Schedule

The banner for the 2023 NEH Institute for Higher Education Faculty, "The Performance of Roman Comedy." A beige background. At top, in black Art Deco capital lettering, reads: The Performance of Roman Comedy. Below that, in white sentence-case Art Deco lettering, reads: Boston College & Wake Forest University • Chestnut Hill, MA • July 9–August 4, 2023. Below that, four Art Deco figures in bright colors representing ancient Roman actors, left to right: a red-skinned bald person with a beard and asymmetrical eyebrow, wearing a yellow toga, on a sky-blue background; a light-skinned person with brown hair and a slate palla playing the double pipes on a green background; a red-skinned bald beardless person with a big smile and a blue toga with arms stretched overhead, on a mustard background; and a light-skinned figure wearing red palla and head covering with Green skirt with a big frown, on a red background. In the bottom left, in tiny letters: art by Kevin Quigley.

Here’s an overview of what we’ll be doing each day at the Institute, and who will be joining us. Also be sure to check out the Readings page for a list of what readings will be required for each morning session, and what to read before the Institute begins!

DateTopic(s)Visiting expert(s)
click here for bios
Monday, July 10SpaceTimothy J. Moore
Tuesday, July 11Music, Meter, DanceTimothy J. Moore
Wednesday, July 12Masks, Costumes, PropsAmy Cohen & C. W. Marshall
Thursday, July 13Actors, Acting Style, MovementAmy Cohen & C. W. Marshall
Friday, July 14Language & StylePeter Barrios-Lech
Monday, July 17HumorErin K. Moodie
Tuesday, July 18Metatheater & PlautinopolisRachel Mazzara & Niall W. Slater
Wednesday, July 19Sex, Gender, Sexual ViolenceSharon L. James
Thursday, July 20Class & EnslavementAmy Richlin
Friday, July 21Ethnicity & ColonialismDeepti Menon
Monday, July 24Politics, War, EmpireMatthew Leigh
Tuesday, July 25ReligionSeth Jeppesen & Dan-el Padilla Peralta
Wednesday, July 26Adaptation & ProductionSeth Jeppesen & V. Sophie Klein
Thursday, July 27Reception on the StageSerena S. Witzke
Friday, July 28Reception on the ScreenT. H. M. Gellar-Goad & Christopher B. Polt
Monday, July 31filming of scenes
Tuesday, August 1filming of scenes
Wednesday, August 2filming of scenes
Thursday, August 3preparations for dissemination
Friday, August 4wrap-up
An ancient mosaic depicting a scene from a comedy. Four actors are seated on cushioned stools around a circular three-legged table. The actors are wearing full-face masks, all pale colored, two of younger women, one of an old woman, one indistinct. Two are wearing yellow robes, two beige.

“Mosaic showing a theatre scene, two women consult a sorceress (the three of them wear theatre masks), from the Villa del Cicerone in Pompeii, 150 – 125 BC, signed by Dioskurides of Samos, Naples National Archaeological Museum” by Following Hadrian is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 .

The Performance of Roman Comedy has been made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom.

The official logo of the NEH. On the right, in all caps, "National Endowment for the Humanities." On the left, the seal of the NEH: A blue circle with "National Endowment" in all caps along the upper half, a star at the left and right midpoints of the circle, and "for the Humanities" in all caps along the lower half. Within the circle, on a white background, is the coat of arms of the United States of America: a bald eagle looking to its right with wings and legs spread. Above its head, a circular white cloud surrounding a hexagonal blue sky with thirteen white stars in it. In its beak, a gold ribbon that flows out to the right and left sides of its head, reading, in all caps, E Pluribus Unum. On its breast, a shield with a horizontal blue rectangle at top and 13 vertical stripes below, 7 white, 6 red. In its right talons, an olive branch. In its left talons, a bunch of 13 arrows.

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.