Theatre Connects Symposium

25 Apr 2018

Performative pathways between schools, universities and the wider community
Friday, 25 May
12:00 – 16:30
Venue: Creative Zone, Boole Library, Main Campus, University College Cork

“ Theatre can help us to build our future, rather than just waiting for it.“
Augusto Boal

The organisers and contributors to this symposium strongly believe that theatre plays a prominent role in developing a sense of awareness of ourselves and the world around us. Therefore, we believe theatre ought to play a more important role in schools, universities and the wider community. In building our futures, the connection between theatre and education needs to start early and to continue throughout our lives. The invited speakers will offer their perspectives on why theatre should be introduced and established as a subject in primary and secondary schools, why universities should embrace performativity within and across academic disciplines, and why leading theatres should continue to embrace and increase their outreach activities and aspire to employ theatre education specialists. The symposium should be of special interest to all those who aim to form stronger links between theatre and education, including teachers, lecturers, theatre students, directors of theatres and theatre companies, applied theatre practitioners and policy makers.

Schedule

12.00 – 12.40 Bärbel Jogschies (Department of Theaterpädagogik, State Theatre Hanover)

A growing field: Theaterpädagogik(‘Theatre Pedagogy’) at German Theatres. Followed by discussion.

13.00 – 13.20 Marie Kelly (Department of Theatre, UCC)

Research as a Theatre Resource: Embracing third level 

followed by LAUNCH
Kelly, Marie, (ed) Katie Roche by Teresa Deevy: Research Pack (Abbey Theatre, 2017).
The publication will be launched by Prof. Manfred Schewe, Head of Theatre, UCC

13.30 – 14.00 Light Lunch

14.00 – 14.40 Renate Breitig (TUSCH and TUKI Theatre Education Project Leader, Berlin)

Theatre Education in Berlin: Theatre as a subject and method at secondary, primary and kindergarden level. Followed by discussion

15.00 – 15.30

The Theatre in Education experience in Ireland 

1. A Cyclone Perspective (Dr. Peadar Donohoe)
2. A Graffiti Perspective (Niall Cleary)

16.00 – 16.30

Closing discussion panel including Julie Kelleher, Artistic Director of the Everyman Theatre, Cork & Dr. Paul Dwyer, Snr Lecturer, Dept of Theatre & Performance Studies, University of Sydney. Discussion topics include draft statement in support of the introduction of theatre as a school subject

Symposium organisation:
Manfred Schewe and Fionn Woodhouse, Department of Theatre, UCC

Biodata of speakers/organisers:

Renate Breitig 

Renate studied ‘Theatre Education’ at the University of Arts, Berlin and for many years worked for Berlin City Council’s Department of Education, Science and Research in the area of cultural education and theatre in schools. She has been a curator of many theatre education projects, such as the intergenerational theatre project “Waltz & Techno”, “Promised City”, “Berlin – Jerusalem”. From 1997 to 2005 she led in-service courses for secondary teachers, thus paving the way for the introduction of theatre as a subject in Berlin’ secondary schools. In 1998 she initiated TUSCH (Theater und Schule – ‘Theatre and Schools) in Berlin – a (nationwide) platform for creative partnerships between professional theatres and schools. In 2008 she co-wrote the “Arts and Education Framework” which aimed at establishing various cultural projects in Berlin schools, and in 2011 founded TUKI (Theatre and Kindergarden).
Contact: renate.breitig@tusch-berlin.de 

Niall Cleary

Niall is the Artistic Director of Graffiti Educational Theatre Company and previously was head of Education and Outreach. Niall is a founder member of Decadent Theatre Company and sits on the board of Youth Theatre Ireland. He has worked extensively within the Youth Theatre sector and with the Abbey Theatre’s Outreach department.
Contact: niall@graffiti.ie

Peadar Donohue

Peadar Donohoe is a Drama Lecturer at CIT Cork School of Music and Artistic Director of Cyclone Rep. Peadar's forte has been creating classroom drama activities and theatre (The Shakespeare Sessions, The Bullying Prevention Session, Choices) that connects with and has meaning for stakeholders.  The key to this meaning making is analysis of stakeholder feedback which allows Peadar to respond to needs by regularly revamping existing work, creative new activities and devising plays like The Bullying Prevention Session. Peadar has published numerous articles some of which can be  downloaded from ResearchGate. To view, please follow this link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Peadar_Donohoe
Recently Published: Using Role-play to Prevent Bullying in the Primary Classroom with the Bullying Prevention Pack: A Classroom Resource for Primary School SPHE Teachers (2018), SPHE Network 2018
Contact: cyclonerepertory@gmail.com

Paul Dwyer

Paul has worked professionally as a writer/devisor, performer, director, dramaturg and translator on over 20 productions, ranging from applied theatre projects in youth/community-based settings through to mainstage works that have toured nationally and internationally. Paul is best known for my work in verbatim/documentary theatre which has been featured at the Sydney Festival, Brisbane Festival, Darwin Festival and Origins: Festival of First Nations. As a Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney, Pauls research forms of aesthetic and social performance — including applied theatre, protest actions, restorative justice conferences and rituals of reconciliation — where people are trying to claim their rights, transform conflicts and repair harm.
Contact: paul.dwyer@sydney.edu.au

Bärbel Jogschies 

Bärbel studied Acting at the University of Performing Arts Ernst Busch, Berlin, followed by 8 years on stage and further study in ‘Theaterpädagogik’ (Theatre Pedagogy) at the University of Arts Berlin. She has worked as a ‘Theaterpädagogin’ (Theatre Pedagogue) for several theatres, including the renowned Maxim Gorki Theatre in Berlin. She is currently the Head of the Department of ‘Theaterpädagogik’ at the  State Theatre in Hanover and a visiting lecturer at universities in Hanover, Berlin, Magdeburg, Zürich etc.
Contact: jogschies@web.de

Julie Kelleher

Julie is Artistic Director of The Everyman, Cork, where she is responsible for the programme and artistic strategy. She has directed four productions for the theatre, Loversby Brian Friel (July 2015) and The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hartby David Greig (August 2015),The Factory Girls by Frank McGuinness (July 2016), Dancing At Lughnasa by Brian Friel (August 2017) which were warmly received by critics and audiences alike. She has co-produced projects such as Autumn Royal by Kevin Barry (2017), and Futureproofby Lynda Radley (2017) for the Everyman and is currently working on the Landmark/Everyman co-produced world premiere of Asking For It by Louise O’Neill. Contact: julie@everymancork.com

Marie Kelly

Marie lectures in Theatre at the School of Music and Theatre, University College Cork where she was Head of Department from July 2015 to July 2016. Marie began her career in theatre at the Abbey Theatre where she worked firstly as Executive Assistant to the Artistic Director and subsequently as Head of Casting. Marie has an MA in Modern Drama and Performance (2005) and a PhD in Drama Studies (2011), both from the School of English, Drama and Film at University College Dublin. She is a member of the Board of Everyman Theatre and Vice-President of the Irish Society for Theatre Research. She has published on the plays of Tom Mac Intyre, Mark O’Rowe, and on the work of acclaimed theatre director, Katie Mitchell.
Recently published: (2017) Research/Information Pack:Katie Roche by Teresa Deevy Abbey Theatre. https://3kkb1z11gox47nppd3tlqcmq-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/KATIE-ROCHE_RESEARCH-PACK-2017.pdf
Contact:Kelly.marie@ucc.ie

Manfred Schewe

Professor at University College Cork, is currently Head of UCC’s Department of Theatre. His teaching and research activities are closely linked to the SCENARIO PROJECT (http://scenario.ucc.ie) which aims at paving the way towards a new, performative teaching and learning culture. For further details regarding Prof. Schewe’s teaching and research activities see the Theatre Department’s homepage at: https://www.ucc.ie/en/music-theatre/drama/dtspeople/

Contact: m.schewe@ucc.ie

Recently published: John Crutchfield & Manfred Schewe (eds) (2017): Going Performative in Intercultural Education. International Contexts, Theoretical Perspectives and Models of Practice. Bristol: Blue Ridge Summit

Fionn Woodhouse

Fionn is a lecturer in the Department of Theatre, University College Cork. He is an active director, producer and facilitator of drama/theatre with particular interest in youth participation and learning through practice.

Contact:Fionn.woodhouse@ucc.ie

Recently published: ‘A Passion for the Arts’ Texts Around Theatre, SCENARIO Journal, http://research.ucc.ie/scenario/2017/02/Woodhouse/06/en 

The event is free of charge. However, to assist us with the planning of catering requirements it would be appreciated if you sent an email confirming your attendance by May 22nd to: theatre@ucc.ie

For more on this story contact:

Fionn Woodhouse

Lecturer in Applied Drama

Drama and Theatre Studies

School of Music and Theatre

University College Cork

Tel | 021-4904359

E | fionn.woodhouse@ucc.ie