Volatile Stages: Spectacular Theatre and the Theatre of Spectacle
Call for Participants for Seminar Session at ASTR (American Society for
Theatre Research) Conference 2004
The ASTR conference will meet at the Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas NV, 18-21
November 2004.
Like pornography, spectacle is often found in the eye of the beholder,
recognizable rather than definable. An OED definition of spectacle reads "A
piece of stage-display or pageantry, as contrasted with real drama."(ital.
added). Despite this seemingly strict delineation, theatrical presentation
has often historically relied on spectacular display and adopted the visual
semiotics of spectacle to critique particular moments, and spectacle itself
has often drawn from theatrical vocabularies to stage the world. This
seminar will explore the commingling of "high" and "low" at moments when
spectacle and theatre come together. Is all theatre spectacle? Is all
spectacle theatre?
>From Mel Gibson's violent dramatization of the Passion to the Haitian
coup-d'etat to Fox's Man v. Beast 2 and The Littlest Groom to the Martha
Stewart/Scott Peterson/Michael Jackson trials to Janet Jackson's "wardrobe
malfunction," spectacle is everywhere. Theatre must choose how it addresses
the increasing spectacle of the age, whether in a conscious "poor theatre"
rejection or in the varying spectacular presentations of such theatrical
extravaganzas as the television "reality" Jerry Springer: The Musical, the
work of multimedia companies The Builders' Association and Robert Wilson,
the ambiguous theatricality/sexuality/animality of Cirque du Soleil's
Zumanity, or the ripped-from-the-headlines topicality of Tim Robbins's
Embedded. What is at stake in returning spectacle to the stage in a society
that is so driven by non-theatrical spectacle? What are the particular
responsibilities of theatre to comment on and draw from the everyday
presence of violent, graphic display?
Individual papers/presentations might seek to address these issues through
the following questions:
* Why do moments of sociopolitical crises often instantiate a turn to
spectacle?
* What is the role of spectacular utopias sites like Las Vegas and
temporary carnival spaces in forming definitions of national or individual
identity?
* What is the relationship of theatrical spectacle to political
pageantry?
* How does theatre's use of "spectacle" whether Jacobean blood and gore,
helicopters and crashing chandeliers on Broadway, documentary newspaper
realism, or the ever-increasing cyborgean spectacle of multimedia
productionCshape the perceptions and cultural siting of the institution of
the theatre?
* What are the unique potentials of a spectacular theatre to address
issues of bodily presence, identity, and ability?
* How might the intersection of theatre and spectacle provide a space
for a reimagining of social relations?
Papers should be 10-12 pages long and might include, where possible, a
visual component. We encourage creativity in the types of papers proposed:
web sites, video presentations, etc., are welcome, but must be able to be
circulated among seminar participants in advance. Prior to submitting
papers, participants may be asked to circulate brief suggested
bibliographies. We welcome a variety of methodological approaches,
including, but not limited to, anthropological, historical, philosophical,
economic, and sociological. We will initiate online discussion prior to the
face-to-face conference meeting.
Please submit a 250-500 word proposal by 31 May 2004 to both seminar
co-chairs:
Jennifer Parker-Starbuck, Zstarbuck@aol.com
AND Josh Abrams, Jabrams@gc.cuny.edu
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From the Literary Calls for Papers Mailing List
CFP@english.upenn.edu
Full Information at
http://www.english.upenn.edu/CFP/
or write Erika Lin: elin@english.upenn.edu
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