Dr Giselle Garcia

Senior Lecturer in Dramaturgy and Performance Studies

London College of Music

giselle.garcia@uwl.ac.uk

I joined the London College of Music as Lecturer in 2021, having previously worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Exeter on the AHRC funded project, Outside the Box: Open Air Performance as a Pandemic Response. The project works with civic partners in Exeter and artists across the UK to identify spaces that might be used safely for innovative open-air performance, aligned with the environmental aspiration to Build Back Better in the cultural recovery.

Dramaturgies of space, place and performance are the key terms that capture my research area broadly yet accurately. My doctoral research (completed at the University of Exeter under a full scholarship funded by the College of Humanities International/Global Excellence Studentship) contributes a dramaturgical method for interpreting performance through place and walking. This method builds on my experience as a dramaturg and specialist in contemporary Filipino theatre and performance in the Philippines and in diaspora. I am currently working on a monograph that examines spatial dramaturgies.

I have taught both in the UK and the Philippines, delivering undergraduate teaching and designing course modules in literature, theatre, theory, criticism, and dramaturgy. Prior to this, I have worked in arts programming, curation, management, and advertising.

I trained in Manila, New York, and Exeter. Locating myself is a practice constantly in flux and this inevitably informs my research and teaching. I am a Manila girl at heart, born and raised. Now, I live in between London and Totnes where tos and froms are obscured by trains whizzing past the English countryside.

Qualifications
- PhD, Drama - University of Exeter
- MA, Theatre (Dramaturgy Concentration) – Hunter College, City University of New York
- AB, Literature (English) – Ateneo de Manila University
- FHEA
Memberships

UK Dramaturgs’ Network
Asian Dramaturgs’ Network

See Dr Giselle Garcia's publications list in the UWL Repository.

Research and publications

Publications
Garcia, G. (2024). Reflections on the Dramaturgy of a Foreigner. In: Tomiak, K., Brown, R.J. (eds) Moving Abroad. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore.
Garcia, G (2024) Reconfiguring Dramaturgies of Place: Local Authority Event Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic. In Aebischer P, Nicholas R (Eds.) Adaptation and Resilience in the Performing Arts, Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Garcia, G. (ed.) (2023). Border Ecologies (Q39). The Center for Sustainable Practices in Arts.
O'Malley, E., Turner, C., Garcia, G. (2023). “Mundane” Performance: Theatre Outdoors and Earthly Pleasures. Critical Stages.
Coles, T., Garcia, G., O’Malley, E. and Turner, C. (2022). Experiencing Event Management During the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Public Sector Perspective, Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, Vol.3, Article 814146.
Garcia, G. (2021). Dramaturgy, Critical Asia Archives, Southeast Asia Topic 2021.
Garcia, G. (2018). The Walking Dramaturg: An Autoethnographic Methodology for Performance Documentation, Proceedings from the Document Academy, Vol. 5 Issue 1, Article 5.
Research through Practice
2021, curated (with Evelyn O'Malley, Cathy Turner and Tim Coles) 'Outside the Box', four open air performances for Exeter, UK
2015, curated ‘Performatura: National Performed Poetry Festival’, a 3-day, multi-venue festival at the Cultural Centre of the Philippines
Creative Practice Publications
Garcia, G. (2016). Interview of Masigla & Anino Collaboration, Karnabal ‘Zine Souvenir Program, Manila.
Garcia, G. (2016). Programme Note: The Globe Theatre’s Touring Production of Hamlet, Cultural Centre of the Philippines, Manila.
Garcia, G. (2015). Dramaturg’s Note, Tanghalang Pilipino’s Juego de Peligro, Cultural Centre of the Philippines, Manila.
Garcia, G. (2015). Dramaturg’s Note, Dancing with History: The Body as an Act of Remembering, Siklab Productions’ Agyu: Patungo sa Paraiso, DLSU-CSB, Manila.
Garcia, G. (2015). Dramaturg’s Note, Tanghalang Pilipino’s Pahimakas sa Isang Ahente, Cultural Centre of the Philippines, Manila.
Garcia, G. (2014). Dani’s Book of Hair : Sandbox Collective’s Dani Girl, RCBC Theatre, Manila.
Garcia, G. (2013). Dramaturg’s Note: Of Triangles and Tribulations, Tanghalang Pilipino’s Der Kaufmann: Ang Negosyante ng Venecia, Cultural Cenre of the Philippines, Manila.
Garcia, G. (2007). Fashion Articles and Interviews. Girlfriend Magazine. Mega Magazines, Publishing, Manila.
Garcia, G. (2004). Essay on Yoon Suk-Joong. Young Pens for Young Minds. Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation, Manila
Conferences

Garcia, G. (2019). Dislocated and Dangerous: Makbet’s Barriers and Bearing Responsibility in Adaptation. Translation, Adaptation and Dramaturgy Working Group. International Federation for Theatre Research, Shanghai, China. 11 July 2019.
Garcia, G. (2017). The Walking Dramaturg: An Autoethnographic Methodology for Performance Documentation. DocPerform 2: New Technologies, London, United Kingdom. 7 November 2017.
Garcia, G. (2017). Case Study: Maginhawa. A Sense of Place: arts, enterprise and placemaking, Luton, United Kingdom. 5 November 2017.
Garcia, G. (2017). Acts of Autopsy: A Performance Analysis of The Mousetrap: Anti-Hamlet. The Past is Back on Stage, Montpellier, France. 20 May 2017.
Garcia, G. (2016). Working with/in universities. Forum Panellist, Performance Practices, Tok! Tok! Talk! Conference: Karnabal Festival, Manila, Philippines. 8 June 2016.
Garcia, G. (2016). Dramaturgy in Action I: Practical Realities. Forum Panellist, Asian Dramaturgs Network: Mapping Out, In and About, Singapore. 23 April 2016.
Garcia, G. (2014). What kind of theatre animal is dramaturgy? Forum Panellist, CCP’S MNL X: Experimental Theatre Festival, Manila, Philippines. 21 February 2016.
Theatre Practice
Mongoloida’s Casa de Pun; Dramaturg - UK, US, Philippines, June-July 2020
Bacolor Literatour; Dramaturg - Bacolor, Pampanga, December 2015 - February 2016
CCP Virgin Labfest XI; Dramaturg - Tanghalang Huseng Batute, CCP, April 2015 - July 2015. Macho Dancers the Musical by Nicolas B. Pichay, Directed by Ralph Pena
Tanghalang Pilipino; Dramaturg - Tanghalang Aurelo Tolentino, CCP, November 2014 - March 2015. Juego de Peligro ni Elmer Gatchalian. Adapted from Choderlos de Laclos’ Les Liaisons dangereuses. Directed by Tuxqs Rutaquio
Siklab Productions; Dramaturg - Black Box, De La Salle, College of St. Benilde, September – November 2014. Agyu: Patungo sa Paraiso, Directed by Delphine Buencamino
Tanghalang Pilipino; Dramaturg - Tanghalang Huseng Batute, CCP, August – October 2014. Pahimakas sa Isang Ahente ni Arthur Miller. Isinalin Rolando Tinio. Direksyon ni Chris Millado
Sandbox Collective; Dramaturg - RCBC Theatre, April - July 2014. Dani Girl by Michael Kooman and Chris Dimond. Directed by Toff de Venecia
Tanghalang Ateneo; Dramaturg - Rizal Mini Theatre, ADMU, September 2013 - Present. Break Away Antigone of Sophocles. Adapted by Floy Quintos based on the translation by Robert Bragg. Directed by Dr Ricky Abad
Tanghalang Pilipino; Dramaturg - Tanghalang Huseng Batute, CCP, July 2013 - October 2013. Der Kaufmann: Ang Negosyante ng Venecia ni William Shakespeare. Isinalin ni Rolando Tinio at Rody Vera. Direksyon ni Rody Vera at Tuxqs Rutaquio
ReUnion Company; Assistant Dramaturg - La Mama, NYC, April - May 2013, Fall 2013 Production. The Tuesday Following, a partner project to I Came to Look for You on Tuesday by Chiori Miyagawa. Directed by Alice Reagan
Ma-Yi Theatre Company; Dramaturg - Theatre at St. Clements, NYC, December 2012 - March 2013. Jesus in India by Lloyd Suh. Directed by Daniella Topol
Ma-Yi Theatre Company; Assistant Producer - Pershing Square Signature Theatre, NYC, December 2012. Orphans of the Nightingale of the Desert: A Bollywood Spectacular by the Ma-Yi Writers Lab
Ma-Yi Theatre Company; Assistant Producer - Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Washington D.C., November – December 2012.You For Me for You By Mia Chung. Directed by Yury Urnov
Tin Lily Productions; Dramaturg - The Secret Theatre, Long Island City, NYC, July 2012 - November 2012. An Adaptation of Georg Buchner’s Woyzeck or The Endless Cycle. Directed by William Lewis
Pacific Beat Collective; Assistant Stage Manager - HERE Arts Centre, NYC, July 2012. Workshop Production of TALA by Kyoung Park. Directed by Kyoung Park
Ma-Yi Theatre Company; Production Manager - Philippine Independence Day Parade, NYC, June 2012. Pinoys for Good Governance Float. Directed by Herbie Go, Choreography by Dax Valdes
Ma-Yi Theatre Company; Assistant Producer - Beckett Theatre, NYC, February – March 2012. The Inexplicable Redemption of Agent G by Qui Nguyen. Directed by Robert Ross Parker
Ma-Yi Theatre Company; Assistant Producer - Connelly Theatre, NYC, November – December 2011. The Sugar House at the Edge of the Wilderness by Carla Ching. Directed by Daniella Topol
Ma-Yi Theatre Company; Dramaturg - 3LD Art and Technology Centre, NYC, July 2011. Will Sing: An Experiment in Inappropriate Singing by Ma-Yi Lab Members. (Samantha Chanse, Carla Ching, Mia Ching, Mike Lew and Qui Nguyen). Ice Cubes, an Ice Factory Studio Series. Directed by Ralph Pena
Ma-Yi Theatre Company; Assistant Director - PowerHouse Arena, NYC, April 2011. Staged Reading of Jessica Hagedorn’s Toxicology for the novel’s book launch. Asian American Writers’ Workshop. Directed by Ralph Pena
Research degree supervision
I welcome conventional and practice research PhD projects in any of the following areas:
theory and dramaturgy as practice research
ecodramaturgy
theatre historiography
Philippine theatre and performance
imperialism and postcolonialism
intercultural theatre and performance.