About

In addition to serving as Director of Undergraduate Studies for the department, Professor Ullom teaches theatre history, dramaturgy, and Introduction to Theater (not to mention his summer class on James Bond).  His research interests have focused on contemporary American theatre, especially new play development in the regional theatre circuit and on Broadway.  His first book The Humana Festival: A History of New Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville (Southern Illinois University Press, 2008) charts the growth of the nation’s leading new play festival and its ability to endure economic, administrative, and artistic challenges. He also has published his work internationally in numerous journals, including Theatre History Studies, Contemporary Drama, Theatre Topics, Studies in Musical Theatre, Theatre Journal and the Journal of American Drama and Theatre.  Ullom coauthored a new translation of Lope de Vega’s La Doma Boba (The Lady Simpleton) and also contributed a chapter to Angels in the American Theater: Patrons, Patronage, and Philanthropy (edited by Robert A. Schanke).  His second book, America’s First Regional Theatre is a history of the Cleveland Play House (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014). His most recent book, The Past, Present and Future of Regional Theatre, will be published in early 2025.

Professor Ullom’s research interests were informed directly by his experience in professional theatre. He served in the literary department of Actors Theatre of Louisville during its twentieth-anniversary Humana Festival, allowing him to work many great playwrights and theatre artists including Tony Kushner, John Patrick Shanley, David Henry Hwang, Craig Lucas, Anne Bogart, Naomi Wallace, and Dominic Dromgoole. While completing his doctoral studies at University of Illinois, he also worked as interim literary manager and conducted various research projects for Actors Theatre (including work for Bogart’s Cabin Fever). He was the Theatre History Consultant for the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis from 2003-2006, and he served as an advising partner for Xunesis (Chicago), a company of artists and scientists creating passion for science through theatre, film and media.  He also dramaturged numerous productions at Cleveland Play House.

Professor Ullom’s books are available on Amazon.com (click here).