International Conference

Emergent Theatre: Distancing, Interaction, Resilience in 21st century Performance Arts

18-19 March 2022

Conferință: Teatrul emergent, 18-19 Martie 2022Emergent Theatre – a formula currently seen both as polyvalent and intriguing, as rich as it is perhaps limitative. This label can be seen in its more recent usage from a more distant critical point, taking into account several factors contributing to this phenomenon of interaction, distancing and division or regrouping spectacular variations. What led to this was its considerable usage ever since the 60’s, when it was tantamount to progress or evolution of the performing arts.

The Emergent Theatre imposes a horizontal delineation: emerging compared to what or to whom? To the public, to the forms of classical dramatic literature or to the techniques of stage approach? A second tone that needs to align the discussion is vertically positioned, referring to the alteration of the manner in which a work of art is received or to the prospects of time passage in theatre.

The spectrum of 21st century theatrical manifestations is oftentimes marked by hybridisation, multidisciplinarity, by both conjunction and disjunction, since it goes from social theatre associations that use theatre as a therapeutic tool or a motor of social integration, from gargantuan productions performed on impressive stages or in immersive spaces, to the possibilities of transposing performances virtually.

A series of questions that need explaining stem from analysis towards observation, as is natural. For instance, it is worth clarifying if there are any barriers opposing the becoming of the new aspects that theatre comprises of, or if there are ways of creating a resilience system even when artists themselves consider they might become footnotes in time in the history of theatre. (Robert Wilson, The art my generation produced won’t be seen in 50 years, The Guardian, 2016). We could also wonder about the new relation with the space, exiting the stage, distancing doubled by the constant need of interaction, recognition or regrouping in the cultural matrix.

Because if we were to repeat in our days the words of Georg Fuchs according to which “Every age and every society has the theater it deserves, and no one, not even the most feared dictator, nor the most influential artist, can force another over it ” (Revolution in the Theatre, 1959), we will notice that they acquire perhaps a touch of relativism. Following these directions, in search of the meeting between opinions, visions and interpretations, the research center “Theatre Art – study and creation” within the Faculty of Theater (“George Enescu” National University of Arts in Iași), with the support of the Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Art invites you to submit proposals for the International Conference entitled Emerging Theatre: Distance, Interaction and Resilience in the Performing Arts of the 21st Century, that is to be held on March 18 and 19, 2022.

The submitted proposals can focus on the following topics:

  • Stage managing visions and immersion in the digital / online environment
  • Actor’s art and performance art in the context of recent years
  • Research directions in choreographic art
  • Harnessing the research in the field of performing arts and variations in reception
  • Theatrical pedagogy and interdisciplinary meanings of theatrical performance
  • Creativity and applied methods in contemporary performing arts

Continuing the Conferences organized by the Faculty of Theatre, started in 2015, we are addressing university teachers, researchers, students, master students and PhD students that are open to our topic, interested and specialized in the field of Theater and performing arts. Our general objectives aim to:

  • Promoting the results of research in the theatrical field in a national and international context
  • Promoting young researchers
  • Continuing the dialogue from theater theorists and performers to the general public
  • Continuously discovering new ways of innovation in the field of stage practice, as well as the revitalization of theoretical resources
  • Bringing together professors and PhD students, theorists and actors to form teams of researchers in the theater field
  • Pursuing transdisciplinary directions between theater art and related areas: literature, film, music, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, etc.

General information

Proposals initially submitted must contain a title and an abstract of 300 words. Accepted proposals will be developed into a full article by the conference day.

The articles resulting from the speeches will be subject to the peer review process and will be published in the magazine “Theatrical Colloquia”, a magazine indexed in international databases (CEEOL, Erih +, Ebsco etc.)

The conference will be held online.

Conference registration calendar

December 1, 2021 – release / dissemination of the Conference announcement

February 10, 2022 – deadline for receiving titles and abstracts

February 28, 2022 – the deadline for receiving articles in full

March 1, 2022 – transmission of the Conference program with international participation

Studies or articles will be sent to the email address conferinta.teatru@unage.ro. There are no fees for participating at the event. Maps in physical or digital format will be sent to participants after the panel discussions. Technical editing rules are attached to the announcement.

Scientific Committe

IRINA NICULESCU – Vice President UNIMA, USA

FRANÇOISE FLABAT – Center de la Marionnette de la Fédération Wallonie-Brussels, Professor at Beaux Arts Tournai

PhD Scientific Researcher GABRIELA HAJA – Institute of Romanian Philology “A. Philippide”, Romanian Academy Iași

PhD Associate Professor RADU APOSTOL – National University of Theater and Cinematography “I. L. Caragiale”, Bucharest

PhD Associate Qualified Professor DIANA COZMA – Faculty of Theater and Film, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca

PhD Associate Professor DRAGOȘ VARGA – Faculty of Letters and Arts, “Lucian Blaga” University in Sibiu

PhD Associate Professor IRINA IONESCU – Department of Theater and Visual Arts, University of Arts in Târgu Mureș

PhD Lecturer DANA MONAH – Faculty of Letters, University “Al. I. Cuza”, Iasi

PhD ELENA BELCIU – CINETic program coordinator, UNATC Bucharest

PhD Professor ANCA CIOBOTARU – Faculty of Theatre, UNAGE, Iasi

Organizing team

Project coordinator PhD Lecturer Ioana Petcu (Faculty of Theatre, UNAGE, Iasi)

PhD Lecturer Ioana Bujoreanu (Faculty of Theatre, UNAGE, Iasi)

PhD Lecturer Carmen Antochi (Faculty of Theatre, UNAGE, Iasi)

PhD Lecturer Tamara Constantinescu (Faculty of Theatre, UNAGE, Iasi)

PhD Lecturer Bogdan Anghel (Faculty of Theatre, UNAGE, Iasi)

PhD Lecturer Sandra Mavhima (Faculty of Theatre, UNAGE, Iasi)

Ph D Scientific Researcher Raluca Zaharia (ICMA, UNAGE, Iasi)

PhD Teaching Assistant Cristi Avram (Faculty of Theatre, UNAGE, Iasi)