Kane Anderson recently completed his Ph.D. in Theater Studies from the Department of Theater and Dance. He shares how he moved from acting to academia, how cosplay informs his studies, and how he gives back through teaching and volunteerism.
Tell us a little about your background
I'm something of a vagabond. I grew up in sunny Orange County and did my undergrad at the University of Pennsylvania where I quickly left the business school to pursue a B.A. in Theater Arts. Before graduation, I began my career as an actor and dramaturg in Philadelphia. My first professional gig was playing Juliet in a four-male adaptation of Romeo & Juliet. Eventually I moved to Arizona and worked as a (mostly) full-time actor before earning my MFA in Performance at Arizona State University. Within all that, I studied theater in Japan, London, and Moscow...until my credit gave out.
Tell us a little about your research and how you came to choose the topic
When I neared the end of my MFA at ASU, my graduate committee encouraged me to consider earning a Ph.D. I initially responded with an unprintable string of four-letter words. Later, after visiting the American Society for Theatre Research Conference, I decided to pursue a Ph.D. if I could mix my two favorite things: superhero comics and performance. I now study superheroes and live performance through a mix of Theater & Performance Studies as well as Comics Studies. My dissertation "'Truth, Justice, and the Performative Way!' Superhero Performance and the Battle for Social Justice in 21st Century America" looks at V for Vendetta and the Occupy Movement, "crossplay" (cross-gender or cross-race costumed play) at Comic-Con, superhero-themed parties with "Super Go-Gos" at gay bars, and "Super-Obama," dissecting the staging of Barack Obama as a comic book superhero. I also do ethnographic research as a cosplayer and study comic book reading as a performative act.
Kane at a Comic-Con panelWhat has graduate student life been like for you?
I'm happier here at UCSB than during any of my previous college experiences. While the Ph.D. work is by no means light, the constant reading, writing, and teaching provided me with a welcome change from the physical and emotional strains of earning the MFA in acting. I also greatly enjoy teaching and I am lucky to have taught with Theater and Dance, Summer Sessions, the Writing Program, and the Art department. And, oh, yeah--I get grants to go present my work at Comic-Con each year! So how can I complain? (Loudly and histrionically, if you ask my officemates...)
What has been a source of motivation or drive for you in your graduate studies?
Getting back to being an unemployed actor! No, seriously--I set my sights on the Ph.D. and knew that I had to put my performance career on hiatus. I'm looking forward to settling somewhere and helping students and professionals develop new work for the stage. Additionally, I love my research. When the revisions start to pile up on me, I always step back and remind myself that I'm technically making a living (sorta...) on superheroes. But the biggest drive is that after nearly 12 years, my relationship suddenly ended. So I need to get out of Santa Barbara if I'm ever gonna catch a man!
Name an accomplishment you are most proud of and why
I've been lucky to receive nominations for the Outstanding TA Award for the entire five years I've been at UCSB. Even though I've never won (I'm the 'Susan Lucci of TA Awards'!), it means the world to me that I've impacted so many students in their college careers. My undergrad years were not a party at all so helping students find their scholarly bliss matters to me.
What do you do to relax? Any hobbies, collections, pastimes, favorite places to go, favorite things to do?
I'm an explorer at heart so I like to travel and take day trips. The Ph.D. doesn't leave that much time or money for such adventuring so I sometimes enjoy a "stay-cation" by trying out different kinds of food from around the world. For a small town, Santa Barbara boasts a variety of tasty spots.
What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
That a Theater Studies Ph.D. is hard work! Even other grad students assume I spend the day playing theater games. As if!
More seriously, I served on the scholarship committee for the Santa Barbara Gay and Lesbian Business Association. The small scholarships they offer recognizes LGBTQ students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. I encourage other graduate students to apply or get involved.
What do you hope to be doing 5 or 10 years out of graduate school?
At this point, I'll be happy if I can just make my student loan payments! Does anyone need a superherologist? A professorship teaching Theater and Popular Culture Studies would be ideal.
Kane as Captain MarvelDo you have any advice for other grad students?
Give yourself a break. Surrounded by friends who are having babies and buying houses, I fell into the trap of thinking that I was somehow "behind" in my life. Eventually I realized that I don't have to put my entire life on hold. If you're a graduate student starting out, recognize your limits and let go of that restrictive pride about perfection so you can find the balance between "good" and "good-enough." It's a tough lesson, but getting away from my work now and again made me a better student. Celebrate your studies by celebrating your breaks from them, too!
Also: Google yourself. Your students certainly will and it's better to cut them off at the pass!