on behalf of Victor Emeljanow

[Scott, Shelley]

CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

 

Expressions of interest are invited from scholars in areas like theatre
studies, sociology, children's literature, education and labour history
to contribute to an edited volume on the topic:

 

 

Entertaining children: the participation of children in theatre and the
entertainment industry

 

 

Children have meant big business in European and North American theatre
since the 19th century. Tracy Davis, Anne Varty and others have explored
the role of children and its relation to notions of childhood in
Victorian Britain. Richard Butsch has pointed to the significance of
children as consumers during the development of cinema in the early 20th
century and beyond in America. There have been studies of 'infant
phenomena' but globally the study of children in the theatre both from
historical and contemporary perspectives is under-researched. This seems
to be particularly the case in non-European contexts. Therefore the
proposed volume should contain contributions which set the subject
within a global framework.

            

It could be argued that children have been and continue to be a vital
constituent of the theatrical marketplace and therefore central to any
discussion of the economies of theatre: they have been exploited as
performers and wooed energetically as consumers. Images of children in
performance have circulated and been used in the advertising industry
since the 19th century to promote shows, to reinforce cultural values
and to demonstrate that play can indeed lead to pay. More recently,
performance by and for children has intersected with issues regarding
personal and social wellbeing. 

 

Suggested questions which chapters might address include:

 

*	What is the basis for the continuing popularity of children in
the theatre?
*	What financial considerations determine the employment of
children in the entertainment industry?
*	What legal considerations have affected or continue to affect
the employment of children in the entertainment industry?
*	What are the differing requirements of community as distinct
from commercial theatre that affect the participation of children?
*	How do differing cultural values in different countries affect
the uses of children in the theatre? 
*	How have attitudes towards children and childhood historically
influenced their employment in the entertainment industry?
*	To what extent have the contemporary debates about the
sexualisation of children and their images affected the representation
of children on stage (and screen)?
*	How have theatres and entertainment providers responded to
children as consumers of their products either in an historical context
or in contemporary instances?
*	How have children been trained for theatrical purposes? How are
they being trained?
*	How have the 'new media' affected the representation and/or
employment of children in the entertainment industry?

Publishers have expressed keen interest in the production of a volume on
the topic generated probably because at present there exists little or
no competition in the area.

 

Expressions of interest should be sent in the first instance to:

 

Victor Emeljanow

Emeritus Professor of Drama,

University of Newcastle, NSW,

Australia

Victor.Emeljanow at newcastle.edu.au

 

 

 

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