ENCOUNTERING SHAKESPEARE
The 40th Annual Ohio Valley Shakespeare Conference
October 20–22, 2016
Wright State University
Dayton, Ohio

The 2016 theme of Encountering Shakespeare invites presentations on historical, cultural, textual, and virtual experiences of Shakespeare. While an "encounter" denotes a casual meeting or fleeting exchange, it also carries the specter of adversity or discord, as in Prince Hal's anticipation of war's ravaging effect on the masses: "In both your armies there is many a soul/ Shall pay full dearly for this encounter" (Henry IV, Part 1 5.1.84-85). We encourage papers that explore Shakespeare encounters marked by conflict and unease, as well projects tracing Shakespeare encounters through interrogation and insight. In a less common use of the word, encounter also indicates an approach, as in Sir Toby's question to Cesario: "Will you encounter the house?" (Twelfth Night 3.1.75). He extends an invitation to enter Olivia's domain, stirring up the creative aspirations and energetic passion latent in Illyria. Encountering as crossing or entering is of particular interest for pedagogical approaches to Shakespeare. Whether by accidental acquaintance or by violent opposition, the characteristic feature of an encounter is that it is infused with the force of relevance. In this sense, how does an encounter between Shakespeare and other literary figures, genres, and contexts infuse new meaning to the literary expression? Furthermore, as global encounters are considered foci for reading political and social intersections between cultures and across audiences, global encounters of the Shakespeare kind are also welcome. The conference welcomes a range of encounters with Shakespeare today: as conflicted hallmark of humanist education, as trigger for cultural debates, and as fraught figure of the privileges and limits of the canon.

Featuring keynote speakers:

Ayanna Thompson, Professor of English at George Washington University and author of Passing Strange: Shakespeare, Race, and Contemporary America and Performing Race and Torture on the Early Modern Stage. She is also the co-author of the upcoming Teaching Shakespeare with Purpose: A Student-Centred Approach.

Curtis Perry, Professor of English at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and author of Literature and Favoritism in Early Modern England, The Making of Jacobean Culture: James I and the Renegotiation of Elizabethan Literary Practice, and Eros and Power in English Renaissance Drama: Five Plays by Marlowe, Davenant, Massinger, Ford, and Shakespeare.

Teaching Workshops by the professional actors of Canada's Stratford Theatre Festival, the largest classical theatre repertoire in North America

Shakespeare Gala: Artistic Encounters
An innovative soirée blending Shakespeare-inspired artistic expressions including opera, orchestra, period dancing, choral music, musical theatre, and dramatic performance.

Proposals for papers of 20 minutes, roundtable topics, or panels of three or four members on Shakespeare's work and that of his contemporaries are welcome. Please send abstracts of 300-500 words to 2016ovsc@gmail.com.
Early Acceptance letters will be sent on June 15, 2016. Submission deadline for consideration is August 15, 2016.
The OVSC publishes a volume of selected papers each year and conferees are welcome to submit revised versions of their papers for consideration. Students who present are eligible to compete for the M. Rick Smith Memorial Prize.

Questions or submissions can be directed to Carol Mejia LaPerle at 2016ovsc@gmail.com
CFP information and conference updates will be posted at www.wright.edu/shakespeare