Participants: Susan Bennett (University Professor, Univ. of Calgary); Rebecca Burton (PhD candidate, Univ. of Toronto); Rosalind Kerr (Associate Professor, University of Alberta); Paula Sperdakos (Associate Professor, University of Toronto)

Goals: The roundtable will have four short presentations of 5-10 minutes each on particular contexts for researching women in all aspects of Canadian theatre and the strategies, problems, motivations of doing this work. The overall goal for the roundtable is to provoke broad discussion and exchange on research--whether theory, criticism, history, or creative practice--concerned with women in Canadian theatre. The format is designed to encourage responses between the participants themselves and to allow for a longer than usual discussion period with members of our audience. The roundtable is as much designed to identify new research topics and collaborations among members of ACTR as to describe work already underway.

Presentation areas:
Bennett--a discussion of the critical materials published on Canadian women playwrights writing in the 19th century through to those writing in the present. What approaches have been used in discussing women's dramatic writing in Canada or what assumptions have been involved? How have women featured in histories of Canadian theatre and what would a history of women in Canadian theatre look like?

Burton--I will contribute an overview of the central historiographic problems encountered in trying to compile a history of contemporary feminist theatre in Canada--categorizing, structuring, terminology, source materials, etc.

Kerr--"Have we come a long way, baby?"--a discussion of the challenges in reviving historical work by women for contemporary audiences by looking at Vancouver performance artist Lisa Lowe's 2001 show which brought pamphleteer Mildred A. Horn, sex hygienist, 1946, back to the stage to show contemporary audiences how Canadian housewives learned to be fascinating women and vigilant hygienists.

Sperdakos--My research "project" seems to have evolved into a series of dis/[re]/coveries of the career stories of women in the Canadian theatre. I find these stories fascinating, but I wonder: does anyone else? and if so, why? is the project worthwhile? to what end?