PMA Professor Nick Salvato has published a new essay, “Everyday Camp: A Field Guide,” featured as the lead article in the summer 2026 issue of Theater magazine, a leading journal of performance and theater studies.
In the essay, Salvato explores quotidian versions of camp, the art of queer parody, in contradistinction to its more famous and public-facing enactments--for instance, collecting diva memorabilia rather than appearing as a contestant on Drag Race.
“Working on this project involved rigorous thinking but also delicious fun,” said Salvato. “The research process included traveling to Palm Springs to stay at the Trixie Motel, arguably the campiest place in North America.”
The project was supported by the department of Performing and Media Arts through a Bean Fellowship.
Theater magazine is a prominent publication dedicated to contemporary performance, theory, and criticism, showcasing innovative scholarship and creative work in the field.
Read Professor Salvato’s article: https://doi.org/10.1215/01610775-12437033
Photo credit: Nick Salvato, Detail from the Trixie Motel's Lounge, 2024.
