There are no literal monsters in Lucy Thurber's Monstrosity, and yet the title invites us to think about how monsters are made, both literally and figuratively. What does it mean to be a monster? How do cultures produce ideas of the monstrous? Does monstrosity change over time? Dr. Stevi Costa will provide a brief lecture on the social construct of the monstrous in American literature and culture as a framework for understanding the curious title of Lucy Thurber's play.
Dr. Costa is a Lecturer in the Department of English at the University of Washington, where she earned her PhD in 2016. Her dissertation focuses on freak shows in contemporary American literature, drama, and performance art through feminist, queer, and disability studies frameworks. A performer herself, Costa is interested in finding the intersections of theory, practice, and the material body on the stage and on the page.
Join us for a brief but rich pre-show talk in the downstairs classroom space in the Penthouse Theatre before the first matinee performance of Monstrosity. Coffee and cookies will be provided.
This pre-show talk is free and open to the public. To purchase tickets for the 2:00 PM matinee performance of Monstrosity, visit ArtsUW.
LOBBY TALKS is a new initiative of the UW School of Drama designed to offer audiences a deeper look into the questions posed by the work on our stages, and to provide audiences access to the incredible scholarship here at the University of Washington. If you have feedback about LOBBY TALKS, please contact School of Drama Director of Engagement Holly Arsenault at hollypla@uw.edu.