As an English and Theatre professor my research and scholarly endeavors are divided into two distinct categories: traditional scholarly research and artistic and creative artifacts. As an academic, the question that drives my research is how is culture performed and enacted in American culture? By questioning the performance of culture, I examine the how seemingly disparate examples of popular culture are unique markers of the human experience. My current focus is to explore how works of children’s and young adult literature transmit social and cultural norms to a new generation of young people. By exploring, analyzing, and exposing the underlying socializing messages, my hope is that we can re-write and re-vision our cultural experience to be more tolerant, more forgiving, and more socially just. As one can see, my research agenda is robust, especially when one considers I divide my attention between traditional academic research and creative theatrical productions.