Emry Sottile is an active role-player, theatre practitioner, dramaturg, stage manager, and writer in the PhD program. Prior to their doctoral work, they received an M.A. in War in Society, a B.F.A. in Television Writing and Production, and a B.A. in History from Chapman University. Their research focuses on role-play performance—with an emphasis on table-top role-playing games, larp, and interactive theatre—and how these communal practices with queer utopian potentiality push the limits of what the “theatre” in theatre studies looks like. They also examine musicals, video games, and other popular culture sites of digital age cultural memory and community formation in the face of neoliberal capitalism. Their work can be found in The International Journal of Role-Playing and forthcoming issues of Studies in Musical Theatre (18:2), The Journal of Popular Culture, and Transformative Works and Cultures. Practice-wise, they specialize in musical theatre dramaturgy and have worked on Wirtz productions including Violet (2023) and The Prom (2023). Additionally, as a larpwright they have written short scenarios and have been on blockbuster larp’s writing staff including Coddiwomple Alliance’s Auxientia (2024 Run) and Grimmoire Productions’ Hawkins (Running October 2025).