<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; "><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">** apologies for cross posting** </span></p><div><br></div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; "><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">The Changing Face of Theatre Criticism in the Digital Age</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; "><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">A Colloquium at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts at Brock University</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; "><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">21-22 February 2014<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; "><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">Part of the visit of Walker Cultural Leader Jill Dolan to Brock</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; "><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">This colloquium considers the changing face of performing arts criticism in the 21st century, with a particular focus on taking stock of the current critical scene in Niagara, and imagining possible futures. It </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">is an extension of the visit of Professor Jill Dolan (Princeton University) to Brock from 20-22 February 2014 as part of the Walker Cultural Leaders series. Dolan is a distinguished feminist theatre scholar and the creator of the award-winning <a href="http://www.thefeministspectator.com">Feminist Spectator</a> blog. The colloquium is also funded by Brock's Humanities Research Institute and its SSHRC Institutional Grant scheme, and by the St Catharines Performing Arts Centre.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><span> </span>The larger context is the fact that arts criticism is changing rapidly in the contemporary era, as outlets for print criticism continue to dwindle, and the internet grows ever stronger as a site for the dissemination of thought and opinion via online professional publications, and group and individual blog sites. In some quarters, these changes are viewed as a significant crisis of authority: whence subject-specific knowledge and experience if everyone and anyone can be a critic? Another view sees this as an evolution rather than crisis, as a period of positive democratization of dialogue about culture in the public sphere. The academy has stakes in this debate in that scholars rely on (and sometimes participate in) popular criticism as documentation, and have the capacity to deepen these dialogues by proffering a broad scholarly perspective on the history of critical practices, questions of authority and value, and on the implications of the digitalization of culture.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">The goal of this gathering is to take stock of current theatre and performance criticism practices in the Niagara region, and in the Greater Toronto Area more broadly; and to think through ways to grow a more robust critical infrastructure to support the burgeoning performing arts scene in the our region in anticipation of the opening in 2015 of the new downtown complex housing the Marilyn I. Walker School for the Fine and Performing Arts, and the St Catharines Centre for the Arts.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">The colloquium is free of charge and open to the public. Full schedule below. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">All events take place in Sankey Chambers on Brock's St. Catharines campus. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">All events will be live-streamed at </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><a href="http://brockvideocenter.brocku.ca/"><span style="color: blue; ">http://brockvideocenter.brocku.ca</span></a> (click "Live Videos")</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; color: rgb(26, 53, 110); ">, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">and live-Tweeted (follow #DARTcritics). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">For more information please email <a href="mailto:kfricker@brocku.ca">kfricker@brocku.ca</a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><o:p>*** </o:p></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">In addition to her participation in this colloquium, at Brock Jill </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">Dolan will offer a public lecture, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">“Moving the Body Politic: How Feminism and Theatre Inspire Social Re-imaginings"</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">, co-sponsored by the Brock's Department of Dramatic Arts and Centre for Women's and Gender Studies, on 21 February, 10 - 12 am, which is open to the public and free of charge. ***</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">Schedule</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">Friday, 21st February, </span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">2:00 - 2:30 pm. </span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">Welcome and presentation by students in DART 3P96: Studies in Praxis - Theatre Criticism</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">2:30 - 4:00 pm. </span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">Panel discussion: Critics and the arts in Niagara</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">Participants: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">Jill Dolan (respondent); </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">Monica Dufault, artistic director, Essential Collective Theatre; </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">David Fancy, associate professor of Dramatic Arts, Brock University, co-artistic director, neXt Company Theatre (chair); </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">John Law, arts and entertainment writer, Sun Media; </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">Sara Palmieri, co-founder, In the Soil Festival; </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">Stephen Remus, minister of energy, minds, and resources, Niagara Arts Centre; </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">Steve Solski, director, St Catharines Centre for the Performing Arts; </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">Candice Turner-Smith, managing director, Niagara Symphony Orchestra</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">4:15 - 5:45 pm. </span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">Panel discussion: Embedded criticism: a new way forward, or criticism-as-PR?</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">Participants: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">Maddy Costa, critic and blogger, London, UK; </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">Karen Fricker, assistant professor of Dramatic Arts, Brock University; </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">Andy Horwitz, founder, <a href="http://Culturebot.org/">Culturebot.org</a>, New York; </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">Jackie Maxwell, artistic director, Shaw Festival; </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">Jacob Gallagher-Ross, assistant professor of theatre, State University of New York at Buffalo (r</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">espondent); </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">Lawrence Switzky, assistant professor of drama, University of Toronto at Mississauga<o:p> (chair)</o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">Saturday, 22nd February, </span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">10:00- 10:30 am. </span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">Welcome and presentation by students in DART 3P96: Studies in Praxis - Theatre Criticism</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">10:30 - 12 pm. </span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">Panel discussion: Bloggers, critics, and cultural legitimation</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">Participants: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">Jill Dolan; Karen Fricker (chair); </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">Andy Horwitz (respondent); </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">J. Kelly Nestruck, lead theatre critic, <i>The Globe and Mail; </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">Richard Ouzonian, lead theatre critic, <i>Toronto Star; </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">Holger Syme, chair, Department of English, University of Toronto at Mississauga, and blogger at <a href="http://disposito.net/">disposito.net</a>; </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; ">Odette Yazbeck, director of public relations, Shaw Festival</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; "> </span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">12:15 - 1 pm. </span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">Colloquium wrap-up</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; ">Participants: Maddy Costa; Jill Dolan; Karen Fricker (chair); Rosemary Drage Hale, Director of the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Brock University; Andy Horwitz.</span></p><div apple-content-edited="true">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div>_________________________</div><div>Karen Fricker, PhD</div><div>Assistant Professor of Dramatic Arts</div><div>Brock University</div><div>ST 104 - 500 Glenridge Avenue</div><div>St Catharines, ON L2S 3A1</div><div><a href="mailto:kfricker@brocku.ca">kfricker@brocku.ca</a></div></div><div>+ 1 (905) 688-5550 x 5780</div><div><br></div><div>Brock students' theatre criticism online: <a href="http://DARTcritics.com">DARTcritics.com</a></div><div><br></div><div>Personal blog: <a href="http://karenfricker.wordpress.com">karenfricker.wordpress.com</a></div></div></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
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