reminder - 2nd call for English/Theatre Intersection Roundtable

[Heidi Verwey]

Call for Participants
Canadian Association for Theatre Research (CATR) conference, Victoria,
BC, June 1 - 4, 2013

CATR 2012 Roundtable Proposal: 
The Intersection of English and Theatre
Roundtable Organizers
Robin Nichol, Thompson Rivers University (rnichol at tru.ca )
Ginny Ratsoy, Thompson Rivers University (gratsoy at tru.ca)
Heidi Verwey, Thompson Rivers University (hverwey at tru.ca)

Proposal
The relationship between English and Theatre has always been a
symbiotic one, but there also seems to be the potential for each
discipline to hinder the other. In a Guardian article from 2008 entitled
“Is Three Years of Theatre School Still the Best Way to Become an
Actor?” Iain Reekie, Program Director of the Sidcup School, states
that "80% of the course is practice-based, and it always will be,
whereas many universities are offering courses that are mainly academic
but have a practical element. I think what we've seen is a shift that
now allows the academic world to recognize that practice-based work is
just as valuable. We see no reason why our degrees shouldn't have the
same kudos and respectability as a degree in engineering." But he goes
on to say “those with good degrees often do better in the profession.
This might be because the academic component has made them strategic
thinkers, something he believes is crucial if "we are going to produce
actors who don't just service the industry like puppets, but also help
to change it." Discussion of Theatre /English relationships is
especially timely as some Theatre programs in Canada are being folded
into English departments. 
Is theory always essential to practice? How do we foster connections
and build best practice relationships among professors working within
these disciplines?  While we invite papers on any aspect of the
relationship between English and Theatre, we especially welcome those
that directly address the conference theme of “@ the Edge” by
examining how Theatre and English can engage with each other in
non-traditional or innovative ways.  Theoretical perspectives, case
studies, narratives, and comparative work on contemporary theatrical and
the Theory/Praxis relationship are among the anticipated approaches.
Possible Questions
1.	What are the challenges and opportunities when Theatre and
English merge departmentally?
2.	Is theory always a benefit to praxis and vice versa?
3.	What are the special challenges and opportunities for the
student and/or professor in a university Theatre/English collaboration?
4.	What is the impact on and influence of the audience?
5.	Does Dramaturgy play a role here?  If so, how? 
6.	What are best practices for collaborations between English and
Theatre?
7.	Are there other ways to build on the inherent relationship
between the two disciplines?
8.	What is the way forward in this joint relationship?
Call for Participants: The Intersection of English and Theatre
CATR conference delegates are invited to share their knowledge of the
nature of the intersection of English and Theatre. This roundtable will
involve delegates in a discussion of the special challenges and
opportunities faced by collaborations - whether on individual projects
or departmentally - between the disciplines. For example, Ginny from EML
(English), and Robin and Heidi from VPA (Theatre) will be collaborating
on a new project writing a play with the homeless in Kamloops BC. How
will the focus of each other’s praxis and research impact the
participants and the project as a whole? 
This discussion of the specific situation of the kinship between
English and Theatre aims to engage scholars and practitioners in
productive dialogue for the purposes of creating ongoing professional
relationships and collaboration and perhaps generating scholarship on
best practises between English and Theatre. 
In preparation for an email discussion in which the agenda for the
roundtable will be jointly decided, each participant should have, by
March 1, 2013, prepared a list of five issues he/she deems most relevant
to the topic of the Intersection of English and Theatre.
By April 1, 2013, roundtable participants will have developed an agenda
based on the March email discussion.  Should numbers warrant it,
volunteers will have the opportunity to take on specific tasks such as
leading discussion on specific topics and recording parts of the content
of the roundtable. 
Work Cited
http://apps.facebook.com/theguardian/education/2008/jul/15/highereducation.uk1

Interested participants are asked to submit a 250-word proposal to
Heidi Verwey at hverwey at tru.ca by January 15th, 2013. 

The organizers welcome questions from potential participants in advance
of submitting a proposal.

Contact:
Heidi Verwey
Lecturer in Theatre
Department of Visual and Performing Arts Thompson Rivers University
Box 3010 Kamloops BC V2C 5N3
(250) 828-5216
hverwey at tru.ca