George Pate, PhD

My name is George Pate, and I am an Associate Professor of English and Theater. I am a teacher, scholar, playwright, actor, director, game designer, and former standup comic. My research focuses on the ideologies underlying the practical realities of cultural production, especially where intellectual property law is concerned. My book Enter the Undead Author (Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 2019) explores the intersections of intellectual property and performance through case studies ranging from joke-stealing in standup comedy to the dispute of the authorship of Rent. As a playwright, I work in the genres of magical realism and dark comedy. I created the Ludirature project to encourage students in the humanities to explore game design as a way to practice bringing their creativity and analytical skills to the realm of digital technology. I teach English composition, theater history, playwriting, dramatic literature, theater appreciation, and script analysis.