Elizabeth J Wellman
Assistant Professor
Elizabeth Wellman is a theatre/cultural studies historian and a stage director. As a teacher, Dr. Wellman champions student autonomy and growth, project-based learning, with a curriculum rooted in respect for history and practical application across disciplines.
Education
PhD in Theatre History, Literature, & Criticism, The Ohio State University.
MA in Theatre, The Ohio State University.
BA in Theatre, Adams State College.
Specialization in Teaching
THR 121: Introduction to Theatre
THR 121 Honors: Introduction to Theatre
THR 165: Playscript Analysis
THR 318: Devising Theatre
THR 321: Theatre History I
THR 322: Theatre History II
THR 366: Black American Theatre History
THR 367: Women in Theatre History
THR 370: Theories of Theatre and Performance
Research Interests
Her dissertation Taught It to the Trade: Rose La Rose and the Re-Ownership of American Burlesque, 1935-1972 troubles the public discourse around American burlesque, an art form forced to operate as simultaneously legitimate and illegitimate, both desirable and degenerate. As a cultural historian, Dr. Wellman specializes in the history of women’s labor on the popular American stage, working with primary source archives across the United States. Her current research works to recover and reframe women’s stage labor in burlesque, vaudeville, chorus lines, and pop music, forms long associated with so-called girlishness and frivolity. With the upcoming release of Taylor Swift's twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, Dr. Wellman plans to continue connecting her scholarship from popular culture to theatre and performance histories. As a director, her creative research focuses on devising practices and ensemble-centered storytelling. Recent directing projects at UNCW include Fight Girl, Battle World by Qui Nguyen (2022) and Everybody by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (2024).
Professional Service
Faculty Mentor, The Lab at the Department of Theatre
Chair, Auxiliary Season Committee
Faculty Advisor, UNCW Swift Society