Stefano Boselli (Theatre) presented his paper, “Nomadic Comics from Page to Performance: Copi’s Irreverent Characters as Staged by Alfredo Arias and Les Lucioles,” at the 45th Annual Mid-America Theatre Conference, held in Atlanta, GA, from March 6 to 8, 2025. Boselli’s paper examined the intersection of comics and theatre in the work of Argentine artist and playwright Copi (Raúl Damonte Botana, 1939–1987). It explored how Copi’s subversive comic strips—originally published in Le Nouvel Observateur and challenging societal norms through human and animal characters—were adapted for the stage. The analysis focused on two distinct productions drawing from The Seated Woman series: Alfredo Arias’s 1999 staging at Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris and Les Lucioles’ 2006 multimedia adaptations. While Arias employed a more conventional dramaturgical approach, Les Lucioles integrated digital projections, enhancing the interplay between human and non-human performers. Boselli’s research contributes to ongoing discussions on the theatricality of comics and the posthuman dynamics of performance, offering new insights into the relationship between visual media and live theatre. In addition to his presentation, Boselli co-chaired the Conference’s Pitch Your Book and Articles in Progress symposia and mentored an emerging scholar.
