Syndicate Symposium

Graduate Theatre Syndicate Symposium, 2014, “Position: The Power and Politics of Witnessing”
By Geoffrey Wilson (PhD Student)
Symposium Dates: February 28 - March 1, 2014

On February 28th and March 1st the Graduate Theatre Syndicate presented its sixth annual symposium, “Position: The Power and Politics of Witnessing,” which was made possible by the generous support of the Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute, the Performance/Politics Working Group at the Humanities Institute, and the Department of Theatre. The symposium was presented concurrently with the Department of Theatre’s production of Caridad Svich’s House of the Spirits, adapted from the novel by Isabel Allende and directed by Beth Kattelman. The Syndicate was honored to have noted playwright Caridad Svich join us for the symposium. Ms. Svich delivered the keynote address and led a playwriting workshop for twenty graduate and undergraduate students.

The symposium began with the dedication of the Woods Graduate Theatre Library, in honor of Professor Emeritus Alan Woods, who has graciously donated a substantial collection of plays, histories, and critical works on theatre. The Woods Library will be housed in the graduate student offices in Drake 2046. In addition to the keynote address and playwriting workshop, the symposium featured ten presentations in four panels, including a mix of conference-style papers and performances. On behalf of the Syndicate, I would like to thank those who worked hard to make this year’s symposium a success.