Sean Bartley is an Assistant Professor of Theatre History in the School of Creative and Performing Arts at Northwestern State University. He previously held teaching appointments at Florida State University, The University of California Riverside, California State University Bakersfield, and The University of Florida.

His research centers on contemporary American site-specific, ambulatory, and immersive theatre practices. His work has been featured in Routledge’s Sporting Performances: Politics in Play, TDR: The Drama Review, Theatre History Studies, Theatre Journal, PARtake: The Journal of Performance as Research and Borrowers and Lenders: The Journal of Shakespeare and Appropriation.

Recent directing projects include Will Eno’s Tragedy: a tragedy, staged on Zoom for the FSU School of Theatre, and Caryl Chuchill’s Drunk Enough To Say I Love You?, staged in an actual hotel room for audiences of eight. Dramaturgy credits include work with American Repertory Theatre (Julius Caesar, Romance), New Repertory Theatre (BOOM), and Company One (Learn to be Latina).

He received his PhD in Theatre Studies at Florida State. He holds a BA in Theatre Arts Management from American University and an MFA in Dramaturgy from the American Repertory Theatre/Moscow Art Theatre School Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University.

He serves as the Dramaturgy Coordinator for Region IV of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival and the Emerging Scholars Co-Coordinator for Mid-America Theatre Conference.