Conference

The Canadian Association for Theatre Research holds a conference each year that brings together theatre scholars, educators, professionals, and students from around the world. We welcome papers, workshops and performances on a wide range of theatre and performance studies topics, relating to both Canadian and international performance. These presentations are instrumental to defining our field and represent the most innovative research, methods, and theories emerging in performance-related disciplines. Our conference is an important site for building scholarly and creative community, and works to promote a environment where members can engage in vibrant discussion, develop professional alliances, make and renew friendships.

The CATR conference is held as part of the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, a large gathering of scholarly associations that is hosted by a different Canadian university each year. Click here for more information about Congress. Each year, an outstanding paper by an emerging scholar is recognized by the Robert G. Lawrence Prize. Information about this award can be found here.

» Current Conference

The 2013 CATR conference will take place at the University of Victoria from 1 June – 4 June, 2013. The Congress theme this year is ““@ the edge / a la fine pointe.”

This year’s conference program is now available for download.

General conference calls (deadlines now passed):
Call for Participants: Open paper panels, curated paper panels, seminars, and roundtables
Call for Session Organizers

Curated Panels:
Eco-criticism at the Edge – Sheila Rabillard
Performance and Auto/ethnography: Interdisciplinary Conversations – Magdalena Kazubowski-Houston and Dara Culhane
To Foreign Shores! Canadian Theatre Makers at Home and Abroad – Yana Meerzon
Theatre’s New Frontier: Multimedia, Participatory Technology and 21st-century Theatre Experience – Christian Bock
Francophone/Francophile Theme Session: DIALOGUE – Francine Chaîné and Louise Forsyth

Seminars:
Upsurges of the Real part 2 – Jenn Stephenson
Performance History Seminar: The Ethical Challenges of Performance History – Stephen Johnson
Dancing at the Edge: Moving (in the) West – Alana Gerecke and Peter Dickinson
Pedagogies of Canadian Theatre, or “Professor, There’s a Country in My Discourse!” – Robin C. Whittaker
Linking Teaching and Research in Post-Secondary Theatre Environments (a.k.a. “Chasm or – Crossroads?” Part 2: Now With More Crossroads and Less Chasm!) – James McKinnon and Barry Freeman (Please note earlier deadline for submission: 15 Dec)
‘Talking and Walking’: PBR/PaR Design, Methodology, Articulation – Bruce Barton
Performances Studies and Contemporary Sports – Peter Kuling
No Happy Endings: What can applied theatre really do? – Warwick Dobson, Monica Prendergast and Lauren Jerke

Roundtables:
University Student Productions: Between Teaching Tools and Artistic Creations – Moira Day and Diana Manole
The Intersection of English and Theatre – Robin Nichol, Ginny Ratsoy, Heidi Verwey
Canadian Performance Genealogies – Heather Davis-Fisch

Timeline:
a. Topic proposals from organizers for curated panels, seminars and roundtables and praxis workshops – 24 Sept 2012
b. Application for participation in open paper panels, curated paper panels due – 10 Dec 2012
c. Application for participation in seminars and roundtables due – 14 Jan 2013 (Exception: Freeman/McKinnon seminar deadline 15 Dec)

Past Conferences: