By Kari Dickinson

The University of Wisconsin–Madison will host the Comparative Drama Conference (CDC) 2026 from July 9–11 at the Madison Concourse Hotel, bringing together an international community of artists and scholars for three days of presentations, performances, and dialogue exploring theatre research and production. 

Co-directed by Ann Shanahan and Baron Kelly, faculty members in the School of Education’s Department of Theatre and Drama, the conference is supported by the School of Education Dean’s Office through the Office of Professional Learning and Community Education (PLACE). The event will feature more than 150 presentations by UW–Madison students, alumni, faculty, and staff alongside artists and scholars from across North America and around the world.

Having attended the conference for many years, Shanahan and Kelly say they are especially excited to welcome colleagues to Madison. “We love the mix of small community and mentorship with world-class scholarship and artistry,” they said. “The conference is warm and interdisciplinary, very welcoming to students and scholars at every stage of career. We would be thrilled to have you join us!”

Founded by Karelisa Hartigan at the University of Florida in 1977, the Comparative Drama Conference is an international, interdisciplinary gathering of theatre and performance scholars. Each year, hundreds of participants present and discuss research in drama, theatre, and performance studies, while two new plays receive staged readings. Over nearly five decades, the conference has welcomed participants from all 50 states and more than 30 countries.

From 2025 through 2030, the conference is being co-hosted in alternating years by UW–Madison and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), strengthening international collaboration among theatre scholars, artists, and practitioners.

This year’s conference keynote address will be delivered by Jill Dolan, Annan Professor of English and professor of theater at Princeton University. A former faculty member in UW–Madison’s Department of Theatre and Drama, Dolan is widely recognized as one of the leading theatre and performance scholars of her generation.

Her influential scholarship includes “The Feminist Spectator as Critic,” a groundbreaking work in gender and performance, and “Utopia in Performance,” which examines the transformative potential of live performance and community. Organizers say Dolan’s work has had a profound impact on theatre, performance studies, and higher education.

Another featured event is the conference’s traditional Author Meets Critic plenary, which will spotlight Tina Post’s acclaimed book, “Deadpan: The Aesthetics of Black Inexpression.”

CDC 2026 will also include two staged readings of new plays, offering attendees the opportunity to experience works currently in development while highlighting contributions from students, faculty, staff, alumni, and guest artists.

The readings include: 

• “The Appliance Department,” written by Bella Poynton and directed by Micha Espinosa, with dramaturgy by Janna Segal and stage management by Bex Schmitt.
• “Alignment,” written by Monica Cross and directed by Jake Penner, with dramaturgy by Segal and stage management by Ruby Jean Dudasik.

Conference attendees will also have the option to attend two performances at American Players Theatre, which recently received the 2026 Tony Award for Best Regional Theatre. The optional excursions include Thornton Wilder’s “The Matchmaker” on July 9 and Anton Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya,” in a new adaptation by Nate Berger, on July 11.

The conference program spans a wide range of topics relevant to contemporary theatre-making and scholarship, including performance, directing, acting, design, dramaturgy, theatre history, social justice, disability studies, trauma-informed practice, and pedagogy.

Additional highlights include:

• A Teaching and Pedagogy Roundtable on Saturday morning
• A special American Players Theatre plenary featuring Artistic Director Brenda DeVita and Brian Cowing of Children’s Theater of Madison
• Programming presented by the American Theatre and Drama Society, the Thornton Wilder Society, and the Edward Albee Society
• A multi-session Disability in Performance series
• A new Professional Development Series for conference participants

For more information, including the full conference schedule and book of abstracts, visit the Comparative Drama Conference website.