Response to Papers in ACTR in June

[Walter Cassidy]

I just recieved the newsletter of the Vol 18 No1 of the ACTR.  I am
presently at University of Hawaii doing graduate work in Asian
Performance.  I am orginally from Windsor Ontario.  I am not able to go
to the conference in June because I will be acting in a Suzuki method
production. here in Hawaii.  When I do go home this summer it will
be to Ontario.  Why I am writing is because I was wondering if the e0mail
system will have decussion also .  I understand I only have Abstracts
but I have strong opinions about one of the papers that will be
persented, "More Feminine than a Woman," by Karrie Sebryk.  If she is on
the list I would love to take to her because  I have questions regarding
what "opera" is she talking about  There are over two hundred "opera"  or
better named Xiqu forms in China today.  None of them existed in teh
thirteenth century.  Epessially Beijing Opera which started in the
1800's.  The role of Dan "femal role" had gone through many changes
through the hundreds of years and many different changes with each  Xiqu
form.  I had Dr. E. Wichmann read the abstract who has lived in China for
many years and is the only foreigner to perform professionally on a
Beijing Opera stage, and her Book "Listening to  Theatre' has been well
recieved.  She has never heard of "women brought their daughters to the
opera to be taught how to be "ideal women."  Dr.Wichmann's book
shows that the
majority of Audience members go to the Xiqu performance to listen to the
performance and not used to teach.  Also,  In the abstract no attention
was made to the Model works which was partly an attempt to bring the
statis quo of women on equal lavels with men.  Also there is nothing to
Do with LioPai (spelt wrong) system.  One of my Beijing Opera teachers was
the youngest student of Mei Lanfang.  So therfore her Pai is Mei Pai.
The Dan roles and other role types are based on Actor technique which
included women creating LeoPai's them selves.
        I just had to write this because I felt so strongly about this
abstract.  I hope I can get a copy of the full paper to help see if my
concerns are dealt with or not.  Plus,  if ther is no way for e-mail
people to formally respond to confrences maybe ther sould be a effort to
create one.
thank you for your time
walter cassidy