Mariann VanDevere
Doctoral Student, Department of English
Comedy Collective
Mariann is leading a year-long workshop entitled ‘The Comedy Collective’. Her goal is to provide a space where students of color can bond and destress through the creation and consumption of comedy.
Mariann VanDevere studies post-WWII Black American stand-up and sketch comedy. She hopes to use her background in creative writing and experience with media theory to produce a multi-modal dissertation project that seeks to extend outside of the academy.
For her 2017-2018 Catalyst project, Mariann has created The Comedy Collective, a weekly gathering for students of color where the group can bond and destress through the creation and consumption of comedy. Students also take part in field trips to local comedy clubs and meet up-and-coming comedians for round-table talks revolving around the craft of comedy.