41st Comparative Drama Conference

Text & Presentation

2017 Keynote Event

A Conversation with Lisa Loomer

April 7, 2017

8 p.m.

Call for Papers

Papers reporting on original investigations and critical analysis of research and developments in the field of drama and theatre are invited for the 41st Comparative Drama Conference, hosted by Rollins College in Orlando, Florida, April 6-8, 2017. Papers may be comparative across nationalities, periods and disciplines; and may deal with any issue in dramatic literature, criticism, theory, and performance, or any method of historiography, translation, or production. Papers should be 15 minutes in length, written for oral presentation, and accessible to a multi-disciplinary audience. Scholars and artists in all languages and literatures are invited to email a 250 word abstract in English to Dr. William C. Boles at compdrama@rollins.edu by 3 December 2016. Please include paper title, author’s name, status (faculty, graduate student, other/scholar-at-large), institutional affiliation, and postal address at top left. Abstracts must present a clear argument and have an appropriate scope (usually two or fewer works). (PLEASE be sure to add compdrama@rollins.edu to your accepted email list so that conference emails will not be rejected by your server. Ask your IT administrator how to do so.) If you do not receive e-mail confirmation that we received your abstract/submission within 14 days, we did not receive your submission. Please contact us immediately at wboles@rollins.edu. Those whose abstracts are accepted for presentation are expected to attend the conference. Due to the number of submissions, the adjudicators are unable to offer specific feedback on panels, abstracts, or scripts. Abstracts will be printed in the conference program. Accepted presentations will be scheduled in a room with a projector, screen, and speakers. If you wish to use a laptop, please bring your own as well as a dongle.  We do not provide remote control devices.

Pre-organized Panels

Pre-organized Panels and Roundtables will also be considered. A pre-organized panel should include three papers. Each paper should be 15 minutes in length. Panel proposals should include (1) a copy of each panelist’s 250 word abstract with paper title, author’s name, institutional affiliation, status, postal address and email address at top left, and (2) a succinct, 50-word rationale for the grouping of the papers. The panel organizer should email the abstracts and rationale to compdrama@rollins.edu by 3 December 2016. A pre-organized roundtable should include at least four participants. Roundtable proposals should include (1) a succinct, 50 word explanation of and rationale for the roundtable topic, (2) a timeline of the program, including time for audience interaction and Q & A, and (3) clear evidence of each participant’s expertise in the topic area. Do not send entire vitae. Include only evidence applicable to the roundtable topic. The panel or roundtable organizer should email the abstracts and rationale to compdrama@rollins.edu by 3 December 2016.

If you would like to advertise a pre-organized panel on the CDC website, please send the panel title, organizer contact information, deadline, and description to compdrama@rollins.edu immediately.

To see the call for pre-organized panels, visit our Pre-organized Panels page.

Staged Readings

The conference board invites proposals for staged readings of new plays. Two to four one-act or full-length new plays will receive staged readings during the course of the conference. Each staged reading will be followed by a talkback with the audience led by a dramaturg. This year, we will have one slot for a 90-minute staged reading and one to three slots for 45-minute staged readings. The proposed staged reading may be for a 45 or a 90 minute portion of a longer play, a 45 minute play, or a 90 minute play. Directors and actors may be listed as part of the proposal, or may be assigned by the Conference Director. Those proposing a staged reading should submit the play’s title, character list, proposed length of reading (45 minute or 90 minute), a 200 word summary of the play, a 100 word rationale for staging a reading of the play at this conference, and an exemplary scene or act in Word document form to compdrama@rollins.edu by 3 December 2016.

Session Chairs

Submitters and non-submitters of abstracts who are interested in chairing a session at the conference are invited to send a two-paragraph resume highlighting their areas of expertise to compdrama@rollins.edu by 3 December 2016.

Pre-registration

Submitters of abstracts will be notified by email on or before 30 January 2017 as to the board’s decision regarding their abstracts. Those submitters whose proposed papers are accepted for presentation will be asked to prepare full papers, suitable for 15-minute readings, for delivery at the conference. Those whose papers are accepted are expected to attend the conference. Presenters are required to pre-register.

The Conference

The Comparative Drama Conference is an international, interdisciplinary conference founded by Dr. Karelisa Hartigan at the University of Florida in 1977. Every year, approximately 175 scholars are invited to present and discuss their work in the field of drama and 2-4 new plays receive a staged reading. The conference draws participants from both the Humanities and the Arts. The papers delivered range over the entire field of theatre research and production. Over the past 40 years, participants have come from 32 nations and all 50 states. Each year a distinguished theatre scholar or artist is invited to address the participants in the Keynote Event.

For more detailed information about the awards and the conference publication Text and Presentation, click here to visit our more detailed CFP description.

Please circulate this announcement to other interested parties.

Contact us at compdrama@rollins.edu for more information or visit our website.

Follow us on Facebook.