Lisa Jackson-Schebetta - Assistant Professor

Lisa Jackson-Schebetta holds a PhD in Theatre History, Criticism and Theory from the University of Washington.  Her research interests center on histories and theories of performance and theatre in the Americas and Spain, the ethics of citizenship, and corporeality. 

Dr. Jackson-Schebetta’s publications include articles in Modern Drama, Journal of American Drama and Theatre, New England Theatre Journal, Journal of Critical Animal Studies and Extensions Journal of Technology and Embodiment and book reviews in Revista Iberoamericana, Theatre Topics and Theatre Research International.  Dr. Jackson-Schebetta’s book manuscript, “We Will Pass: Theatre and the Spanish Civil War in the Americas,” examines how Spanish and English language theatre in the United States challenged hemispheric political positions and ethical responsibilities.  Additional research projects address pre-WW II Iberian-Latin American theatre tours and early modern criollo and mestizo performances of Andalucian, African and Muslim histories.

In 2011, Dr. Jackson-Schebetta was awarded the Robert A. Schanke Research Award at the Mid-America Theatre Conference.   She has presented conference papers at the American Society for Theatre Research, the Association for Theatre in Higher Education, the Mid-America Theatre Conference, and the Southeastern Theatre Conference.   Dr. Jackson-Schebetta will serve as the MATC Theatre History Symposium co-chair in 2013 and 2014; she is also an active member of the American Theatre and Drama Society.  In April 2013, she will co-host an ATDS regional Works in Progress event at Pitt.

Dr. Jackson-Schebetta is a director, dramaturge and acting, movement and voice teacher.  She holds an MFA in Theatre Pedagogy, with an emphasis in voice and movement training and the actor-creator, from Virginia Commonwealth University.  While at VCU, Dr. Jackson-Schebetta taught courses in devising theatre, introductory and advanced voice and speech and acting.  Dr. Jackson-Schebetta’s work as a devisor and director has been seen at the American Globe Theatre, HERE Arts Center, chashama, and The Women's Project and Productions, among others.  Her work as a dramaturge has included collaborations with the Seattle Shakespeare Company, Bellevue College, University of Washington, and Wild Iris Media.

At the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Jackson-Schebetta teaches and advises in the PhD and MA programs.  She teaches in the undergraduate World Theatre history sequence, advises undergraduate and graduate directors, and directs mainstage productions.  In 2011 she directed Sweeney Todd, produced by the Theatre Arts Department in collaboration with the Department of Music and the University of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.