Peter Zazzali
Room 214B
Dr. Zazzali is an internationally recognized scholar/artist who teaches acting, directing, and directs for the Department of Theatre. His research areas include acting theory, actor training, sociology of theatre, and the history of the US not-for-profit theatre, all of which constitute his current book project examining the role of BFA/MFA acting schools relative to the professional theatre. His publications appear in such journals as Theatre Topics, Journal of American Drama and Theatre, Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism, PAJ, CIBS, The European Legacy, Western European Stages, and Theatre Journal. His book, Acting in the Academy: The History of Professional Actor Training in US Higher Education was released by Routledge in April of 2016.
In addition to KU, Dr. Zazzali has taught a wide range of courses at institutions such as the Western Australian Academy of the Performing Arts, American Musical and Dramatic Academy, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Colby College, CUNY, and Cornell University. A member of Actors Equity (AEA), the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), he has directed and/or acted in more than 100 productions in the professional theatre, including work with such prestigious organizations as the Acting Company, the Guthrie, PCPA Theaterfest, George Street Playhouse, Ensemble Studio Theatre, and the New Jersey, Texas, and Utah Shakespearean Festivals.
Teaching Interests
- Acting
- Directing
- Theatre History
Research
My work as a scholar/artist includes practical work as an actor and director, as well as scholarly publications and participation at major conferences in the field of theatre and performance, and workshops on both national and international levels.
Research Interests
- Acting
- Actor Training
- Directing
- Theatre History
- Sociology of Theatre
Selected Publications
Zazzali, P. (2016). Acting in the Academy: The History of Professional Actor Training in US Higher Education , New York, NY: Routledge Press (Taylor and Francis Group).
Zazzali, P. (2016). Starstruck! The Phenomenological Affect of Celebrity on Broadway. Journal of American Drama and Theatre.
Zazzali, P., & Klein, J. (2015). Towards Revising Undergraduate Theatre Curriculum. Theatre Topics, 25(3), 259-274.
Zazzali, P. (2015). Introduction . Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism , 29(2).
Zazzali, P., & Meier, P. (2014). Trust and Communication in the Director/Voice Coach Collaboration: A Case Study of Much Ado About Nothing at the University of Kansas . Voice and Speech Review , 8(3), 250-60.
Zazzali, P. (2014). An Examination of the Actor's Double-Consciousness Through Stanislavski's Conceptualization of 'Artistic Truth' . Stanislavski Studies ,(4), 47-65.
Zazzali, P. (2014). We're All in this Together, Right? How Kansas City Actor's Theatre Uses a Collective Ethos to Keep Its Actors and Audiences Happy. American Theatre , 31(5), 34-37.
Zazzali, P. (2013). The Role of Theatre in Society: a Comparative Analysis of the Socio-cultural Theories of Brecht, Benjamin, and Adorno. The European Legacy, 18(6), 685-697.
Zazzali, P. (2013). Actor Training in New York City . Performing Arts Journal, 35(1).
Zazzali, P. (2010). Let Our Freak Flags Fly: Shrek the Musical and the Branding of Diversity. Theatre Journal, 62(2), 151-172.
Selected Work
Director, The Motherf*cker With The Hat, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia, 06/30/2017
Director, Pooter McGraw Is Not Dead Party, KU Theatre, Lawrence, KS, 11/30/2016
Director, The Fever, Actors Repertory Theatre Luxembourg, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, 10/31/2016
Director, Angel Street, Kansas Repertory Theatre, Lawrence, KS, 06/30/2016
Director, Waiting for Godot, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia, 05/31/2016
Director, Durang/Durang, Guthrie Theatre/University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 04/30/2016
Director, The Good Doctor, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Perth, Australia, 07/31/2015
Director, Scenes at the Inge House, William Inge Center, Independence, KS, 03/31/2015
Director, Grace, or the Art of Climbing, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ, 02/28/2015
Artist in Residence, 12/31/1969 - 01/31/2015 Acting Shakespeare.
Director, The Comedy of Errors, Shakespeare, Kansas Repertory Theatre, Lawrence, KS, 06/01/2014 - 07/31/2014
Director, The Frenchy Bernadone Show, John Gronbeck-Tedesco, Kansas City Fringe Festival, Kansas City, KS, 05/01/2014 - 07/31/2014
Director, Tybalt and Mercutio Live!, Walt Vail, Manhattan Repertory Theatre, Theatre Row, NYC, 01/01/2014 - 04/30/2014
Director, The Liar, (David Ives adaptation of Corneille’s original), Texas Shakespeare Festival, Kilgore, TX, 06/30/2012
Director, Romeo and Juliet, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ, 01/31/2012
Director, An Evening of Tennessee Williams One-Acts, American Musical and Dramatic Academy, NYC, 03/31/2011
Director, Deer Season, NJ Repertory Theatre, Long Branch, NJ, 10/31/2006
Director, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Guthrie Theatre/University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 04/30/2006
Director, The Underpants, Shadowlawn Summerstage, Long Branch, NJ, 07/31/2005
Director, The Turn of the Screw, (recognized by the Asbury Park Press as runner-up for ‘best professional theatre in NJ for 2004’), Shadowlawn Summerstage, Long Branch, NJ, 07/31/2004
Director, The Lone Prairie, NJ Repertory Theatre, Long Branch, NJ, 02/28/2004
Director, Gemini, Shadowlawn Summerstage, Long Branch, NJ, 07/31/2003
Actor, American Dreams Lost and Found, NYC, 04/30/2003
Actor, As You Like It, NYC, 04/30/2003
Actor, The Tempest, NYC, 04/30/2003
Director, Angel Street, Shadowlawn Summerstage, Long Branch, NJ, 06/30/2002
Director, Andrea, Manhattan Theater Source, NYC, 04/30/2002
Director, Dial M for Murder, Shadowlawn Summerstage, Long Branch, NJ, 06/30/2001
Actor, Tamburlaine, NYC, 04/30/2001
Actor, Merry Wives of Windsor, Utah Shakespearean Festival, Cedar City, UT, 08/31/2000
Actor, The Cherry Orchard, Utah Shakespearean Festival, Cedar City, UT, 08/31/2000
Actor, Harvey, Shakespearean Theatre of Maine, Monmouth, ME, 08/31/1999
Actor, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespearean Theatre of Maine, Monmouth, ME, 08/31/1999
Actor, The Comedy of Errors, Shakespearean Theatre of Maine, Monmouth, ME, 08/31/1999
Actor, The Lion in Winter, Shakespearean Theatre of Maine, Monmouth, ME, 08/31/1999
Actor, King John, Utah Shakespearean Festival, Cedar City, UT, 08/31/1998
Actor, Romeo and Juliet, Utah Shakespearean Festival, Cedar City, UT, 08/31/1998
Actor, The Taming of the Shrew, Utah Shakespearean Festival, Cedar City, UT, 08/31/1998
Actor, The Winters Tale, Shakespearean Festival of NJ, Madison, NJ, 08/31/1996
Actor, Othello, Portland, ME, 12/31/1995
Selected Presentations
Zazzali, P. (11/30/2016). Acting Down Under: The Socio-politics of Australian Actor Training. American Society for Theatre Research . Minneapolis, MN
Zazzali, P. (10/31/2016). Approaches to Psychophysical Acting . Actors Repertory Theatre Luxembourg . Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
Zazzali, P. (08/31/2016). The Actor’s Warm-up: Preparing the Performer’s Mind and Body for Theatrical Work and Play. Association for Theatre in Higher Education . Chicago, IL
Zazzali, P. (08/31/2016). Theorizing Practice: How Does Practice Facilitate Research and Research Guide Practice? Association for Theatre in Higher Education . Chicago, IL
Zazzali, P. (06/30/2016). De-familiarizing the Self: The Function of Consciousness in Brechtian Acting. International Federation for Theatre Research . Stockholm, Sweden
Zazzali, P. (02/28/2016). Acting in the Academy: The History of Actor Training in US Higher Education . University of Lincoln . Lincoln, UK
Zazzali, P. (02/28/2016). Stanislavsky's Legacy in America . Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance . London, UK
Zazzali, P. (01/31/2016). Embodying Shakespeare's Language . International Theatre School of Ireland (Gaiety School). Dublin, Ireland
Zazzali, P. (11/30/2015). Earning Promotion: The Material Realities Facing Pre-Tenured Theatre Faculty . American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR). Portland, OR
Zazzali, P. (07/31/2015). Acting Modern Drama: an Integrated Pedagogy Steeped in Sociocultural History and Artistic Praxis. Association for Theater in Higher Education (ATHE). Montreal, Canada
Zazzali, P. (07/31/2015). Remembering to Listen: the Relationship Between Director and Voice/Dialect Coach/Designer. ATHE. Montreal, Canada
Zazzali, P. (03/31/2015). O for a Muse!: Deploying a Genealogy of Acting Theory/Practice to Access Inspiration . Mid-America Theatre Conference. Kansas City, MO
Zazzali, P. (11/01/2014 - 11/30/2014). Now Playing New Media: Examining the Tangled Relationship Between Digital Technology and Stage Actors Through the Lens of the Spectacular. ASTR. Baltimore, MD
