AHCT Newsletter
December 1998
Dear AHCT Colleague:
Very cordial season's greetings from the Officers and Board of AHCT.
The past year's events have included a very good annual conference in El Paso, in March, continued growth of both the electronic library and the Everett Hesse Memorial Endowment, as well as other items noted below. The year also brought the passing of two very well respected and well liked comediantes: Louise Fothergill-Payne and Jack Parker. Memorial notes for both appear below. This issue includes information on AHCT's Annual Spanish Golden Age Theater Symposium in El Paso, Texas, in March 1999, a tentative program for the Chamizal Drama Festival, and a letter from President Don Dietz describing opportunities for donations to AHCT. Please remember to check the mailing label on this newsletter for your dues status. Information on annual dues and membership renewal appears at the end of the letter.
1999 AHCT Annual Spanish Golden Age Theater Symposium, El Paso, TX, March 4-6.
As previously announced, this year's conference will be dedicated to the memory of comedia scholar and long-time AHCT colleague and friend, Louise Fothergill-Payne. Program highlights include a return visit from Dakin Matthews and the Antaeus Company, with a presentation titled, "Translating and Performing Golden Age Comedies in 20th-Century America, Part II." Dale Wasserman, author of Man of La Mancha and numerous other world-class stage productions, has also generously agreed to join us for a plenary session. In addition, Professor Ricardo Saez of the Université Rennes, will speak on "La scène comme support du politique et réligieux chez Lope de Vega" (to be given in Spanish). Professor Saez's apperance is co-sponsored by the University Press of the South. To date, the program also includes some 40 scholarly papers by AHCT members. Watch for an early version of the program on the Comediantes Bulletin Board in mid-January.
Important note to AHCT comedia translators:
As an added highlight to this year's conference, Dakin Matthews has agreed to review scenes from original comedia translations by AHCT members for possible dramatic readings by Antaeus. Members who have translations and would like to have them considered should contact Susan Paun de García (garcia@denison.edu), chair of the Translation Committee.
Note to Board Members:
The Annual Meeting of the AHCT Board of Directors has been set for 2:00-5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 3, at the Cliff Inn Hotel, El Paso, TX.
Conference Site & Registration:
As in recent years, the conference will again take place at the Cliff Inn Hotel, 1600 Cliff Drive, El Paso, Texas 79902. Please make reservations by phone at 1-(915)533-6700, by February 15, 1999. Mention that you are attending the AHCT Conference to qualify for the group rate of $57.50 plus tax per night (single or double), which will apply March 2-6. The cost of the hotel room includes continental breakfast and transportation to and from the airport. To register for the conference, please send your name, affiliation, address, telephone, e-mail address, and a check for $75 (faculty) or $55 (students), to: Prof. Anita Stoll, Second Vice-President AHCT, 2081 Lamberton Road, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118 by February 15, 1999. (There will be an additional late fee of $10.00 after this date.) Registration covers conference attendance, the AHCT Conference Banquet, transportation to Chamizal for theatrical performances, and refreshments in our hospitality room after the plays. Conference participants are also asked to join AHCT; membership fees and information appear at the end of this newsletter. Please make checks payable to AHCT and indicate in the bottom left-hand corner of your check whether payment is for dues, conference registration, or both.
Chamizal Golden Age Theater Festival, March 1999:
Round-Table Discussion Leaders: Isaac Benabu, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, and Mario Sánchez, Artistic Director, Teatro Avante, Miami, Florida.
Production in Translation Committee: The Program for Cultural Cooperation between the Spanish Ministry of Education and Culture and US. Universities has awarded a grant of $5000 to AHCT to support performances of Spanish Golden Age comedias in English (this includes the promotion of new translations).
The Committee also announces that the Walker M. Reid Award, in the amount to $2000, will go this year to David Pasto's translation of Alarcón's "The Walls Have Ears," which will be staged at the Chamizal festival on March 3.
AHCT Electronic Communications and Library (from Vern Williamsen):
The Bulletin Board system continues to function well. Messages sent to comedia@listserv.ccit.arizona.edu are posted for all subscribers to see along with all replies to that message. All messages are filed in the "log" of the system, which can be reviewed or searched via the COMEDIA homepage ../ and the link to the "log of these discussions." This is also useful to confirm that messages sent to the system have been properly distributed, since the sender does not receive a copy in his/her own mailbox. To answer a message privately, please do not use the "reply" function. Send a message directly to the person who posted the original message.
The AHCT electronic library now contains over 175 texts (comedias, autos, entremeses, etc.) and is rapidly expanding. The collection is limited only by the time it takes to enter and code texts. Several members have sent files containing texts that they have prepared in word-processed form. More such generous gifts are eagerly awaited. If you would like to contribute a text, please contact Vern Williamsen vwilli@azstarnet.com. The library also contains bibliographical and other text files of interest as well as some graphics files (a tour of the Casa de Lope de Vega in Madrid, a visit to the Teatro at Almagro).
The latest addition is a section devoted to conference papers, which hopefully can serve as the basis for discussion either through the Bulletin Board or at professional meetings.
Conference Notes:
The Fourth Annual Conference on Women Writers of Late Medieval and Early Modern Spain and Colonial Latin America will be held in Tucson, AZ on September 16-18, 1999 at the Westward Look Resort. Papers related to any aspect of women's writing during this period are welcome; one-page abstracts are due April 2, 1999. Workshops are also planned on Feminist Theory and Transatlantic Connections: Women on Both Sides of the Atlantic. Inquiries and abstract submissions should be sent to Amy R.Williamsen amyw@u.arizona.edu or Eliana Rivero eliana@u.arizona.edu (Snail mail address: ML 545/Dept. of Spanish and Portuguese/ Tucson, AZ 85721).
The Fourth Biennial Conference of the Society for Renaissance and Baroque Hispanic Poetry is to be held at the University of California, Davis October 28-30, 1999. One-page abstracts on any topic in Renaissance or Baroque, Peninsular or Colonial poetry are invited, as well as proposals for special sessions. Abstracts and proposals due by March 1, 1999. Inquiries and submissions to: Prof. Adrienne Martin, Dept. of Spanish and Classics, One Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, E-mail: almartin@ucdavis.edu, FAX: (530) 752-2184.
In Memory:
Louise Guepin Fothergill-Payne was born in Loren, Holland on June 7, 1933 and died on March 16, 1998 in Victoria, Canada of cancer. Louise was a dear friend of AHCT and served two terms on our Board of Directors. She also participated as a discussant at the Mesa Redonda at the Chamizal Siglo de Oro Drama Festival. Louise had a long and distinguished career as a comedia scholar. Among her books are La alegoría en los autos sacramentales anteriores a Calderón (1977) and Seneca and Celestina (1988) both of which won the Canadian Association of Hispanists' prize for best book written in their respective years. As well as numerous articles, there are two volumes of essays titled Parallel Lives and Prologue to Performance, edited with her husband, Peter, comparing the English and Spanish Renaissance theater. Louise will be long remembered by her colleagues at AHCT as a fine scholar and a worthy friend--Don Dietz, AHCT President
Many of us share fond memories of Jack Parker. During his long career as professor and mentor, his pioneering research on all areas of the comedia established the basis for our ongoing endeavors. Not only a first-rate scholar, he was also an exemplary teacher. While in Toronto I was fortunate to have the chance to study with him. An avid reader himself, he often assigned over ten plays for a single class session. His approach to the works was so inspiring that his students never complained. Instead, we always left with long lists of additional comedias we couldn't wait to read. Over the years, he remained active in the profession attending the AHCT conference whenever possible. I know we will all miss his warm quick smile, and his equally quick mind.--Amy Williamsen, AHCT Board.
AHCT Dues Information: The mailing label on the Newsletter will verify your dues status. The date by your name shows the end of the period for which membership has been paid (e.g., 3/99 = dues paid through March 1999). To keep your membership current and to help us keep our records accurate, please send dues and report corrections or changes in your address and affiliation to Anita Stoll (address below). To simplify payment, please feel free to pay for more than one year ahead.
Dues Categories: A) Individual Membership @ $20 annually [$5 to be applied to the Everett W. Hesse Memorial Endowment]; B) Individual Membership (Retired Members/Students) @ $10 annually; C) Patron Membership @ $25 annually with the privilege of requesting the loan of one video from our archives without charge; D) Sponsor Membership @ $50 annually with the privilege of requesting the loan of two videos from our archives without charge and the invitation to attend and participate in the annual meeting of the Board; E) Institutional Membership @ $50 annually with the privileges of D above; and F) Sustaining Membership @ 500.00, payable one time only, with the privileges of requesting the loan of two videos from our archives annually without charge and the invitation to attend and participate in the annual meeting of the board.
Please send dues to: Prof. Anita Stoll, Second Vice-President AHCT, 2081 Lamberton Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118 (astoll@fire.scifac.csuohio.edu). (Checks to: Association for Hispanic Classical Theater).
Best wishes for enjoyable holidays,
Robert M. Johnston
Recording
Secretary
robert.johnston@nau.edu
Modern Languages, Box
6004
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011-6004
December 20, 1998
Dear Colleague:
As we approach 1999, AHCT celebrates its fifteenth anniversary of its founding. Our Association continues to fulfill its charter by promoting and fostering appreciation for Spain's classical drama in production.
We can all be proud of the growth and success of AHCT since its inception in 1984. We have one of the largest collections of Golden Age dramas on video tape in the world. Our Web page and electronic bulletin board is alive and thriving as evidenced by the dynamic exchange recently concerning a production of Fuenteovejuna. The Golden Age Drama symposium in El Paso each March offers a venue to both emerging and established scholars to come together and share while, at the same time, presenting them an opportunity to watch live productions at the Chamizal. Committee 2000 is already making plans for another conference in Spain, which may also take us to Portugal. In addition, at its March meeting, the Board will consider a proposal to bring together actors, directors, translators and other dramaturgs in a week-long Institute to explore the production of the comedia in English translation.
In order to carry out our activities, I am asking once again for your financial support. Early in its inception, AHCT counted on monies from two sources, the Kara Dunn Armstrong Foundation and the Ruth Parr McWhorter Foundation. Including the $5,000 just awarded to AHCT, to date over $50,000 has been received from the Program for Cultural Cooperation Between Spain's Ministry of Culture and United States' Universities. Almost all of this money has gone to sponsoring Golden Age plays in English translation on campuses and bringing them to the Chamizal. The Everett W. Hesse Foundation has increased to $26,000 this past year, and the interest we have earned from the principle has allowed us to finance our projects, such as bringing guest speakers to the conference and purchasing audio and video equipment. In order to more securely preserve our video tapes in the library, one of our most immediate needs is their transfer them to CD-ROM format. This will be an expensive project.
I would ask you to be generous in your gift to the Association. Those who wish to establish a foundation in their own name may do so by contributing an substantial amount of money. AHCT also accepts wills and bequests. Since AHCT is chartered as a non-profit organization, all contributions and gifts are tax deductible.
In closing, I wish all of you a happy holiday season. I look forward to seeing you in El Paso in March.
Sincerely,
Donald T. Dietz
President
adthd@asuvm.inre.asu.edu
Association for Hispanic Classical Theater, Inc.
Most recent update: 03 Aug 2005