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Eden Studios, Arthaus Berlin, 2018.
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Awards and Honors
Albert P. Weisman Award, 2020
Norman M. Lease Excellence in Written English Prize, 2018
Gertrude Posner Spencer Fiction & Non-Fiction Prize, 2018
Denis Johnston Playwriting Award, 2016 & 2018
Yvonne Sarah Bernhardt Contribution to the Theatre Department Prize, 2017 & 2018
Norman M. Lease Excellence in Written English Prize, 2018
Gertrude Posner Spencer Fiction & Non-Fiction Prize, 2018
Denis Johnston Playwriting Award, 2016 & 2018
Yvonne Sarah Bernhardt Contribution to the Theatre Department Prize, 2017 & 2018
Multimedia winged creature, Zoe Kriegler-Wenk, 2021
Artistic and Research Interests
embodied dramaturgy | interdisciplinary composition | integrated healing processes
“The artist’s secret gift is her curiosity. When confronted with the irritating paradox of impossibility, she does not turn away, but leans in, lending her breath to the contradiction: giving it a voice. Little by little she makes space for elasticity, extension, [and] empathy.” - Zoe Rose Kriegler-Wenk, Excerpt from MFA Thesis
As a writer and performer, I have always been interested in the relationship between physical theatre and scripted performance. My research began with the relationship of Antonin Artaud’s manifesto to hierarchies of the written word, and broadened to explore the work of many practitioners and philosophers who have studied the relationship of mind and body: Renés Descartes, Margaret Cavendish, Judith Butler, Edmund Husserl, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Siri Hustvedt. I compared pedagogies from practice-based accounts, such as, Physical Dramaturgy: Perspectives from the Field, and began to dive into studio-based dramaturgical approaches, which included extended physical improvisations that tested a variety of approaches to integrating text into an embodied research process. I am influenced by dance-theatre practitioners such as Ruth Zaporah, whose focus on quieting the mind and composing from a place of action and impulse challenged my tendency to get stuck in the cerebral. I was also influenced stylistically by Samuel Beckett and Hans Theis Lehman, whose concepts on postdramatic theatre provided me with a roadmap for the deconstruction of hierarchical narrative structures.
My current research and writing focuses on embodied dramaturgical methods, the effect of the site-specific investigation on the performing body, and the creation of pathways towards communal healing. I co-authored an article on the historical and contemporary applications of Psychogeography as an embodied research method, and employed a similar set of research questions to piece about bridging the generational divide via site-specific research during a recent rehearsal process for The Laramie Project. Following my interest in arts-based healing practices, the chapter I wrote for a recent anthology on theatre and social trauma, focused on embodied healing through integrated theatrical pedagogical models.
My creative writing and performance work is centered around themes of memory, mental health, urban construction/demolition, human desire and commodification. My undergraduate thesis was created from interviews with family members and caretakers of people living with Alzheimer’s disease, and told the story of a daughter and her aging mother as she battles memory loss. As a graduate student, I created and performed a piece with a focus on the city as research, which included multi-hour walks (or drifts) through Chicago, and became the foundation for the article I co-authored on the theatrical applications of Psychogeography.
I am a founding member of the Mentalhaus Theatre ensemble, where we create devised work that destigmatizes mental health. I am currently working with the Mentalhaus ensemble to expand on my MFA Thesis, Of Water and Wings. This piece began as an exploration of the physical act of crying, and now wrestles with our desire to make memorable change and questions tendencies towards the commodification of empathy. The process, which has been four years in the making, began in Berlin with workshops of original text, transformed into a solo video-collage amidst the restrictions of the 2020 pandemic, and has now expanded into a collaborative compositional process.
As a researcher and creator, I am fascinated by the task of celebrating the grey area between absolutes and leaning into the contradictions. I approach this task by prioritizing curiosity and artistic impulse, and allowing this trust in the artistic process to propel me towards unexpected revelations.
“The artist’s secret gift is her curiosity. When confronted with the irritating paradox of impossibility, she does not turn away, but leans in, lending her breath to the contradiction: giving it a voice. Little by little she makes space for elasticity, extension, [and] empathy.” - Zoe Rose Kriegler-Wenk, Excerpt from MFA Thesis
As a writer and performer, I have always been interested in the relationship between physical theatre and scripted performance. My research began with the relationship of Antonin Artaud’s manifesto to hierarchies of the written word, and broadened to explore the work of many practitioners and philosophers who have studied the relationship of mind and body: Renés Descartes, Margaret Cavendish, Judith Butler, Edmund Husserl, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Siri Hustvedt. I compared pedagogies from practice-based accounts, such as, Physical Dramaturgy: Perspectives from the Field, and began to dive into studio-based dramaturgical approaches, which included extended physical improvisations that tested a variety of approaches to integrating text into an embodied research process. I am influenced by dance-theatre practitioners such as Ruth Zaporah, whose focus on quieting the mind and composing from a place of action and impulse challenged my tendency to get stuck in the cerebral. I was also influenced stylistically by Samuel Beckett and Hans Theis Lehman, whose concepts on postdramatic theatre provided me with a roadmap for the deconstruction of hierarchical narrative structures.
My current research and writing focuses on embodied dramaturgical methods, the effect of the site-specific investigation on the performing body, and the creation of pathways towards communal healing. I co-authored an article on the historical and contemporary applications of Psychogeography as an embodied research method, and employed a similar set of research questions to piece about bridging the generational divide via site-specific research during a recent rehearsal process for The Laramie Project. Following my interest in arts-based healing practices, the chapter I wrote for a recent anthology on theatre and social trauma, focused on embodied healing through integrated theatrical pedagogical models.
My creative writing and performance work is centered around themes of memory, mental health, urban construction/demolition, human desire and commodification. My undergraduate thesis was created from interviews with family members and caretakers of people living with Alzheimer’s disease, and told the story of a daughter and her aging mother as she battles memory loss. As a graduate student, I created and performed a piece with a focus on the city as research, which included multi-hour walks (or drifts) through Chicago, and became the foundation for the article I co-authored on the theatrical applications of Psychogeography.
I am a founding member of the Mentalhaus Theatre ensemble, where we create devised work that destigmatizes mental health. I am currently working with the Mentalhaus ensemble to expand on my MFA Thesis, Of Water and Wings. This piece began as an exploration of the physical act of crying, and now wrestles with our desire to make memorable change and questions tendencies towards the commodification of empathy. The process, which has been four years in the making, began in Berlin with workshops of original text, transformed into a solo video-collage amidst the restrictions of the 2020 pandemic, and has now expanded into a collaborative compositional process.
As a researcher and creator, I am fascinated by the task of celebrating the grey area between absolutes and leaning into the contradictions. I approach this task by prioritizing curiosity and artistic impulse, and allowing this trust in the artistic process to propel me towards unexpected revelations.
Multimedia Silhouette Project, Zoe Kriegler-Wenk, 2019
Published Articles
“Pedagogies of Embodied Healing,” Chasing the Demons: Theatre Responds to Social Trauma, Ed. Brenda Foley, Routledge, anticipated publication date: 2022.
“The Need for Embodied Dramaturgy: The Laramie Project and Generation Z,” Athens Institute for Education and Research, Co-author Carin Silkaitis, Atiner Conference, anticipated publication date: May 2021.
“The Passage of a Few People Through a Brief Unity of Time,” Drifting Through Wonderlands: The City as Performance, Co-author John C. Green PhD, Ed. Rebecca Gladders, Cambridge Scholarly Press, anticipated publication date: 2022.
“Jess Thom’s Not I & The Accessibility of Silence,” European Stages, vol. 10, no. 1, Fall 2017, https://europeanstages.org/2017/10/28/jess-thoms-not-i-the-accessibility-of-silence/.
“The Need for Embodied Dramaturgy: The Laramie Project and Generation Z,” Athens Institute for Education and Research, Co-author Carin Silkaitis, Atiner Conference, anticipated publication date: May 2021.
“The Passage of a Few People Through a Brief Unity of Time,” Drifting Through Wonderlands: The City as Performance, Co-author John C. Green PhD, Ed. Rebecca Gladders, Cambridge Scholarly Press, anticipated publication date: 2022.
“Jess Thom’s Not I & The Accessibility of Silence,” European Stages, vol. 10, no. 1, Fall 2017, https://europeanstages.org/2017/10/28/jess-thoms-not-i-the-accessibility-of-silence/.
Layered Collage, Zoe Kriegler-Wenk, 2019
Teaching Philosophy
embodied exploration | collaborative inquiry | amplified creative voices
My personal teaching model follows a three-part structure for introducing the key components of an interdisciplinary theatre and performance-based education. I begin by introducing resources to support my students in the process of becoming present and embodied theatre-makers. This section of the curriculum includes the facilitation of prompts that engage the breath, the body and the mind, and guide my students through various forms of creative writing, visual art and physical improvisation. I often begin with internal reflection and an invitation to connect with the breath, which progresses into a sensory exploration of the space. From here, I might give a writing prompt based on the five senses, which will lead us into a blackout poetry practice designed to allow the students to set aside excess content and focus on the language that they personally find most compelling. We might generate a collective list of the remaining words and build improvised physical sequences based on them; an experience we can translate back to the page by adding a new multi-media layer to our blackout poetry. As I guide my students from one modality to another, the interconnecting prompts morph from a focus on reflection to a focus on composition; becoming more specific and structured as the process progresses.
Once an awareness of mind-body integration is initiated, I introduce a parallel curricular focus on ensemble-building. This line of artistic and academic inquiry provides the essential link between personal revelation and constructing reciprocal artistic relationships. Relationships are at the heart of what we explore and depict as theatre artists, so I make sure to center collaboration at the core of my pedagogy. At this phase, I introduce mirroring and witnessing activities, in order to foster trust and combat fear of judgement within the classroom environment. In pairs or small groups, someone would be assigned the role of “soloist” and the other(s) of the “supporter.” I will ask the students to improvise a duet in which the soloist moves freely across the space while their partner mirrors and expands on their movements. With practice, students may become comfortable switching roles without explicit verbal instruction, thus mimicking a positive relational dynamic and bringing mutual agency and trust into the creative process. These activities can be modified and scaled based on the comfortability and artistic focus of my students. When working with students who do not identify as performers, I may shift the prompt to focus on the generation of text as opposed to physical composition, while continuing to encourage all students to remain open to approaching their material from an embodied perspective.
The third component in my teaching model goes beyond the studio to encourage communal awareness and engagement. This work begins with dialogue surrounding the role of the audience in the artistic process, and the ways in which our theatrical forms represent the experiences and needs of the community they serve. We address the roots of techniques and practices, and how these non-traditional theatrical structures are in dialogue with their historical and political contexts. We address the why associated with our quest for personal and collaborative artistic creation. I believe we are always learning and growing, and strive to provide the scaffolding for my students to explore their own identities and creative processes from a variety of perspectives and approaches.
I recognize that this work requires a high level of commitment and vulnerability, which makes it essential for me to create an environment where every student feels supported, celebrated and seen. I approach each class with equal parts meticulous preparation and playful spontaneity. This allows me to create educational experiences that are academically engaging and cater directly to the interests and needs of the student body. I look forward to being challenged and inspired by my students, and believe that this dialogue promotes a culture of respect and open communication. I am passionate about mentorship, and I am careful to provide unique and personalized feedback to every student. My instructional approach celebrates the whole person and strives to provide a blueprint for healthy collaboration and radical empathy both inside and outside of the studio.
My goal is to open a space of inspiration, conversation, and exploration in which students develop a widely-applicable skillset. I believe that performative presence and meaningful composition are cultivated through grounded self-reflection and communal engagement. By introducing a curriculum that recognizes and celebrates the multidisciplinary artistic exploration, I hope to use my platform as an educator to inspire agency and contribute directly to building a more empathic and engaged citizenry.
My personal teaching model follows a three-part structure for introducing the key components of an interdisciplinary theatre and performance-based education. I begin by introducing resources to support my students in the process of becoming present and embodied theatre-makers. This section of the curriculum includes the facilitation of prompts that engage the breath, the body and the mind, and guide my students through various forms of creative writing, visual art and physical improvisation. I often begin with internal reflection and an invitation to connect with the breath, which progresses into a sensory exploration of the space. From here, I might give a writing prompt based on the five senses, which will lead us into a blackout poetry practice designed to allow the students to set aside excess content and focus on the language that they personally find most compelling. We might generate a collective list of the remaining words and build improvised physical sequences based on them; an experience we can translate back to the page by adding a new multi-media layer to our blackout poetry. As I guide my students from one modality to another, the interconnecting prompts morph from a focus on reflection to a focus on composition; becoming more specific and structured as the process progresses.
Once an awareness of mind-body integration is initiated, I introduce a parallel curricular focus on ensemble-building. This line of artistic and academic inquiry provides the essential link between personal revelation and constructing reciprocal artistic relationships. Relationships are at the heart of what we explore and depict as theatre artists, so I make sure to center collaboration at the core of my pedagogy. At this phase, I introduce mirroring and witnessing activities, in order to foster trust and combat fear of judgement within the classroom environment. In pairs or small groups, someone would be assigned the role of “soloist” and the other(s) of the “supporter.” I will ask the students to improvise a duet in which the soloist moves freely across the space while their partner mirrors and expands on their movements. With practice, students may become comfortable switching roles without explicit verbal instruction, thus mimicking a positive relational dynamic and bringing mutual agency and trust into the creative process. These activities can be modified and scaled based on the comfortability and artistic focus of my students. When working with students who do not identify as performers, I may shift the prompt to focus on the generation of text as opposed to physical composition, while continuing to encourage all students to remain open to approaching their material from an embodied perspective.
The third component in my teaching model goes beyond the studio to encourage communal awareness and engagement. This work begins with dialogue surrounding the role of the audience in the artistic process, and the ways in which our theatrical forms represent the experiences and needs of the community they serve. We address the roots of techniques and practices, and how these non-traditional theatrical structures are in dialogue with their historical and political contexts. We address the why associated with our quest for personal and collaborative artistic creation. I believe we are always learning and growing, and strive to provide the scaffolding for my students to explore their own identities and creative processes from a variety of perspectives and approaches.
I recognize that this work requires a high level of commitment and vulnerability, which makes it essential for me to create an environment where every student feels supported, celebrated and seen. I approach each class with equal parts meticulous preparation and playful spontaneity. This allows me to create educational experiences that are academically engaging and cater directly to the interests and needs of the student body. I look forward to being challenged and inspired by my students, and believe that this dialogue promotes a culture of respect and open communication. I am passionate about mentorship, and I am careful to provide unique and personalized feedback to every student. My instructional approach celebrates the whole person and strives to provide a blueprint for healthy collaboration and radical empathy both inside and outside of the studio.
My goal is to open a space of inspiration, conversation, and exploration in which students develop a widely-applicable skillset. I believe that performative presence and meaningful composition are cultivated through grounded self-reflection and communal engagement. By introducing a curriculum that recognizes and celebrates the multidisciplinary artistic exploration, I hope to use my platform as an educator to inspire agency and contribute directly to building a more empathic and engaged citizenry.
Columbia College MFA Cohort, 2020