- Biography
- Teaching
- Research and Creative Activity
- Grants
- Honors and Awards
- Service
Education
Ph.D., Theatre and Performance, The Graduate Center, CUNY New York United States
M.A., Theatre History and Criticism, Brooklyn College, CUNY Brooklyn United States
B.A., Liberal Arts, Bennington College Bennington United States
Books
Vella, S. (2028). Primitivism and Performance: Modernist Displacement as Aesthetic and Methodology. In Progress.
Journal Articles
Vella, S. (2026). Antonin Artaud’s Oceanic Cruelties: Eroding Anthropological Certainty in two Performances from 1933-1934. Theatre Journal, 78(2). 123-141.
Vella, S. (2022). Performance, Colonialism, and Survivals: Aby Warburg and the Matachines Dance in the US Southwestern Territories . TDR: The Drama Review , 66(1). 80-101.
Book Chapters
Vella, S., & Wickstrom, M. (2013). The New Manifesto of Occupy Wall Street. Manifesto Now! Instructions for Performance, Philosophy, Politics (pp. 37-50). Chicago, IL. Intellect, The University of Chicago Press.
Presentations
Vella, S., Caplan, D. L., & Kastleman, R. (2026, November 20). Taking Stock of Materialist Methods, Old and New. American Society for Theatre Research Annual Conference. Minneapolis, MN
Vella, S., Caplan, D. L., Schulman, M., & Kastleman, R. (2026, November 20). Generating Scholarly Genealogies. American Society for Theatre Research Annual Conference. Denver, CO
Vella, S. (2026, September 20). Primitivism, Embodiment, Performance: Performance Research Methods in Colonial Modernity. Columbia University Seminar in Drama, Theatre, and Performance.
Vella, S. (2026, June 20). Richard Schechner’s Bacchaes: Speculative History and Performance Studies. International Federation for Theatre Research Annual Conference. Cologne, Germany
Vella, S. (2026, November 20). Primitives and Other Suspicious Origin Stories. American Society for Theatre Research Annual Conference. Denver, CO
Vella, S. (2026, July 20). Oceanic Cruelties and Primitivist Temporalities: Antonin Artaud Erodes the Boundaries of Empire. International Federation for Theatre Research Annual Conference. Manila, The Philippines: International Federation for Theatre Research.
Vella, S. (2026, April 20). Oceanic Cruelties, or Antonin Artaud Stages the Erosion of Empire. Works-In-Progress Talk. Baruch College: Department of English.
Vella, S., Caplan, D. L., Schulman, M., & Kastleman, R. (2026, November 20). Speculative Historiographies in Times of Change. American Society for Theatre Research Annual Conference. Seattle, WA: American Society for Theatre Research.
Vella, S. (2026, November 20). Richard Schechner's Potential Bacchaes: Speculating on Unrealized Histories of Performance Studies. American Society for Theatre Research Annual Conference. Seattle, WA
Vella, S. (2026, October 20). Oceanic Feeling, Maritime Modernism, and Anti-Imperialism in the Aesthetics of Antonin Artaud. Modernist Studies Association Annual Conference. Brooklyn, NY
Vella, S. (2026, November 20). Primitivism, Colonialism, and Disability: Antonin Artaud’s Methodologies for Performance Research. American Society for Theatre Research Annual Conference. Providence, RI
Vella, S. (2026, November 20). Rehearsing Ecological Catastrophe in the Pastoral Mode at the Supermarket . American Society for Theatre Research Annual Conference. New Orleans, LA
Reviews
Vella, S. (2026,May 20). Walking, Decay, Endurance: Two Year-Long Works by Yuji Agematsu. PAJ: A Journal of Performance and Art.
Vella, S. (2026,May 20). Reconsidering Archives and Performance. PAJ: A Journal of Performance and Art.
Vella, S. (2026,January 20). Review of The Avant-Garde: Race, Religion, War by Mike Sell. Theatre Survey.
Vella, S. (1970,January 1). Review of Jews and the Making of Modern German Theatre, edited by Freddie Rokem and Jeanette Malkin. New England Theatre Journal.
| Title | Funding Agency Sponsor | Start Date | End Date | Awarded Date | Total Funding | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primitivism, Performance Studies, and Modernist Time | PSC-CUNY 54 | 07/01/2023 | 06/30/2024 | 04/18/2023 | 6000 | Funded - In Progress |
College
| Committee Name | Position Role | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curriculum Committee | Committee Member | Present | |
| WSAS Strategic Planning Community Summit | Attendee, Meeting | Present | |
| Majors and Minors Fair | Attendee, Meeting | Present | |
| English Department External Review | Attendee, Meeting | Present | |
| Joel Segall Great Works Staged Reading Q&A - Mojada | Attendee, Meeting | Present | |
| Committee on the Library | Committee Member | Present | |
| WSAS Pre-Tenure Faculty Governance Focus Group | Attendee, Meeting | Present | |
| Joel Segall Great Works Staged Reading Q&A - Miss Julie | Attendee, Meeting | Present | |
| Junior Faculty Meet-and-Greet for Job Candidates | Host | 3/21/2024 |
University
| Committee Name | Position Role | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate Center, Theatre and Performance, External Review Alumni Panel | Attendee, Meeting | 5/1/2026 | Present |
| PSC CUNY Award Grants Panel in Performing Arts | Grant Panelist | 1/28/2024 | Present |
Professional
| Organization | Position Role | Organization State | Organization Country | Start Date | End Date | Audience |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia University Seminar in Drama, Theatre, and Performance | Chairperson | 6/1/2026 | Present | Regional |