Call for Abstracts – Journal Issue -- Canadian Theatre Review
Deadline for Abstracts: October 31, 2005

Canadian Theatre Review: "Spoken Word Performance"

While some critical attention has been paid to contemporary spoken word in
Canada in terms of its relationship to literary arts, in particular with
poetry, very little has been written regarding the performance aspects of this
emerging art form. As a cross-over journal, whose readership includes artists &
academics, Canadian Theatre Review (CTR) is the ideal venue for Canadian spoken
word artists, critics, audiences, and academics to discuss the performance
practices, ethics, genealogies, aesthetics, critiques, politics, etc. of
contemporary spoken word performance.

For the purposes of this issue, 'spoken word performance' will function as an
umbrella term which may include any text-based performance where the
writer/performer is performing her/his own text. Both conventional and
unexpected interpretations of "spoken word performance" will be considered and
are welcome.

CTR focuses on work by Canadian performers/artists/writers but will consider
writing about non-Canadian artists if used for comparative/illustrative
purposes.

Some possible paper topics:

Critical work on a single artist or group
Histories of spoken word performances in a place/space
Poetics of performance
Spoken word performance in process
Documenting spoken word performance
Problems/possibilities of working in a hybrid genre
The role of a spoken word artist in communities
Performing politics/political performance
Guerilla Poetry – performing in the streets
Theatre & spoken word
Performance art & spoken word
The stage 'persona'
Performing ethnicity/gender/sexuality/class in spoken word performance
Developing evaluative criteria/taxonomies for spoken word performance
Dramatic monologue & spoken word performance
"Innovation" in spoken word performance
"Experimentalism/experimentation" in spoken word performance
Performance in competition – poetry slams & the role of the performer
Stand-up comedy & spoken word
Multi-media/multi-genre performance
Dub Poetry in performance
Hip Hop Performance
Spoken Word Cabarets
Curating spoken word
Embodiment & spoken word performance
Spoken word performance(s) as aesthetic/political practice(s)
Teaching spoken word performance

In addition to critical articles, CTR also accepts interviews, panel
discussions, and non-traditional critical writing. All submissions must
include images (with permission to print).

Please send 500 word abstracts, including a note about whether or not you will
have accompanying images, by October 31, 2005 to guest editor T.L. Cowan:
t.l.cowan_at_ualberta.ca. Please include all contact information with abstract.

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Received on Mon Aug 22 2005 - 10:51:43 EDT