Articles tagged with: Steve Solski

• ‘The Changing Face of Theatre Criticism in the Digital Age,’ A remarkable two-day colloquium with international reach, part of the Walker Cultural Leader Series for 2013-14

  Wednesday, February 19, 2014 | By Brock University

  

  Professor Jill Dolan began the two day symposium with her public lecture: “Moving the Body Politic: How Feminism and Theatre Inspire Social Re-imaginings.”

  Listening to theatre companies, they’ve never needed theatre critics more. Listening to them after a bad review, they’ve also never resented them more. This strange dance of mutual need has been going on since the first time someone recited dialogue on stage, and someone in the next day’s paper wrote “it doth sucked, verily.” But what of that relationship today? Do critics matter? Can anyone with a blog call themselves a theatre critic? Are critics there to serve theatre companies or readers? (John Law)

  See the complete article by media journalist John Law in the Niagara Falls Review about his recent participation in the two-day colloquium ‘The Changing Face of Theatre Criticism in the Digital Age‘ organized by Professor Karen Fricker of the Department of Dramatic Arts on the occasion of the special visit by Jill Dolan, Annan Professor in English, Professor of Theater in the Lewis Center for the Arts, Director, Program in Gender and Sexuality Studies, at Princeton University, noted theatre blogger (thefeministspectator.com) and a Walker Cultural Leader for 2013-14.  Special guests J. Kelly Nestruck of The Globe and Mail and Richard Ouzounian of the Toronto Star joined local guests and luminaries including cultural leaders like Jackie Maxwell, artistic director of the Shaw Festival, and Steve Solski, director of the St. Catharines Centre for the Performing Arts.

  The two day program began with the Friday morning public lecture, “Moving the Body Politic: How Feminism and Theatre Inspire Social Re-imaginings” by Professor Jill Dolan.  The lecture was presented in association with the Department of Dramatic Arts and the Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies.

  For a complete list of participants and more information please see the Brock News Article, the Department of Dramatic Arts and the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts web pages.

  The event was marked by remarkable and rich participation by members of the Niagara region and our international guests. Photos of the event may be viewed at the Facebook page of the Department of Dramatic Arts and tweeted commentary may be viewed at dartcritics.com.

  The stimulating exchange of ideas and opinions in this “blossoming” cultural scene of Niagara (Professor Karen Fricker) were live-streamed at BrockVideoCentre’s DART channel, and are now available (unedited) for viewing.

  Tags: J. Kelly Nestruck, Jackie Maxwell, Jill Dolan, Karen Fricker, Richard Ouzounian, Steve Solski, Walker Cultural Leader Series
  Categories: Events, Walker Cultural Leader Series

• Brock community event looks at theatre criticism in the digital age

  Monday, February 10, 2014 | By Brock University

  

  (Source: The Brock News, Monday, February 10, 2014)

  An upcoming series of community discussions at Brock University later this month will debate the question: is everyone a critic?

  Media professionals, theatre experts, scholars and students will assemble in Sankey Chamber at Brock Feb. 21 and Feb. 22 to take part in the colloquium, The Changing Face of Theatre Criticism in the Digital Age, hosted by the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts.

  “The rise of blogging and Twitter, combined with the decline of print journalism, is raising important questions about what counts as legitimate, professional criticism,” says Karen Fricker, event co-ordinator and a professor of dramatic arts. “Our discussions will focus on the current critical scene in Niagara, as well as imagining possible futures for the arts in our community.”

  Panel members include two of Toronto’s most influential theatre critics: J. Kelly Nestruck of The Globe and Mail and Richard Ouzounian of the Toronto Star. Others include local figures like Jackie Maxwell, artistic director of the Shaw Festival, and Steve Solski, director of the St. Catharines Centre for the Performing Arts.

  The colloquium will also feature international critics: Jill Dolan, Princeton University professor and noted theatre blogger (thefeministspectator.com); Maddy Costa, a London, England blogger and journalist; and Andy Horwitz, founder of New York arts blog culturebot.net

  Dolan is visiting Brock as part of the Walker Cultural Leaders series. While here, she will deliver a public lecture, “Moving the Body Politic: How Feminism and Theatre Inspire Social Re-imaginings.” Her lecture, co-sponsored by the Department of Dramatic Arts and Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies at Brock, takes place Friday, Feb. 21, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, also in Sankey Chamber.

  All of these events are free and open to the public.

  Funding for these events is provided by the Walker Cultural Leaders Series, the Brock Humanities Research Institute and the SSHRC Institutional Grant scheme, and the St. Catharines Performing Arts Centre.

  All events will be live-streamed.  [Click on “live video”]

  —

  SCHEDULE: The Changing Face of Theatre Criticism in the Digital Age

  All events take place in Sankey Chamber at Brock University

  FRIDAY, FEB. 21:

  * 2 – 2:30 p.m.: Welcome
  Presentation by Brock dramatic arts students from the third-year class, Studies in Praxis – Theatre Criticism

  * 2:30 – 4 p.m.: Panel discussion “Critics and the arts in Niagara”

  • Jill Dolan (respondent)
  • Monica Dufault, artistic director, Essential Collective Theatre
  • David Fancy, associate professor of Dramatic Arts, Brock University, co-artistic director, neXt Company Theatre (chair)
  • John Law, arts and entertainment writer, Sun Media
  • Sara Palmieri, co-founder, In the Soil Festival
  • Stephen Remus, minister of energy, minds, and resources, Niagara Arts Centre
  • Steve Solski, director, St. Catharines Centre for the Performing Arts
  • Candice Turner-Smith, managing director, Niagara Symphony Orchestra

  * 4:15 – 5:45 p.m.: Panel discussion “Embedded criticism: a new way forward, or criticism-as-PR?”

  • Maddy Costa, critic and blogger
  • Karen Fricker
  • Andy Horwitz, founder, culturebot.org
  • Jackie Maxwell, artistic director, Shaw Festival
  • Jacob Gallagher-Ross, assistant professor of theatre, University of Buffalo (respondent)
  • Lawrence Switzky, assistant professor of Drama, University of Toronto at Mississauga (chair)

  SATURDAY, FEB. 22:

  * 10 – 10:30 a.m.: Welcome
  Presentation by Brock dramatic arts students from the third-year class, Studies in Praxis – Theatre Criticism

  * 10:30 a.m. – 12 noon: Panel discussion “Bloggers, critics, and cultural legitimation”

  • Jill Dolan
  • Karen Fricker (chair)
  • Andy Horwitz (respondent)
  • J. Kelly Nestruck, lead theatre critic, The Globe and Mail
  • Richard Ouzounian, lead theatre critic, Toronto Star
  • Holger Syme, chair, Department of English and Drama, University of Toronto at Mississauga, and blogger (disposito.net)
  • Odette Yazbeck, director of public relations, Shaw Festival

  * 12:15 – 1 p.m.: Colloquium wrap-up

  • Maddy Costa; Jill Dolan; Karen Fricker (chair); Rosemary Drage Hale, director of the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Brock University; and Andy Horwitz

  Tags: Andy Horwitz, art, art criticism, colloquium, dramatic arts, J. Kelly Nestruck, Jackie Maxwell, Jill Dolan, Karen Fricker, Maddy Costa, Richard Ouzounian, Steve Solski, The Changing Face of Theatre Criticism in the Digital Age, Walker Cultural Leader Series
  Categories: In the Media, News