Chicago Theatre Symposium Announces Programming

In a first-of-its-kind event, an international congress of theater scholars and practitioners are set to chronicle the history and chart the future of Chicago theater in “Chicago – Theatre Capital of America: Past. Present. Future.” Programming has now been announced for this May 18-22. 2011 event, presented by the Theatre Department of Columbia College Chicago.

The symposium’s historical view dates to the World's Columbian Exposition, but the programming primarily focuses on Off-Loop theatre, the self-renewing movement that began in the 1950s with Compass, Second City and Playwrights Theatre Club, then gathered steam in the '60s until the local theater scene exploded in the 1970s and continues to thrive today.

A full schedule of the symposium programming and events can be found at www.colum.edu/theatresymposium. Online registration for the symposium remains open at the site. Registration is $95 for the four-day event, with a student discounted price of $60. Registration and events are open to the public.

Register Now for Columbia College Chicago Theatre Symposium

Online registration is NOW AVAILABLE for "Chicago: Theatre Capital of America: Past. Present. Future," scheduled for May 18-22, 2011 at Columbia College Chicago. This symposium will bring together theatre scholars and professionals from around the world to reflect on and document the vibrant history of Chicago theatre and to share visions and strategies for the next generation. Featured speakers include Steppenwolf artistic director Martha Lavey; Richard Christiansen, author of "A Theater of Our Own: A History and a Memoir of 1,001 Nights in Chicago"; Lisa Portes, head of DePaul University's MFA directing program; Northwestern University's Harvey Young, author of "Embodying Black Experience"; Todd London, co-author of "Outrageous Fortune: The Life and Times of the New American Play"; and British theatre critic Michael Billington of the Guardian, who drew international attention to Chicago when he declared it "the theatre capital of America."

Themes to be addressed in a series of panels and papers include: the development of Chicago theatre from a grass-roots movement into a global phenomenon; improvisation; literary adaptation; Chicago playwrights and how they got that way; the development of new work; theatre rooted in specific racial, ethnic, and cultural communities; fringe theatre and performance; the relationship of storefront and large institutional theatres; the impact of Chicago theatre on Broadway, Hollywood, and regional theatre; the state of theatre criticism in a changing media environment; theatre as public space; the role of arts education and teaching artists; and developing the next generation of arts leaders.

Please join us for the first event of its kind to celebrate and chronicle Chicago's rich, innovative theatre scene and to chart a path for the future. Early online registration costs $95 -- or $60 for students. To register, or for more information, go to www.colum.edu/theatresymposium. Also, please go to our Facebook page.

Deadline Extended for papers for 2011 Chicago Theatre Symposium

The Theatre Department of Columbia College Chicago will host a gathering of scholars and theatre artists from around the world to explore the history of Chicago theatre over the last half-century and the future of Chicago as a leading center of international theatre. Titled Chicago--Theatre Capital of America: Past. Present. Future, and scheduled for May 18-22, 2011, the event will focus on Chicago’s rise as a center of theatrical creativity, innovation, and influence over the past 50 years and explore the future of theatre in an atmosphere of rapidly increasing technological development and global communication. A wide range of presentations, panels, workshops, and performances will highlight the event.

A Call for Papers has been issued inviting theatre scholars and practitioners to propose presentations on a wide range of topics. The deadline for proposals has been extended to OCTOBER 1. Emerging scholars are especially encouraged to participate. In addition, a lineup of distinguished featured speakers is being assembled. Featured speakers confirmed so far include Richard Christiansen, author of A Theater of Our Own: A History and a Memoir of 1,001 Nights in Chicago; Martha Lavey, artistic director of Steppenwolf Theatre and board president of the Theatre Communications Group; Todd London, artistic director of New Dramatists and co-author of Outrageous Fortune: The Life and Times of The New American Play; Lisa Portes, head of DePaul University's MFA directing program; Harvey Young, director of Northwestern University's interdisciplinary doctoral program in theatre and drama and author of Embodying Black Experience: Stillness, Critical Memory, and the Black Body; and British theatre critic Michael Billington of The Guardian. In a 2004 article in The Guardian, Billington wrote:

Online registration for the symposium will be posted in mid-September at www.colum.edu/theatresymposium. Early registration costs $95, or $60 for students.

CALL FOR PAPERS
Deadline for submissions: October 1, 2010
E-mail proposals to: chitheatresymposium@colum.edu.

Call for Papers for Chicago Theatre Symposium

Chicago - - Theatre Capital of America: Past. Present. Future.
An international scholarly symposium and theatrical celebration presented by the Theatre Department of Columbia College Chicago – the largest and most diverse private arts and media college in the nation with more than 120 academic programs and more than 12,000 students.
Dates: May 18-22, 2011
Place: Columbia College, Chicago, IL

Rationale
By creating the first international forum for scholars from Chicago and the Midwest, around the U.S., and overseas to consider the topics listed below, Columbia College Chicago's 2011 symposium on Chicago theatre can significantly influence scholarship about--and the future of--the performing arts on local, national and global scales.

FEATURED SPEAKERS
Michael Billington
theatre critic for Britain's Guardian newspaper

Martha Lavey
artistic director of Steppenwolf Theatre
and board president of the Theatre Communications Group

Richard Christiansen
Veteran Chicago theatre critic and author of A Theater of Our Own: A History and a Memoir of 1,001 Nights in Chicago (Northwestern University Press, 2004)

Todd London
co-author of Outrageous Fortune: The Life and Tmes of the New American Play (Theatre Development Fund, 2010) and editor of An Ideal Theatre (Theatre Communications Group, 2011), a documentary anthology of essays, letters, and memoirs, the founding visions for American theatres in the words of the pioneers who built them

CALL FOR PAPERS
Deadline for submissions: September 1, 2010
E-mail proposals to: chitheatresymposium@colum.edu

The organizing committee invites 300-word abstracts (including up to 10 low res images or up to 2 minutes video where relevant) addressing the past, present, and/or future of professional theatre in Chicago in relation, but not limited, to the following topics (other side):

1. Theory and Praxis; Workshops; Master Classes (acting, auditioning, casting, directing, design, dramaturgy, ensemble, improvisation, narrative, writing, criticism);
2. Education, Training, and Access (schools, colleges, programs, teachers, economic strata, social circles, professional networks);
3. Classical and Contemporary (Shakespeare, Loop, off-Loop, fringe, mainstream, musicals, genders, sexualities, ethnicities, abilities, presence/absence of international influences);
4. Management and Development (funding, patronage, boards of directors, unions, producing, marketing, sales, social media, audience development, government relations, public policy).

Proposals from emerging scholars and artists and attendance by graduate students are particularly encouraged.

Proposals should include the following items:
1. Your name, title, status (e.g., artist, faculty, independent scholar, management, student) and academic and/or professional affiliation (if applicable).
2. Your contact information (particularly e-mail).
3. The title and abstract for your paper, panel, workshop, master class. Please limit abstracts to 300 words. Proposals for panels of two or more scholars and for workshops and master classes with multiple leaders are welcome. Please include the above information for each participant.
4. The technical requirements of your presentation.

In your e-mail, please write “Chicago Theatre Symposium” in the subject heading and in the body of the message include the title of the proposal, your name, address, telephone, email address and affiliation (if applicable).
Receipt of your submission will be confirmed via email and you will be informed of the committee’s decisions by November 15, 2010.

For information on the conference see http://www.colum.edu/TheatreSymposium. You may also contact Albert Williams, Senior Lecturer, Columbia College Theatre Department, at 312-369-6141, awilliams@colum.edu, or Dr. John Green, chair of the Columbia College Theatre Department, at 312-369-6160, jgreen@colum.edu.