Cathy Madden 
Principal Lecturer, School of Drama

Pioneering Spirit in the Celebrity of the Discontented Everyman:  F.M. Alexander

One function of celebrity is to hold up to us what is possible. The kind of celebrity represented by F.M. Alexander is one that reminds us we can pioneer our lives: responding to discontent with constructive desire and steadfast in our ability to be a celebrity in our own world.

Cathy Madden leads workshops on the Alexander Technique around the world. Her book Integrative Alexander Technique Practice for Performing Artists: Onstage Synergy is scheduled for publication in January 2015.

2014/15 Performing Arts Lecture Series: Celebrity and Its Discontents

From Helen of Troy to the Kardashian sisters, celebrities, or (in Joseph Roach’s definition) “abnormally interesting people,” have fascinated the public imagination over the centuries. This series of lectures from scholars and art practitioners across academic disciplines considers why certain historical figures or fictional characters have possessed a special power to fascinate their public.