Jaye | Austin

Her writings include essays like "Radical Black Drama-as-Theory: The Black Feminist Dramatic on the Protracted Event-Horizon" (published in Theory & Event ) and critical reviews of theatrical interventions in white supremacy.

Williams’ expertise extends into diverse areas of social and physical practice. She has served on selection panels for the and the Young Playwrights Festival . Additionally, she is a practitioner of Aikido , having developed modified movement workshops specifically for elders and people with disabilities. jaye austin

Williams has balanced a successful career as both a performer and a director with rigorous academic output: Additionally, she is a practitioner of Aikido ,

Dr. Jaye Austin Williams is an acclaimed artist, scholar, and professor whose work meticulously examines the "persistently challenging predicament of Black life" through the dual lenses of dramatic performance and critical theory. Currently an and Performance Studies Specialist in the Department of Critical Black Studies at Bucknell University , she has spent her career investigating how Black playwrights theorize anti-Blackness. Bridging the Gap Between Industry and Theory Currently an and Performance Studies Specialist in the

Williams’ transition from the professional theater industry to academia was born from a realization that the industry often lacked a deep engagement with philosophical discourses regarding anti-Blackness. As a Black, queer, and partially disabled participant in the arts, she sought to address "overt and covert aggressions" that she felt were being ignored by traditional theatrical institutions.

Her scholarly interventions often focus on what she terms "drama-as-theory," exploring how the structure of dramatic writing itself acts as a critical medium for understanding societal antagonisms. Notable Artistic and Scholarly Contributions