The 2012 NEH Summer Institute on Roman Comedy in performance: Genesis and reflections

The 2012 NEH Summer Institute on Roman Comedy in Performance aimed to encourage the performance and study of Roman comedy and to help scholars, students and performers negotiate the challenges that Roman comedy presents in mixing comic fun with disturbing elements. The Institute's directors brought together eight experts and twenty-five NEH Summer Scholars from various fields to study the performance practices and social background of Roman comedy, and to perform select scenes of Plautus and Terence using various techniques and approaches. The results clarify the importance of performance to interpretation, including by problematizing the dichotomy between "funny" and "serious." The Institute's success suggests that Roman comedy deserves a greater role on the modern stage and in the classroom.