Jo Ann Cavallo (PhD, Yale, 1987), Professor of Italian and Chair of the Italian Department at Columbia University, has published widely on Italian literature and culture, especially Renaissance romance epics and their adaptation in popular performance traditions. Her two latest books, The Sicilian Puppet Theater of Agrippino Manteo (1884-1947): The Paladins of France in America and The World beyond Europe in the Romance Epics of Boiardo and Ariosto, received multiple awards and were also published in Italian translation. She is editor of several volumes, including World Epics and Puppet Theater, Teaching World Epics, and Teaching the Italian Renaissance Romance Epic, creator of the websites eBOIARDO and World Epics, and founding editor of the Anthem World Epic and Romance book series.