MATC 2020 Theatre History Symposium
The 41 st Annual Mid-America Theatre Conference
March 5 – 8, 2020
Embassy Suites Downtown Magnificent Mile, Chicago, IL
“CHARACTER”
Theatre History Symposium—Call for Papers
From archetypes and stock characters to musings from theorists such as Zeami and Aristotle, character is inextricably linked to the art of theatre. Additionally, character refers to nature or qualities: it may rationalize misfortune (“hard work builds character”), refer to perceived difference (“he’s a character”), or signal integrity (“she’s got character”). A character is also a graphic figure (“Limit your tweets to 280 characters”). In today’s world, we are constantly reevaluating “character” and resultant ethical quandaries: How do we judge one’s character? When is something out of character? What does it mean to play a character?
As historians, we face questions regarding the character of past practices and the ways we characterize the past. Scholarly choices such as format, structure, and medium shape the character of historical narratives that impact how others understand the past. In terms of this year’s host city, the character of Chicago has shaped a vibrant performance landscape, and theatrical representations of the metropolis have shaped perceptions of the city’s identity.
This year’s Theatre History Symposium invites participants to consider ways in which character allows us to re-think, re-imagine, and re-create the pages and stages on which we work and the world in which those pages and stages are created. Questions that papers may address include, but are not limited to: How do historical narratives characterize not only the past, but the present and future? What characters from the past persist and how do practitioners address these characters? How do historiographic approaches characterize our work? In what ways has “the past”/“history” played characters in dramatic works? How are characters redefined/recomposed across temporal, spatial, national, and linguistic boundaries? What roles do characters play in the creation of moral, political, nationalistic, ethical, religious messages and/or propaganda? How has emphasis on character marginalized non-Western or avant-garde performance? How do nonWestern modes of theatre articulate/differentiate/engage with the notion of a performing body?
Please submit proposals via the online form available at https://forms.gle/tjoDf49a4Ni4Nz619
● Please be prepared to include a brief biography, title and abstract for your paper (250 words), and audiovisual requests for your presentation on your submission form. (Please note, we cannot guarantee AV support but will consider requests when scheduling.)
● We also welcome proposals for full panels. Contact the co-chairs for more information.
● No individual may submit to more than two symposia. This limit is put in place to avoid scheduling conflicts and to provide more individuals the opportunity to present.
We are excited to announce that Dr. Stuart Hecht will serve as this year’s Symposium Respondent.
Theatre History Symposium Co-Chairs: Heidi L. Nees, PhD Bowling Green State University
Matthieu Chapman, PhD University of Houston
Please email the Symposium Co-Chairs at theatre_history@matc.us with any questions.
All proposals must be received by October 15, 2019
Robert A. Schanke Award The Robert A. Schanke Research Award is given annually to an untenured faculty presenter of the Theatre History Symposium and carries a cash award of $500 and consideration for publication in Theatre History Studies, the Mid-America Theatre Conference journal. For consideration, submit your full, conference-length version of your paper to the co-chairs at the email address above by February 7, 2020.