
Debra Leah Caplan
Assc Professor
Weissman School of Arts and Sciences
Department: Fine & Performing Arts
Areas of expertise: Yiddish theater, Jewish performance, theater history, traveling and diasporic theater, digital humanities
Email Address: debra.caplan@baruch.cuny.edu
> View CV- Biography
- Teaching
- Research and Creative Activity
- Grants
- Honors and Awards
- Service
Debra Caplan is an Associate Professor of Theatre specializing in world theater, Yiddish theater and drama, theatrical travel and Jewish performance culture. Her book, Yiddish Empire: The Vilna Troupe, Jewish Theater, and the Art of Itinerancy, was published by University of Michigan Press in 2018 and received awards from the Theatre Library Association and the Modern Language Association. Her writing has also appeared in Theatre Journal, Theatre Survey, Modern Drama, Comparative Drama, Aschkenas, New England Theatre Journal, Performance Research, Pakn Treger, and American Theatre Magazine.
Professor Caplan is the co-founder of the Digital Yiddish Theater Project (www.yiddishstage.org), an international digital publication platform on Yiddish drama and performance.
She is currently working on an edited collection, The Dybbuk Century: The Jewish Play That Possessed The World (University of Michigan Press, forthcoming October 2023), and a book about the Yiddish actress Molly Picon.
Education
Ph.D., Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University Cambridge MA
B.A., Theater, Jewish Studies, Hampshire College
Semester | Course Prefix | Course Number | Course Name |
---|---|---|---|
Fall 2024 | JWS | 4900 | Mapping the Jewish Experience |
Fall 2024 | THEA | 70100 | Theatre Research&Bibiography |
Spring 2024 | THEA | 82500 | Directed Independent Study |
Fall 2023 | THE | 3060 | Immigration on Stage & Screen |
Fall 2023 | IDC | 4050H | Hon Feit Hum Sem I |
Fall 2023 | JWS | 3070 | Jewish Humor |
Fall 2023 | THE | 1041 | Introduction to Theatre Arts |
Fall 2023 | THE | 5000 | Independent Study Theater I |
Spring 2023 | THE | 3045 | Principles of Directing |
Spring 2023 | THE | 3020 | Applied Theatre Workshop |
Fall 2022 | JWS | 3950 | Special Topics in Jewish Studi |
Fall 2022 | JWS | 3950 | Special Topics in Jewish Studi |
Fall 2022 | THE | 1041 | Introduction to Theatre Arts |
Fall 2022 | THE | 4102 | Selected Topics |
Fall 2022 | THE | 3042 | History of Theatre |
Spring 2021 | THE | 1041 | Introduction to Theatre Arts |
Spring 2021 | THE | 5000 | Independent Study Theater I |
Fall 2020 | THE | 1041 | Introduction to Theatre Arts |
Fall 2020 | THE | 3042 | History of Theatre |
Spring 2020 | JWS | 4900 | Mapping the Jewish Experience |
Spring 2020 | THE | 1041 | Introduction to Theatre Arts |
Spring 2020 | THE | 3045 | Principles of Directing |
Spring 2020 | THE | 4102 | Selected Topics |
Fall 2019 | THE | 3042 | History of Theatre |
Fall 2019 | THE | 3020 | Applied Theatre Workshop |
Spring 2019 | THE | 5000 | Independent Study Theater I |
Spring 2019 | THE | 5000 | Independent Study Theater I |
Spring 2019 | THE | 3045 | Principles of Directing |
Spring 2019 | JWS | 5000 | Independent Study JWS I |
Spring 2019 | THE | 5000 | Independent Study Theater I |
Fall 2018 | JWS | 3060 | Immigration on Stage & Screen |
Fall 2018 | FPA | 5002 | Independent Study FPA III |
Fall 2018 | THE | 1041 | Introduction to Theatre Arts |
Fall 2018 | THE | 3060 | Immigration on Stage & Screen |
Fall 2018 | THE | 5000 | Independent Study Theater I |
Spring 2018 | IDC | 4050H | Hon Feit Hum Sem I |
Spring 2018 | THE | 5000 | Independent Study Theater I |
Spring 2018 | FPA | 5000 | Independent Study FPA I |
Spring 2018 | FPA | 5000 | Independent Study FPA I |
Spring 2018 | FPA | 5000 | Independent Study FPA I |
Spring 2018 | THE | 5000 | Independent Study Theater I |
Spring 2018 | THE | 5000 | Independent Study Theater I |
Spring 2018 | THE | 5000 | Independent Study Theater I |
Fall 2017 | FPA | 5070 | Arts Administration Internship |
Fall 2017 | THE | 3042 | History of Theatre |
Fall 2017 | THE | 4102 | Selected Topics |
Fall 2017 | THE | 5001 | Independent Study Theater II |
Spring 2017 | HEB | 5000 | Independent Study Hebrew I |
Spring 2017 | THE | 3045 | Principles of Directing |
Spring 2017 | FPA | 5070 | Arts Administration Internship |
Spring 2017 | THE | 5000 | Independent Study Theater I |
Fall 2016 | JWS | 3060 | Immigration on Stage & Screen |
Fall 2016 | THE | 3060 | Immigration on Stage & Screen |
Fall 2016 | IDC | 4050H | Hon Feit Hum Sem I |
Fall 2016 | THE | 1041 | Introduction to Theatre Arts |
Summer 2016 | FPA | 5070 | Arts Administration Internship |
Spring 2016 | JWS | 6002H | Honors Jewish Studies |
Spring 2016 | THE | 5000 | Independent Study Theater I |
Spring 2016 | THE | 3042 | History of Theatre |
Spring 2016 | THE | 1041 | Introduction to Theatre Arts |
Fall 2015 | JWS | 6001H | Honors Jewish Studies |
Summer 2015 | FPA | 5070 | Arts Administration Internship |
Spring 2015 | THE | 5000 | Independent Study Theater I |
Spring 2015 | THE | 5000 | Independent Study Theater I |
Spring 2015 | THE | 3045 | Principles of Directing |
Fall 2014 | THE | 1041 | Introduction to Theatre Arts |
Fall 2014 | THE | 1041 | Introduction to Theatre Arts |
Fall 2014 | FPA | 5070 | Arts Administration Internship |
Summer 2014 | FPA | 5070 | Arts Administration Internship |
Spring 2014 | FPA | 5071 | Arts Administration Internship |
Spring 2014 | JWS | 4900 | Mapping the Jewish Experience |
Spring 2014 | THE | 4102 | Selected Topics |
Spring 2014 | THE | 1041 | Introduction to Theatre Arts |
Spring 2014 | THE | 5000 | Independent Study Theater I |
Fall 2013 | THE | 1041 | Introduction to Theatre Arts |
Fall 2013 | THE | 1041 | Introduction to Theatre Arts |
Artistic and Creative Activities
Caplan, D. L. (2022). Singer of Warsaw.
Caplan, D. L. (2022). God, Man, and Devil.
Caplan, D. (2019). The Jewish Question. Baruch Jewish Studies Center.
Caplan, D. (2019). Roosevelt's Guests (Dramaturg).
Caplan, D. (2017). I Spy a Spy.
Caplan, D. (2016). Marco Millions.
Caplan, D. (2016). The World On Stage: An Evening of Micro-Plays in Translation. CUNY Center for the Humanities / Mellon Foundation.
Caplan, D. (2016). The Material World. Polyphone Festival.
Caplan, D. (2015). Toyt fun a saylsman / Death of a Salesman.
Caplan, D. (2014). Uriel Acosta: I Want That Man.
Caplan, D. (2013). The * Inn.
Caplan, D. L. Paper Brigade. In Progress.
Books
Caplan, D. (2023). Lives My Father Told Me: A Family Tapestry. In Progress.
Caplan, D., & Merrill Moss, R. (2023). The Dybbuk Century: The Jewish Play That Possessed the World. (p. 290). Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Press.
Caplan, D. (2018). Yiddish Empire: The Vilna Troupe, Jewish Theater, and the Art of Itinerancy. Ann Arbor, MI, University of Michigan Press.
Journal Articles
Caplan, D. (2020). An American in Shtetl: Seeing Yiddish Europe Through the Eyes of Molly Picon. Quest: Issues in Contemporary Jewish History, (17). 75-95.
Caplan, D. (2018). On Writing and Digital Media. Performance Research, 23(4). 145-146.
Caplan, D. (2016). Reassessing Obscurity: The Case for Big Data in Theatre History. Theatre Journal, 68(4). 555-573.
Caplan, D. (2015). 'Attention Must be Paid': Death of a Salesman's Counter-Adapted Yiddish Homecoming. Modern Drama, 58(2). 194-217.
Caplan, D. (2015). Notes from the Frontier: Digital Scholarship and the Future of Theater Studies . Theatre Journal, 67(2). 347-359.
Caplan, D. (2014). Reinkultur in Yiddish: World War I, German-Jewish Encounters, and the Founding of the Vilna Troupe. Aschkenas: Zeitschrift für Geschichte und Kultur der Juden, 24(2). 243-259.
Caplan, D. (2014). Nomadic Chutzpah: The Vilna Troupe's Transnational Yiddish Theatre Paradigm, 1915-1935. Theatre Survey, 55(3). 296-317.
Caplan, D. (2012). Heymish Modernism: Joseph Buloff's Chicago Revaluation of the American Yiddish Theatre. New England Theatre Journal, 23. 111-131.
Caplan, D. (2011). Oedipus, Shmedipus: Ancient Greek Drama on the Modern Yiddish Stage. Comparative Drama, 44/45(4/1). 405-422.
Book Chapters
Caplan, D. L. (2023). ‘Mourning and Entertainment’: The Vilna Troupe’s Dybbuk according to Its Actors and Critics. In Caplan, D., & Moss, R. M. (Eds.), The Dybbuk Century: The Jewish Play That Possessed The World (pp. 58-76). Ann Arbor, MI. University of Michigan Press.
Caplan, D. L. (2023). Documenting a Voiceless Celebrity Actress: The Case of Sonia Alomis. In Quint, A., & Seigel, A. (Eds.), Women on 2023 the Yiddish Stage (pp. 195-208). Legenda Press.
Caplan, D. (2020). Imagining a Future That Never Was: Tadeusz Kantor's Symbiotic Jewish-Polish Stage. In Romanska, M., & Cioffi, K. (Eds.), Theatermachine: Tadeusz Kantor in Context (pp. 163-175). Chicago, IL. Northwestern University Press.
Caplan, D. (2015). Forgotten Playwright: Kadya Molodowsky and the Yiddish Stage. Women Writers of Yiddish Literature: Critical Essays (pp. 180-194). Jefferson, NC. McFarland.
Caplan, D. (2014). The Dramaturgical Bridge: Contextualizing Foreignness in Multilingual Theater. The Routledge Companion to Dramaturgy (pp. 141-144). London. Routledge.
Presentations
Caplan, D. L. (2025, May 18). "I'm Gonna Vashti Queen Right Out of My Hair": The Evolution of the Purim Shpiel as Musical Theater Parody. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Synagogue. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA. In Progress.
Caplan, D. L. (2025, August 18). Rebuilding a Stronger Foundation: Enhancing Equity. Association for Theatre in Higher Education. Austin, TX
Caplan, D. L. (2025, April 18). Digital Yiddish Theater Project Fourth Symposium. Milwaukee, WI: University of MIlwaukee-Wisconsin.
Caplan, D. L. (2025, March 18). Funny Traits: Tennessee Williams’ Jewish Influences. Tennessee Williams Scholars Conference. New Orleans, LA
Caplan, D. L. (2025, March 18). Visualizing Theater Data: The Case of the Vilna Troupe. Boston, MA: Boston University.
Caplan, D. L. (2025, March 18). The Global Reach of the Yiddish Theater: The Vilna Troupe, God of Vengeance, and Yiddish Performance the World Over. Amherst, MA: Yiddish Book Center.
Caplan, D. L. (2025, December 18). Memoir, Marriage, and Musical Theater: The Lost-and-Found Writings of a Professional Yiddish Theater Husband. Association for Jewish Studies. San Francisco, CAIn Progress.
Caplan, D. L. (2025, April 18). Digital Yiddish Theatre Project Fourth Symposium. Milwaukee, WI
Caplan, D. L., & Caplan, D. L. (2025, August 18). The Kids Are Not All Right: Post-Pandemic Intro to Theatre Pedagogy Roundtable. Association for Theatre in Higher Education. Austin, TX
Caplan, D. L. (2025, November 18). Anchoring Historiographies: Hope, Method, and the Future of Theater History. American Society for Theatre Research. Providence, RI
Caplan, D. L. (2025, December 18). Yiddish Theater as a Cultural Lifeline during the Holocaust. Amherst, MA: Yiddish Book Center. In Progress.
Caplan, D. L., & O'Brien, C. (2025, March 18). The Global Reach of the Yiddish Theater: The Vilna Troupe, God of Vengeance, and Yiddish Performance the World Over. Amherst, MA: Yiddish Book Center.
Caplan, D. L. (2025, March 18). Visualizing Theater Data: The Case of the Vilna Troupe. Boston, MA: Boston University.
Caplan, D. L. (2025, December 18). The Dybbuk Century: 100 Years of the Jewish Play that Possessed the World. New York, NY: Yiddish New York. In Progress.
Caplan, D. L. (2025, November 18). Yiddish Theater Past and Present. Haverhill, MA: Temple Emanu-El.
Caplan, D. L. (2025, November 18). Yiddish Theater Past and Present. Haverhill, MA: Temple Emanu-el.
Caplan, D. L. (2025, December 18). Grief at the Borderlands: Life and Literature. Association for Jewish Studies. Boston, MA
Caplan, D. L. (2025, March 18). The Digital Yiddish Theatre Project and the Future of Collaborative Theatre Research. Performing Arts in the Digital Humanities. College Park, MD
Caplan, D. L. (2025, November 18). Nostalgia and Laughter: The Post-Holocaust Comedic Strategies of Molly Picon. American Society for Theatre Research. New Orleans, LA
Caplan, D. L. (2025, December 18). Molly Picon: Comedy on Tour and the Politics of Jewish Authenticity at Home and Abroad. Between Worlds: Performing Polish-Jewish Encounters. Warsaw, Poland
Caplan, D. (2021, July 31). The World of Yiddish Theater. : Yiddish Book Center.
Caplan, D. (2021, June 30). The Vilna Troupe, the Kadisons, and the Art of Yiddish Theater. New York, NY: Renee and Chaim Gross Foundation.
Caplan, D. (2021, April 30). Yiddish Translation and Naydus Press. New York, NY: Center for Jewish Studies, CUNY Graduate Center.
Caplan, D. L. (2025, July 18). The World of Yiddish Theater. Amherst, MA: Yiddish Book Center.
Caplan, D. (2020, December 31). The Dybbuk at 100. New York, NY: Congress for Jewish Culture.
Caplan, D. (2020, December 31). Between Two Worlds: Reflections on the Creation and Legacy of The Dybbuk. Warsaw, Poland: Instytut Teatralny.
Caplan, D. (2020, April 30). Paula Priluski and Yiddish Theater. Washington, DC: Theater J.
Caplan, D. (2020, May 31). Yiddish Empire, the Vilna Troupe, and Research in Theater History. Chicago, IL: Northwestern University.
Caplan, D. (2020, July 31). Unzer morgn: Yiddish Studies Today and Tomorrow. Tel Aviv, Israel: Tel Aviv University, Naomi Prawer Kadar International Yiddish Program.
Caplan, D. (2019, May 31). Plotting Yiddish Drama: Using Digital Humanities to Document an Under-Translated Dramatic Repertoire. Digital Humanities Working Group. New York, NY: International Federation for Theater Research.
Caplan, D. (2019, April 30). . Digital Yiddish Theatre Project Third Symposium. Milwaukee, WI
Caplan, D. (2019, July 31). The Art of Itinerancy: Yiddish Theater as a Prototype for Contemporary Migratory Performance. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University, Mellon School of Theater and Performance Research.
Caplan, D. (2019, October 31). Make Them Laugh: Molly Picon's Comedic Legacy. Tinton Falls, NJ: Monmouth Reform Temple.
Caplan, D. (2019, November 30). The Art of Itinerancy: Yiddish Theater and the Performance of Migration. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh.
Caplan, D. (2019, November 30). . Separations of Church and State: Performing Sacred and Secular Publics. Arlington, VA: American Society for Theater Research.
Caplan, D. (2019, November 30). Publishing Books: From Proposal to Press. American Society for Theater Research. Arlington, VA
Caplan, D. (2019, April 30). Yiddish Empire Book Talk and Discussion. Milwaukee, WI: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Stahl Center for Jewish Studies.
Caplan, D. (2019, January 31). Yiddish Empire: The Vilna Troupe and the Art of Itinerancy. Aventura, FL: Aventura Arts and Cultural Center.
Caplan, D. (2019, February 28). Yiddish Empire: The Vilna Troupe and the Art of Itinerancy. South Orange, NJ: Oheb Shalom Congregation.
Caplan, D. (2018, December 31). Transnationalism and Jewish Theater. Association for Jewish Studies. Boston, MA
Caplan, D. (2018, November 30). 'Emotional Style:' Reading the Reception History of Molly Picon. American Society for Theatre Research. San Diego, CA
Caplan, D. (2018, October 31). In the Land of Happy Tears: Yiddish Tales for Modern Times. New York, NY: YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.
Caplan, D. (2018, October 31). Yiddish Empire: The Vilna Troupe and the Art of Itinerancy. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Mayrent Institute for Yiddish Culture.
Caplan, D. (2018, August 31). Care in the Academy: Revolutionizing Experiences and Access. Association for Theatre in Higher Education. Boston, MA
Caplan, D. (2018, February 28). Reassessing Obscurity: Data, the Vilna Troupe, and Digital Humanities Praxis. Bloomington, IN: Borns Jewish Studies Program, Indiana University.
Caplan, D. (2018, June 30). Yiddish Empire: The Vilna Troupe and the Art of Itinerancy. Los Angeles, CA: Skirball Cultural Center.
Caplan, D. (2018, April 30). Theatre 167 Book Night: Reading of Yiddish Empire. West End Theatre, New York, NY: Theatre 167 Wet Ink Festival.
Caplan, D. (2018, March 31). Yiddish Theater as Intercultural Theater. Portland, OR: University of Oregon.
Caplan, D. (2018, April 30). Yiddish Empire: The Vilna Troupe and the Art of Itinerancy. Montclair, NJ: Congregation Shomrei Emunah.
Caplan, D., & Caplan, D. (2018, August 31). DIY Bad & Nasty Feminist Performance Actions. Association for Theatre in Higher Education. Boston, MA
Caplan, D. (2017, November 30). Experiential Theater History: Bringing a Site-Specific Approach to the Classroom. American Society for Theatre Research. Atlanta, GA
Caplan, D. (2017, April 30). The World of Yiddish Theater. Amherst, MA: Yiddish Book Center.
Caplan, D. (2017, April 30). The History of Yiddish Theater. The Making of Jewish Theater. New York, NY: Wasserman Jewish Studies Center, Baruch College.
Caplan, D. (2017, July 31). A Love Letter to the Yiddish Stage: Peretz's At Night in the Old Marketplace. Amherst, MA: Yiddish Book Center.
Caplan, D. (2017, August 31). Translations of Western Classics into Yiddish. Shine Online Educational Series, Yiddish Theater course. New York, NY: YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.
Caplan, D. (2016, December 31). What is Jewish Theater History? Form, Function, and Performance. Association for Jewish Studies. San Diego, CA
Caplan, D. (2016, December 31). Six Degrees of Yankev Blayfer: Social Networking the Interwar Yiddish Stage. Association for Jewish Studies. San Diego, CA
Caplan, D. (2016, January 31). Yiddish Theater's Global Journey. YiddishSchool. Boca Raton, FL: Yiddish Book Center, Florida Atlantic University.
Caplan, D. (2016, March 31). A Tortured Love Affair with the Yiddish Stage: The Spectacular Failures of Y.L. Peretz. New York, NY: CUNY Graduate Center, Center for Jewish Studies.
Caplan, D. (2016, November 30). Being Yankele: Molly Picon's Performance of Masculinity in a Women's Language. American Society for Theatre Research. Minneapolis, MN
Caplan, D. (2016, May 31). Theatrical Complicity: Prostitution and the Making of Jewish Theater in the Global South. New York, NY: Weissman Global Seminar, Baruch College.
Caplan, D. (2016, July 31). Data and the 'Obscurity' of Yiddish Theater. Digital Humanities 2016. Krakow, Poland: Alliance of Digital Humanities Organizations.
Caplan, D. (2016, September 30). The Spectacular Failures of Y. L. Peretz on the Yiddish Stage. New York, NY: Columbia University Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies.
Caplan, D. (2016, November 30). Empowering Your Career: Strategies for Negotiation. American Society for Theatre Research. Minneapolis, MN
Caplan, D. (2016, April 30). Paula Vogel's Indecent. New York, NY: Martin E. Segal Theater Center, CUNY Graduate Center.
Caplan, D. (2015, May 31). Between Worlds: Singer's Mayn tatns beys-din shtub. New York, NY: Folksbiene National Yiddish Theatre.
Caplan, D. (2015, June 30). Networks of Performance: Social Connectedness and Theater-Making. Cambridge, MA: The Mellon School of Theater and Performance Research at Harvard University.
Caplan, D. (2015, March 31). Investigating New York Immigrant Theater Traditions. New York, NY: Baruch Undergraduate Research and Civic Engagement Faculty Seminar.
Caplan, D. (2015, January 31). Drama of the Imagination: H. Leyvik's Di khasene in fernvald. New York, NY: Folksbiene National Yiddish Theatre.
Caplan, D. (2015, June 30). . Dramaturgy Roundtable. Cambridge, MA: The Mellon School of Theater and Performance Research at Harvard University.
Caplan, D. (2015, October 31). Social Networking the Interwar Yiddish Stage: Visualizing a Pre-Digital Viral Phenomenon. Milwaukee, WI: Digital Humanities Lab, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Caplan, D. (2015, October 31). Shulamis, Home, and Nation. New York, NY: Columbia University, Yiddish Studies Program.
Caplan, D. (2015, October 31). . Digital Yiddish Theater Project Second Symposium. Milwaukee, WI: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Caplan, D. (2015, October 31). Death of a Salesman's Jewish Homecoming. New Paltz, NY: Resnick Institute for the Study of Modern Jewish Life, SUNY New Paltz.
Caplan, D. (2015, November 30). Jewish Theater, Global Theater: Yiddish Theater's Aesthetics of Itinerancy in the Long 19th Century. Itinerant Theatres, Audiences, and Adaptation Conference. London, U.K.: German Historical Institute.
Caplan, D. (2015, January 31). In the Temple of Art: Jewish Art as Holy Landscape in The Dybbuk. The Art of Cultural Translation: Performing Jewish Tradition in Modern Times. Oxford University, United Kingdom: Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies.
Caplan, D. (2015, December 31). Toyt fun a saylsman talkback with members of the New Yiddish Rep. Yiddish New York. New York, NY
Caplan, D. (2015, November 30). Big Data and the 'Obscurity' of Yiddish Theater, Big Data Plenary. American Society for Theater Research. Portland, OR
Caplan, D. (2014, June 30). . Locations of Theater. Cambridge, MA: Mellon School for Theater and Performance Research at Harvard University.
Caplan, D. (2014, May 31). The Aesthetics of Itinerancy: Yiddish Theater as Transnational Prototype. New York, NY: Doctoral Theater Program, CUNY Graduate Center.
Caplan, D., & Caplan, D. (2014, March 31). Theorizing Artistic Community: Network Taxonomy for the Theater Historian. Artistic Networks and the Theatrical Imagination. New York, NY: American Comparative Literature Association.
Caplan, D., & Caplan, D. (2014, March 31). Yiddish Theater, Global Theater: Mapping the Vilna Troupe with Google Earth. Digital Yiddish Theater Project Symposium. Milwaukee, WI: Stahl Center for Jewish Studies, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Caplan, D. (2014, March 31). Yiddish Theater, Global Theater. Amherst, MA: Yiddish Book Center.
Caplan, D., & Caplan, D. (2014, December 31). . A Case Study for the Digital Humanities: The Digital Yiddish Theater Project. Baltimore, MD: Association for Jewish Studies.
Caplan, D. (2014, December 31). New York Jews and the Must-See Theatrical Landscape of the 1920s. Der tog Symposium. New York NY: YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.
Caplan, D. (2014, December 31). Dos Groyse Gevins: Then and Now. New York, NY: Folksbiene National Yiddish Theater.
Caplan, D. (2014, December 31). . Teaching with Social Media Roundtable. Baltimore, MD: Association for Jewish Studies.
Damelio, A., Caplan, D., Mohan, K., Waltzer , L., & O'Donoghue, K. (2014, December 5). Building Pedagogically-Sound and Technologically-Smart Hybrid Courses. CUNY's 13th Annual IT Conference. John Jay College of Criminal Justice: City University of New York.
Caplan, D. (2014, November 30). Material Objects Plenary. American Society for Theatre Research. Baltimore, MD
Caplan, D. (2014, November 30). Theatrical Complicity: Pimps, Prostitutkes, and the Making of Jewish Culture in the Global South. American Society for Theatre Research. Baltimore, MD
Caplan, D., & Caplan, D. (2014, November 30). . Work/Life Balance Career Session. Baltimore, MD: American Society for Theater Research.
Caplan, D. (2014, October 31). The World of Yiddish Theater. New York, NY: Columbia University.
Caplan, D. (2014, June 30). Introduction to Yiddish Theater Workshop. New York, NY: Max Weinreich Center, YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.
Caplan, D., & Caplan, D. (2013, March 31). The American Legacy of Yiddish Theater. New York, NY: Target Margin Theater.
Caplan, D. (2013, March 31). Charting the Spatial Frontier: Digital Mapping and the Future of Scholarship. Digital Humanities: The Next Generation. Boston, MA: Simmons College.
Caplan, D. (2013, November 30). . Navigating New Technologies. Dallas, TX: American Society for Theater Research.
Caplan, D., & Caplan, D. (2013, November 30). . Digital Methodologies in Theater Studies: An Electronic Roundtable. Dallas, TX: American Society for Theatre Research.
Caplan, D., & Caplan, D. (2013, December 31). In the Days of Job. Staging Leivick. Boston, MA: Association for Jewish Studies.
Caplan, D., & Caplan, D. (2012, October 31). Sholem Asch's Forgotten Popular Sensation. The Other Yiddish Plays. New York, NY: Target Margin Theater.
Caplan, D. (2012, October 31). Earning Citizenship on the Global Stage: The Vilna Troupe's Dybbuk. The Dybbuk Conference. College Park, MD: University of Maryland Center for Jewish Studies.
Caplan, D. (2012, November 30). Global Theater History and the Digital Frontier. Harvard University Drama Colloquium. Cambridge, MA
Caplan, D. (2012, November 30). The Sun Never Sets on the Yiddish Stage: Global Artistic Networks in the Yiddish Art Theater Movement. American Society for Theatre Research. Nashville, TN
Caplan, D. (2012, December 31). A Second Original: Death of a Salesman's 'Return' to Yiddish. Association for Jewish Studies. Chicago, IL
Caplan, D. (2012, April 30). The Transnational Vilna Troupe(s): A New Look at a Yiddish Theater Landmark. Maria Salit-Gitelson Tell Memorial Lecture. New York, NY: YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.
Caplan, D. (2012, January 31). The Vilna Troupe and the Emergence of a Modernist Yiddish Aesthetic. Modern Language Association. Seattle, WA
Caplan, D. (2012, March 31). Crisis, Catastrophe, and the Emergence of a Yiddish Art Theater. American Comparative Literature Association. Providence, RI: Brown University.
Caplan, D. (2011, December 31). The Vilna Troupe and the Mapping of Yiddish Art Theater History. Association for Jewish Studies. Washington, DC
Caplan, D. (2011, November 30). Transnationalism and the Historical Stage: The Case of the Yiddish Theater. American Society for Theatre Research. Montreal, QC
Caplan, D. (2011, June 30). The History and Transnational Legacy of the Vilna Troupe. Montreal, QC: Montreal International Yiddish Theater Festival.
Caplan, D. (2011, May 31). A Humble Synagogue: Joseph Buloff's Jewish Art Players and the Aesthetics of Modernist Yiddish Theater. Chicago: Theater Capital of America Symposium. Chicago, IL
Caplan, D. (2010, December 31). Death into Wonder: Theater, Redemption, & Resistance in Sutzkever's 'Tsum yortog fun geto-teater'. Association for Jewish Studies. Boston, MA
Caplan, D. (2010, December 31). Imagining the Other: Teatr Polski and the Warsaw Yiddish Art Theater. Association for Jewish Studies. Boston, MA
Caplan, D., & Caplan, D. (2009, March 31). A Tongue in Exile: Insiders and Outsiders on the Polylingual Yiddish Stage. Jewish Languages and Literatures. Cambridge, MA: American Comparative Literature Association.
Caplan, D. (2009, March 31). Coming Attractions: Yiddish Theatre Programs and the Reading of Performance. International Junior Scholars' Conference on Jewish Art. Tel Aviv, Israel: Tel Aviv University.
Caplan, D. (2009, February 28). Beyond the Nation: Birobidzhan in the Jewish Imagination. Northeast Modern Language Association. Boston, MA
Caplan, D. L. Utopia and Dystopia in Yiddish Culture. New York, NY: CUNY Graduate Center Public Programs.
Other Scholarly Works
Caplan, D., & Stromberg, D. (2022). Translation: Sodom, by Isaac Bashevis Singer. 2022.
In Progress.Caplan, D. (2019). Excerpt from The Life History of Sara Adler: As Told by Sara Herself. Women on the Yiddish Stage.
Caplan, D., & Glezer, R. (2019). The Jewish Question, By Aaron Zeitlin.
In Progress.Caplan, D. L. (2019). Magic and Melody Delight in a Yiddish Fairytale Reborn. Digital Yiddish Theatre Project.
Caplan, D. (2019). Dystopia on the Verge: Or Why a 1934 Yiddish Play about Charlie Chaplin Still Matters.
Caplan, D. (2018). Teach OER: Introduction to Theatre Arts. Teach OER: A Website from Baruch's Center for Teaching and Learning.
Caplan, D. (2018). In the Kingdom of Ants and Mushrooms by Sofia Kantor. In the Land of Happy Tears: Yiddish Tales for Modern Times. 47-54.
Caplan, D. (2018). A Yiddish Poet, a Cuban Revolutionary, and a Historical Legend Walk Into a Bar: Review of Hatuey: Memory of Fire.
Caplan, D. (2018). Interview with Yiddish Fiddler on the Roof Actress Rachel Zatcoff.
Caplan, D. (2018). Singer the Unknown Playwright. Pakn Treger. (76),
Caplan, D. (2017). Brothel Intrigue with a Modern Twist: Got fun nekome at the New Yiddish Rep.
Caplan, D. (2016). Riding the Rails with Yiddish Actors. Pakn Treger. (74), 13-15.
Caplan, D. (2015). Six Degrees of Yankev Blayfer. Digital Yiddish Theatre Project.
Caplan, D., & Caplan, D. (2015). Digital Yiddish Theater Project Blog.
Caplan, D. (2015). A Love Letter to the Yiddish Stage: Peretz's At Night in the Old Marketplace, Reconsidered. Pakn Treger. 7229-31.
Caplan, D. (2015). The Triumph of Vili Loman: Death of a Salesman at the New Yiddish Rep. In geveb: A Journal of Yiddish Studies Blog.
Caplan, D. (2014). Advice from Sidney Lumet's Yiddish Actor Dad.
Caplan, D. (2014). Goldfaden, Abraham. Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception. 567-569.
Caplan, D. (2014). The Sun Never Sets on the Vilna Troupe. 6912-14.
Caplan, D. (2014). Target Margin's Yiddish Bender. 40-43.
Caplan, D. (2013). Greek Tragedy and Yiddish Literature/Theater. Encyclopedia of Greek Tragedy. 21126-1129.
Reviews
Caplan, D. L. (1970,January 1). Salvage Poetics: Post-Holocaust American Jewish Folk Ethnographies by Sheila E. Jelen. Studies in American Jewish Literature.
Caplan, D. L. (1970,January 1). Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles, a film by Max Lewkowicz. American Jewish History.
Caplan, D. (2019,January 1). Review: The Rise of the Modern Yiddish Theater by Alyssa Quint. In Geveb: A Journal of Yiddish Studies.
Caplan, D. (2018,September 1). Review: Hideous Characters and Beautiful Pagans: Performing Jewish Identity on the Antebellum America Stage, by Heather S. Nathans. Theatre Survey.
Caplan, D. (2017,April 1). Review: Wonder of Wonders. Studies in American Jewish Literature.
Caplan, D. (2014,September 1). Review: Transposing Broadway: Jews, Assimilation, and the American Musical, by Stuart J. Hecht. Studies in American Jewish Literature.
Caplan, D. (2012,October 1). Review: Rewriting Russia: Jacob Gordin's Yiddish Drama by Barbara J. Henry. Modern Drama.
Caplan, D. (2010,November 1). Review: Beyond the Golden Door and Messiahs of 1933. Theatre Survey.
Research Currently in Progess
Caplan, D., Berkowitz, J., Henry, B., Steinlauf, M., Loeffler, J., Portnoy, E., Thissen, J., Veidlinger, J., Baker, Z., Seigel, A., Rubinstein, A., Spagnolo, F., Netsky, H., Underwood, N., & Legutko, A.(n.d.). Digital Yiddish Theater Project. In Progress.
An international initiative to develop a born-digital research, teaching, and preservation website for Yiddish theater history, co-founded by Debra Caplan (Baruch College) and Joel Berkowitz (University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin).
Caplan, D.(n.d.). Visualizing the Vilna Troupe. In Progress.
http://www.debracaplan.com/digital-scholarship1.html
Title | Funding Agency Sponsor | Start Date | End Date | Awarded Date | Total Funding | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Make them Laugh: Molly Picon and the Story of the American Jewish Stage | PSC CUNY 52 | 07/01/2021 | 06/30/2023 | 04/15/2021 | 3499.45 | Completed |
Digital Historiography and Performance | PSC-CUNY 51 | 07/01/2020 | 06/30/2021 | 04/17/2020 | 3499.45 | Completed |
Plotting Yiddish Drama | PSC-CUNY 50 | 07/01/2019 | 12/31/2022 | 04/13/2019 | 5950.32 | Completed |
Make them Laughy: Molly Picon and the Story of the American Jewish Stage | PSC-CUNY 49 | 07/01/2018 | 06/30/2019 | 04/15/2018 | 3330.95 | Completed |
Make them laugh: Molly Picon and the story of the American Jewish stage | Eugene Lang Fellowship | 06/01/2018 | 06/30/2019 | 03/29/2018 | 6769.93 | Completed |
Jews, Theater, and the Aesthetics of Itinerancy, 1915-1940 | PSC-CUNY 45 | 07/01/2014 | 06/30/2015 | 04/15/2014 | 3500 | Completed |
Make them Laugh: Molly Picon and the Story of the American Jewish Stage | PSC-CUNY 54 | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2024 | 04/18/2023 | 3491.92 | Funded - In Progress |
Honor / Award | Organization Sponsor | Date Received | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Fenia and Yaakov Leviant Memorial Prize in Jewish Studies | Modern Language Association | 2021 | |
Fenia and Yaakov Leviant Memorial Prize in Yiddish Studies | Modern Language Association | 2020-09-08 | The Leviant Prize is given to an outstanding scholarly work in the field of Yiddish Studies. I received this award for my book, Yiddish Empire. |
Open Educational Resources Seminar Participant | Baruch College Center for Teaching and Learning | 2018 | |
COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) Faculty Fellowship | Baruch College Center for Teaching and Learning | 2018 | |
George Freedley Memorial Award | Theatre Library Association | 2018 | The 2018 George Freedley Memorial Award for an exemplary work in the field of live theatre and performance was awarded to my book Yiddish Empire: The Vilna Troupe, Jewish Theater, and the Art of Itinerancy. |
Global Learning Community Recipient | Weissman School, Baruch College | 2016 | Selected to lead an inaugural freshman Global Learning Community in Fall 2016 |
Fellowship, Seminar on Public Engagement and Collaborative Research | Center for the Humanities, CUNY Graduate Center | 2015 | |
Center for Teaching and Learning Faculty Fellowship | Baruch College | 2014 | 3-credit course release to develop a hybrid online/traditional Introduction to Theater course at Baruch |
Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Dissertation Fellowship | Foundation for Jewish Culture | 2012 | |
Melamed Dissertation Fellowship | Center for Jewish Studies, Harvard University | 2012 | |
Teagle Seminar Course Development Award | Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University | 2011 | |
Research Grant | Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University | 2011 | |
Merit Fellowship | Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences | 2011 | |
Maria Salit-Gitelson Tell Fellowship | YIVO Institute for Jewish Research | 2011 | |
Dissertation Fellowship in Jewish Studies | Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture | 2011 | |
Certificate of Distinction in Teaching | Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University | 2011 | |
Dissertation Research Grant | Targum Shlishi Foundation | 2011 | |
Certificate of Distinction in Teaching | Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University | 2010 | |
Certificate of Distinction in Teaching | Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University | 2009 | |
Fein, Pinanski, and Shain Memorial Fellowship | Combined Jewish Philanthropies | 2009 | |
Kavinovsky Research Fellowship | Center for Jewish Studies, Harvard University | 2009 | |
Merle Fainsod Prize | Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University | 2007 | |
Jewish Arts and Culture Initiative Grant | Harold Grinspoon Foundation | 2006 |
College
Committee Name | Position Role | Start Date | End Date |
---|---|---|---|
Harman Writer-In-Residence Fellowship Program Committee | Committee Member | Present | |
Harman Writer-in-Residence Program Committee | Committee Member | Present | |
Harman Writer-in-Residence Fellowship Program Committee | Committee Member | Present | |
Search Committee, Assistant Professor of Theater | Committee Member | Present | |
Baruch Committee on Financial Aid | Committee Member | Present | |
Baruch Faculty Senate | Committee Member | Present | |
Faculty Advisory Committee, Center for Teaching and Learning, Baruch College | Committee Member | Present | |
General Education Assessment Committee | Committee Member | Present | |
Weissman Faculty Mentorship Program | Faculty Mentor | Present | |
Baruch Macaulay Honors Admissions Committee | Committee Member | Present | |
Executive Committee, Department of Fine and Performing Arts | Committee Member | Present | |
Search Committee, Assistant Professor of Graphics | Committee Member | Present | |
Executive Committee, Department of Fine and Performing Arts | Committee Member | Present | |
Search Committee, Associate Professor of Graphic Design | Committee Member | Present | |
Search Committee, Lecturer in Graphic Design | Committee Member | Present | |
Global Studies Minor Committee | Committee Member | Present | |
Organizing Committee, Jewish Studies Center Annual Conference | Committee Member | Present | |
Advisory Board, Sandra K. Wasserman Jewish Studies Center | Present | ||
Baruch College Personnel and Budget Committee | Committee Member | 7/14/2023 | |
Weissman Committee on Undergraduate Academic Standing | Committee Member | 12/31/2020 | |
Search Committee, Assistant Professor of Theater Faculty Search | Committee Member | 12/31/2020 | |
School Committee on Undergraduate Academic Standing | Committee Member | 12/31/2020 | |
Baruch Thespian Club | Faculty Advisor | 12/31/2019 | |
Baruch Faculty Committee on Educational Technology | Committee Member | 12/31/2018 | |
Committee on Prizes, Scholarships, and Awards | Committee Member | 12/31/2018 | |
Committee on the Library | Committee Member | 12/31/2018 | |
WSAS Assessment Committee | Committee Member | 12/31/2018 | |
Advisory Board, Arts Administration M.A. Program | Committee Member | 12/31/2018 | |
Search Committee, Arts Administration M.A. Faculty Member | Committee Member | 4/30/2018 | |
Weissman Seminar on Interdisciplinary Scholarship | Core Faculty | 12/31/2017 | |
Academic Integrity Video Project for the Provost | Committee Chair | 12/31/2015 | |
Creative Inquiry Day Humanities Division Judge | 5/31/2015 |
University
Committee Name | Position Role | Start Date | End Date |
---|---|---|---|
Delegate, Baruch College Chapter, PSC-CUNY | Committee Member | 1/1/2020 | Present |
Theater and Performance Doctoral Curriculum Committee | Committee Member | 9/1/2023 | Present |
PSC-CUNY Grievance Counselor for Full-Time Faculty | Grievance Counselor | 1/23/2023 | Present |
Translation Seminar Leader, Center for the Humanities Seminar on Public Engagement and Collaborative Research | Program Coordinator | 1/1/2015 | 12/31/2017 |
Professional
Organization | Position Role | Organization State | Organization Country | Start Date | End Date | Audience |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Luna Stage | Officer, Vice President | New Jersey | 1/1/2019 | Present | ||
Mellon School of Theater and Performance Research at Harvard University | Board Member | 1/1/2013 | Present | |||
Luna Stage | Board of Directors of a Company | New Jersey | United States | 2/1/2023 | Present | Regional |
Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture | Reviewer, Grant Proposal | 9/3/2018 | Present | International | ||
Jordan Schnitzer First Book Award, Association for Jewish Studies | Reviewer, Book | 9/5/2022 | Present | International | ||
Kahan Prize, American Society for Theatre Research | Reviewer, Grant Proposal | 5/2/2023 | Present | International | ||
Association for Jewish Studies | Distinguished Lecturer | 1/1/2018 | Present | |||
Masterworks Theater Company | Board of Advisors of a Company | New York | 1/1/2014 | Present | ||
American Society for Theatre Research Working Conditions Task Force | Committee Member | 1/1/2015 | Present | |||
Yiddish Book Center | Board of Directors of a Company | Massachusetts | 8/1/2015 | Present | ||
GPS: Global Performance Studies | Editorial Review Board Member | 1/1/2016 | Present | |||
Empowerment Committee, American Society for Theatre Research | Committee Chair | 1/1/2016 | Present | |||
Advisory Board, Great Jewish Books Program | Member | 1/1/2017 | Present | |||
PSC-CUNY Performing Arts Grant Panel | Reviewer, Grant Proposal | 9/6/2021 | Present | State | ||
Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture Doctoral Fellowship | Reviewer, Grant Proposal | 1/1/2017 | 12/31/2019 | |||
Ad-Hoc Committee on Community Engagement, American Society for Theatre Research | Committee Chair | 1/1/2018 | 12/31/2019 | |||
PSC-CUNY Performing Arts Panel | Reviewer, Grant Proposal | 1/1/2018 | 12/31/2019 | |||
American Society for Theatre Research Social Media Committee | Committee Member | 1/1/2017 | 12/31/2019 | |||
GPS: Global Performance Studies | Reviewer, Journal Article | 1/1/2018 | 12/31/2018 | |||
SUNY Press | Reviewer, Book | 1/1/2018 | 12/31/2018 | |||
American Society for Theatre Research Executive Committee | Committee Member | 1/1/2015 | 12/31/2018 | |||
Jewish Social Studies | Reviewer, Journal Article | 1/1/2017 | 12/31/2017 | |||
Theatre Topics | Reviewer, Journal Article | 1/1/2017 | 12/31/2017 | |||
Cultural Dynamics | Reviewer, Journal Article | 1/1/2016 | 12/31/2016 | |||
Great Jewish Books Teacher Workshop, Yiddish Book Center | Workshop Organizer | 1/1/2015 | 12/31/2016 | |||
Theatre Journal | Reviewer, Journal Article | 1/1/2016 | 12/31/2016 | |||
Committee on Conferences, American Society for Theatre Research | Committee Member | 1/1/2014 | 12/31/2015 | |||
Theatre Journal | Reviewer, Journal Article | 1/1/2015 | 12/31/2015 | |||
PMLA | Reviewer, Journal Article | 1/1/2015 | 12/31/2015 | |||
Israel Science Foundation | Reviewer, Grant Proposal | Israel | 1/1/2015 | 12/31/2015 | ||
Digital Scholarship in the Humanities | Reviewer, Journal Article | 1/1/2015 | 12/31/2015 | |||
In geveb: A Journal of Yiddish Studies | Reviewer, Journal Article | 1/1/2015 | 12/31/2015 | |||
Meta-Committee, American Society for Theatre Research | Committee Member | 1/1/2013 | 12/31/2014 | |||
Graduate Representative to Conference Committee, American Society for Theater Research | Committee Member | 1/1/2012 | 12/31/2013 | |||
Literature and Medicine | Reviewer, Journal Article | 12/31/2013 | ||||
Papers on Language and Literature | Reviewer, Journal Article | 12/31/2012 |
Public
Organization | Position Role | Organization State | Organization Country | Start Date | End Date | Audience |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Luna Stage | Officer, Vice President | New Jersey | 1/1/2019 | Present |