Will Bonfiglio
Lecturer in American Culture Studies
Will Bonfiglio studies the intersection of performance and politics. His primary research areas include identity and performance, Dolly Parton, musical theatre, and 20th/21st-century American popular culture. Investigating how performance shapes society, his recent projects have explored Parton's legacy, Y2K culture, and carceral theatre.
His research and writing have appeared in publications such as Theatre Journal and Exhibition Journal, in addition to various popular media outlets.
Recognized with the university's James Baldwin Committed Educator Award in 2025, Bonfiglio has taught in American Culture Studies and Performing Arts at WashU since 2023.
His Fall 2024 course, "A Diamond in a Rhinestone World: The Performance and Politics of Dolly Parton" was featured in WashU Magazine, and he was recently quoted in The Washington Post about her legacy.
Beyond his scholarship, his creative work as a theatre artist has been presented across the country. A proud alumnus of the Fulbright Program, he completed his MA in Theatre and Performance Studies at Washington University in St. Louis and his BA in Theatre at Vanderbilt University.