live art practices. She has studied avant-garde and experimental theatre in both theory and practice and has a degree from Tisch School of the Arts where she attended the Experimental Theatre Wing and the Directing Programme. She is also interested in practices and applications of contemporary acting, directing, and theatre-making as well as contemporary American and European performance.

Research Supervision

Supervisory interests extend to multimedia/technological practices, animality and non-human performance, performance and trauma/memory, contemporary avant-garde performance, American performance, as well as more general issues of pedagogy, critical writing, and interdisciplinary performance studies work.

Editorial Positions

Assistant Editor, PAJ: A Journal of Performance and Art, Bonnie Marranca, Editor
Associate Editor, International Journal of Performance Arts and Digital Media, Dave Collins, Editor
Contributing Editor, Western European Stages, Marvin Carlson, Editor

Conference Papers

2009
• Co-Convenor, Body and Performance Working Group TaPRA (Theatre and Performance Research Association) Conference, University of Plymouth, 7-9 September 2009, Paper: “Reflective Viewing: Orlan’s Hybridized Harlequin, Bacon, Banksy, and the Animal-Human Divide”
• Panel organizer, “Performing Animality, Risking Hybridity.” Paper: “Reflective Viewing: Orlan’s Hybridized Harlequin, the Forms of Francis Bacon, and the Animal-Human Divide” Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE 2009), New York, NY 8-11 August 2009
• Co-Convenor, Mixed-Media Performance Working Group, with Jessica Chalmers, for the Performance Studies Focus Group Preconference, ATHE 2009, NY, NY, 7 July 2009
• “Reflective Viewing: Orlan’s Hybridized Harlequin, the Forms of Francis Bacon, and the Animal-Human Divide” PSi 15, Zagreb, Croatia, 24-29 June 2009

2008
• Seeing Through the Lens: Producing Labor in New Media Productions in Panel, accepted for the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE 2008), Denver, CO July 2008

2007
• A Proliferation of Pigs: Intersections in Art, Waste, and Bodies, PSi 13, Performance Studies International Conference, New York University, 8-11 November 2007
• ReTransmitting Bodies: The Wooster Group’s Hamlet as Cultural (Dis) Embodiment, TaPRA (Theatre and Performance Research Association) Conference, University of Birmingham, 7-9 September 2007
• The Play-within-the-film-within-the-play’s the thing: Retransmitting Performance in the Wooster Group’s Hamlet in Panel “Re-Performance Transmissions and Mutations: Regenerating Performance in the work of Socìetas Raffaello Sanzio, Marina Abramović, and The Wooster Group,” Association for Theatre in Higher Education(ATHE 2007), New Orleans, LA July 2007
• Invited Respondent, “Local Intersections: ATHE Walks New Orleans,” ATHE 2007, New Orleans, LA July 2007
• Co-Convenor, Mixed-Media Performance Working Group, with Jessica Chalmers, for the Performance Studies Focus Group Preconference, “Regeneration and Return: Performance Studies in New Orleans” ATHE 2007, New Orleans, LA July 2007

2006
• The Body in the Void, the Void in the Body: Plumbing the Ethical Depths of Waste, TaPRA (Theatre and Performance Research Association) Conference, Central School of Speech and Drama, London, 7-9 September 2006
• The Body in the Void, the Void in the Body: Terri Schiavo, Paul McCarthy, and Plumbing the Depths of Waste, in Series: “Think Tank 5: Irrationality and Global Capital,” Association for Theatre in Higher Education, (ATHE 2006), Chicago, IL, 3-6 August 2006
• Chair and Respondent for Performing Glam Rock: An Interdisciplinary Roundtable with Phil Auslander, Accepted for the Association for Theatre in Higher Education, (ATHE 2006), Chicago, IL, 3-6 August 2006
• A Paper of Three Cases and Random Thoughts; Or, Writing Out of a Void/Avoiding Writing
In panel Needs Must? Performance, Bio-power and the Staging of Ethics, PSi 12, Performance Studies International Conference, Queen Mary University, London, June 2006

2005
• Becoming Cyborg: Positioning , TaPRA (Theatre and Performance Research Association) Inaugural Conference, University of Manchester, September 2005
• Lost in Space?: International Telemarketing and Disembodied Americanness, in Series “Response/Ability: Exporting America 1-4 ,” Association for Theatre in Higher Education(ATHE 2005), San Francisco, CA, July/August 2005
• The Cyborg Furure: Transmuting Performance, Center for Performance Research International Gathering, Aberystwyth, Wales, April 2005
• Performing Expatriation: The ‘Dumb’ American, and Becoming Uncomfortable, papers at Performance Studies International Conference 2005, Brown University, Rhode Island, March-April 2005

2004
• Seminar leader, Volatile Stages: Spectacular Theatre and the Theatre of Spectacle, American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR 2004), Las Vegas, Nevada, November 2004
• Driving the Performance of Memory: Bodies, Vehicles, Archives, in Seminar “Safe/House:Home/Less#2: Housing the Performance of Memory,” Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE 2004), Toronto, Canada, July/August 2004
• Co-convener, Mixed-Media Performance Working Group, with Jessica Chalmers, for the Second Annual Performance Studies Focus Group Preconference, “Growing a Discipline?” 28-29 July, 2004, Toronto, Canada
• “The Cyborg Theatre: American Interventions in Multimedia” 2nd International Conference on American Theatre, “Acting America: The Plays and the Players” University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain, 18-21 May 2004

2003
• Dancing in the Archive: Historical Remnants of Performance, in Seminar “Performance Art Documentation,” Seminar Leaders, Laurie Beth Clark and Michael Peterson. American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR 2003), Durham, NC, November 2003
• Animates and Robots: On the Performative Limits of “Human,” in the panel “Refreshing Language/Reanimating Performance 2: Non-Human Performance,” Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE 2003), New York City, August 2003
• Dissertation Writing Symposium, Tufts University. Invited Participant. 17 April 2003.

2002
• Stages of Technology: The Re-Materialization of the Cyborg Theatre Body in The Wooster Group’s To You, The Birdie!, in Seminar “De-Materialized Performance,” Seminar Leaders, Jill Lane and Jon McKenzie. American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR 2002), Philadelphia, PA, November 2002
• Long Circuit: Performing Bodies in the Age of Global Technologies, as part of the Globalization Series, Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE 2002), San Diego, CA, August 2002
• Chair and organizer, Perform—or Else, by Jon McKenzie. A roundtable discussion, Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE 2002), San Diego, CA, July 2002
• Participant, “Dreams and Nightmares: Re-imagining Responsibility After 9-11,” a discussion session, Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE 2002), San Diego, CA, August 2002
• Framing the Fragments: The Wooster Group’s Use of Technology, The Wooster Group and its Tradition, International Conference organized by the Free University of Brussels, Kaaitheater, Brussels, May 2002

2001
• Cyborg Theatre, in Seminar “Virtual Reality and Performance,” Seminar Leader: Sue-Ellen Case. American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR 2001), San Diego CA, November 2001
• Slipping Through Nets: The Performance of Gendered Cyborgs, Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE 2001), Chicago, IL, August 2001
• A Roundtable Discussion on Technology and Disability, Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE 2001), Chicago, IL, August 2001
• How to Define the Tech (no) body? Cathy Weis's Interactive Internet Experiments, Society for Dance History Scholars, Goucher College, Towson, MD, June 2001
• Terminating Trauma: Finding Solace in the Cyborg, Performance Studies International Conference 2001, Mainz, Germany, March 2001

2000
• Where is the Tech (no) Body? Constructing a Cyborg Theatre, Performative Sites: Intersecting Art, Technology and the Body, Penn State, State College, PA, October 2000
• We are NOT Borg: A Panel on New Media in Performance, Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE 2000), Washington, D.C., August 2000
• A Roundtable Discussion of Liveness, with Philip Auslander, Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE 2000), Washington, D.C., August 2000
• Cyberspatialities: Geography, Liveness, and Technology in the Performance of Cathy Weis, Performance Studies International Conference 2000, Phoenix, AZ, March 2000

Publications

(2009) “The play-within-the-film-within-the-play’s the thing: re-transmitting analogue bodies in the Wooster Group’s Hamlet” , International Journal of Performance Arts and Digital Media,, 5.1.

with Josh Abrams (2009) “Thriving in Hard Times: The Contemporary London Scene” , Western European Stages , 21.2.

(2008) “Pig Bodies and Vegetative States: Diagnosing the Symptoms of a Culture of Excess”, Women and Performance: A Journal of Feminist Theory, 18.2.

(2007) “Accessible Shakespeare: Propeller Company’s Twelfth Night and Kneehigh Company’s Cymbeline”, Western European Stages, Winter, co-authored with Josh Abrams.

(2007) “Betwixt and Between: Youthful Vitality and Renewal in a 2,300 Year-Old City.” (11th Europe Theatre Prize, Thessaloniki, Greece), PAJ: A Journal of Performance and Art, 88, 30.1, co-authored with Josh Abrams.

(2007) “Politics and the Classics: Europe Theatre Prize Edition X, BCN Grec Festival 30” , PAJ: A Journal of Performance and Art, 85, 29.1, co-authored with Josh Abrams.

(2006) “Disembodied Sites: The Builders’ Association and the Performance of Globalization” , Performance and Place.

(2006) “Becoming-Animate: On the Performed Limits of ‘Human’” , Theatre Journal, 58.4.

Eds., Kirby Malone and Gail Scott White (2006) “Musings on Multimedia: The Cyborg Theatre and Beyond”, Live Movies: A Field Guide to New Media for the Performing Arts,.

(2005) "London Calling", PAJ: A Journal of Performance and Art, XXVII, No. 3, co-authored with Josh Abrams, 38-44.

(2005) "Shifting Strengths: The Cyborg Theater of Cathy Weis", Bodies in Commotion: Disability and Performance, eds. Carrie Sandahl and Philip Auslander , 95-108.

(2004) “Global Friends: Alladeen at the Brooklyn Academy of Music” , [i]PAJ: A Journal of Performance and Art[/] , 77.

(2004) "Framing the Fragments: The Wooster Group's Use of Technology", The Wooster Group and its Traditions, Johan Callens, ed., 217-228.

(2004) “London Stages: Winter 2004”, Western European Stages, 16.2, co-authored with Josh Abrams.

(2003) “The Body Electric: Cathy Weis at Dance Theatre Workshop” , PAJ: A Journal of Performance and Art, 74.

Research Projects Undertaken

Currently working a book project, (contracted with Palgrave) entitled, Cyborg Theatre: Corporeal/Technological Intersections in Multimedia

Preparing an AHRC bid, "Performing Animality"

Membership of professional bodies

ATHE (Association for Theatre in Higher Education): Performance Studies Focus Group Representative 2004-2006; PSFG Preconference co-founder and organizer 2003-2006; Conference Committee member 2007, New Orleans

ASTR (American Society for Theatre Research)

TaPRA (Theatre and Performance Research Association): Co-Convenor with Roberta Mock, Performance and the Body Working Group

PSi (Performance Studies international)

Qualification Details

Ph.D., City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center, New York City, 2003

PGCHE, Roehampton University, 2008

Teaching Expertise

Jennifer teaches both theoretical/historical, and practical based courses such as: New Media and Performance, Approaches to Acting, Directing, Feminism and Performance, Live Art and Performance, Ethics and Analysing Performance, and Metatheatre.
She also works to supervise and devise productions with students in the Studio Theatre Production class.

Consultancy Expertise

Board Member, Curious, Leslie Hill and Helen Paris, directors.