AHCT Newsletter

Dear AHCT Colleagues:

AHCT once again celebrated a very successful annual conference in El Paso, Texas, on March 5, 6, & 7, 1998. Seventeen sessions included over forty scholarly presentations on themes ranging from traditional literary criticism to the uses of computers and technology in comedia studies. A plenary session by Professor Dakin Matthews and three other members of the Antaeus Company, a classical theater ensemble from Los Angeles, stood as an undisputed highlight. Their presentation, titled "Translating and Performing Golden Age Plays in Twentieth-Century America," consisted of dramatic readings from Matthews' own translations of Juan Ruiz de Alarcón's La verdad sospechosa and Las paredes oyen. Matthews effectively combined his many years of professional experience in contemporary theater and television with a scholar's knowledge of the plays. (He is Professor Emeritus of English literature at California State University, Hayward and a comedia scholar in his own right.) The dramatic readings were striking proof that Spanish Golden Age plays can compete with even the most popular forms of contemporary entertainment in the US, if they are translated and performed by artists who truly know their craft.

As in past years, the conference coincided with the Siglo de Oro Drama Festival at the Chamizal National Memorial. This year's program included productions of Calderón de la Barca's El secreto a voces, performed by Zampanó Teatro from Madrid; Tirso de Molina's La celosa de sí misma, by Thalia Spanish Theater from the US; Lope de Vega's Los milagros del desprecio by Mexicali a Secas from Mexico, and Fuenteovejuna, performed in both Spanish and English by Borderlands from Tucson, Arizona.

Notes from the Board of Directors Meeting, March 4, and the AHCT General Meeting, March 6, 1998:

Board Elections: This year's Board elections saw Isaac Benabu, Barbara Mujica, and Amy Williamsen reelected for three-year terms and Gwyn Campbell and Don Larson elected as new members.

Election of Officers: The Board also reelected the current AHCT officers to serve again during the coming year: Don Dietz, President; Catherine Larson, First Vice-President; Anita Stoll, Second Vice-President; Sharon Voros, Treasurer; and Bob Johnston, Recording Secretary.

Treasurer's Report: Sharon Voros reported that AHCT remains solvent, with income of $3,384 and expenditures of $3,939 during the year from March 1997 to March 1998. Membership dues continued to be the largest source of income, while a grant from AHCT to the Southwest Park and Monument Association to support a production in translation at this year's Chamizal Festival comprised the largest expenditure. The Everett Hesse Endowment had reached $26,450 by 1/28/98, with earnings of $1,115 rendered by investment of the original gift together with $335 from membership dues.

Chamizal Festival: Ms. Virginia Ness and Mr. Paul Roney of Chamizal National Memorial met with the AHCT Board to discuss and reaffirm our mutual commitment to promote Spanish Golden Age theater performances. With the exception of Mr. Roney, who has been with Chamizal Memorial and has helped produce the theater festival for many years, the administrative personnel at Chamizal has changed completely during the last year. Ms. Ness and Mr. Roney both pledged support for maintaining access to archival materials from past years' festivals and for attracting quality performances in both Spanish and English for the Siglo de Oro Festival. Members who wish to nominate productions or groups for the Festival may contact either Ms. Ness, Festival Coordinator, or Mr. Roney at the Chamizal National Memorial, 800 S. San Marcial, El Paso, TX 79905, tel. 915-523-7272, e-mail: virginia_ness@nps.gov. The 1999 festival will run from February 26 to March 6.

Graduate Student Awards: At the AHCT General Meeting, Barbara Mujica presented "Everett W. Hesse Student Scholarship" travel awards to Rogelio Miñana, of Pennsylvania State University, and Cecilia McGinniss, of Ohio State University. Barbara Mujica reported that for this year's conference the committee received more proposals from graduate students than in past years and that the quality of submissions was high. The AHCT Board agreed to increase the funds allotted for conference travel grants for graduate students in future years.

Video Library: The AHCT Video Library continues to loan an increasing number of video tapes to members for teaching and research. Two changes in policy were approved by the Board to improve the process for loan and return of tapes: 1) for a $20 fee, one may keep a tape for an entire semester; 2) for "rush" orders, borrowers will be asked to pay the express mail charges. US air mail now seems to take up to two weeks, instead of seven to ten days, so more lead time will be required for loans. Borrowers may send requests via e-mail to Mr. Eliud Chuffee, the AHCT graduate student assistant at the University of Arizona, at: . The collection now contains some 200 recordings of Chamizal performances and other presentations related to Spanish Golden Age theater. A complete listing appears in the Video Library Catalog at the AHCT website.

Beyond 2000: Since organizing the conference in Almagro, Spain in summer of 1996, the Beyond 2000 Committee has assembled the papers presented for a commemorative volume in honor of Everett Hesse. The manuscript, titled El texto puesto en escena, has been reviewed and accepted for publication by Tamesis. Committee Chair, Isaac Benabu, announced that discussion continues regarding the next international conference, with summer of the year 2000 as a likely time and Lisbon and Almagro likely venues.

Production in Translation: AHCT has continued to provide grant support for productions of Golden Age Spanish plays in translation. Members are encouraged to help identify groups interested in performing at Chamizal to the Production in Translation Committee chair, Susan Paun de García, Department of Modern Languages, Denison University, Granville, OH 43023, e-mail: garcia@cc.denison.edu.

Grant Proposals: The Grant Proposals Committee facilitates preparation of grant proposals for projects related to Spanish Golden Age theater study and production. AHCT claims no "generated overhead" for grants it sponsors, which compares favorably with the practice of academic institutions. To carry AHCT endorsement, proposals must be approved by the Grant Proposals Committee. For information, contact the chair, Catherine Larson, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, e-mail: larson@indiana.edu.

AHCT Homepage and Electronic Library: Vern Williamsen reports a new address for the AHCT homepage and electronic library : ../. The new site places the AHCT homepage with the College of Humanities at the University of Arizona, an excellent technical resource for organizing and making accessible our electronic materials. These now comprise more than 1500 files, including comedia texts in Spanish and in English translation, bibliographies, and other materials relevant to teaching and research. Vern also notes new files with pictorial elements from places such as the Casa de Lope de Vega Museum and the sixteenth-century, corral theater at Almagro. New comedia texts are being added almost weekly. Dakin Matthews' new translations of Las paredes oyen and La verdad sospechosa are also now accessible. To accommodate the transition, for a period of time the old address (Listserv.ccit...) will forward you to the new web page site. The Comedia Bulletin Board will remain unchanged and will continue to operate through the old site.

Allied Status with MLA: In May, MLA notified AHCT that they have once again turned down our application for allied status. They based their decision this time on the mistaken conclusion that AHCT is "a closed corporation not a membership organization." MLA denied us allied status on an equally frivolous reading of our application in 1995 and then misplaced and did not consider our next application in 1997. The officers will consider whether or not to make yet another attempt.

Next Year's AHCT Conference - Call for Papers: AHCT's annual SPANISH GOLDEN AGE THEATER SYMPOSIUM will be held March 4, 5, & 6, 1999, in El Paso, Texas. As in past years, the dates coincide with the Chamizal National Park's Golden Age Spanish Theater Festival. Sessions will begin on Thursday morning, March 4, and will end on Saturday (early afternoon), March 6, with a luncheon-banquet. The 1999 conference will be dedicated to the memory of Louise Fothergill-Payne.

Presentations on all topics related to Spanish Golden Age theater are welcome, although AHCT especially encourages studies emphasizing the performance of Siglo de Oro dramatic texts. Papers should be 20 minutes long, in Spanish or in English. Send paper titles and 1-page abstracts to Prof. Denise DiPuccio, Dept. of Romance Languages, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996 (e-mail: dipuccio@utk.edu) by November 1, 1998. Graduate students are encouraged to submit proposals, though we request that you send completed papers rather than abstracts; please send 10-page papers to Prof. Christopher Weimer, Dept. of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078 (e-mail: cbw3@vm1.ucc.okstate.edu) by December 10, 1998. Graduate students whose papers are accepted will be eligible to apply for travel support grants; for instructions, contact Prof. Barbara Mujica, Dept. of Spanish & Portuguese, Georgetown University, Box 571039, Washington, DC 20057 (e-mail: mujica@guvax.acc.georgetown.edu). As in past years, the conference will be held at the Cliff Inn Hotel, 1600 Cliff Drive, El Paso, Texas 79902. Hotel reservation information will appear in the December newsletter.

For additional information about the 1999 Symposium, please contact the AHCT members listed above, or visit the AHCT Homepage at: ../. Conference participants are asked to join AHCT.

Everett Hesse Endowment: Life-time AHCT member and pioneering Golden Age comedia scholar Everett W. Hesse left a gift of $25,000 for AHCT upon his death in 1996. In March of 1977, the AHCT Board of Directors agreed to create an endowment that would support projects for comedia production in future years. To assure the endowment's growth, they determined that $5 of each member's annual dues should be added to Everett Hess's original gift. The AHCT officers and Board also invite donations by individuals or organizations interested in supporting stage productions of Spanish Golden Age comedias. To make a tax-exempt donation to the Everett W. Hesse Endowment, or to obtain additional information, please contact AHCT President Don Dietz, P.O. Box 28226 Tempe AZ 85285-8226, tel. 6602-731-4838, e-mail: adthd@asuvm.inre.asu.edu.

Note of Thanks: AHCT thanks University Press of the South for generous donations totaling $1,000 in support of the Everett Hesse Endowment, the Everett Hesse Graduate Student Scholarships, and the plenary session at the 1998 Symposium.

Other news:

Dues Notice: The AHCT operating budget depends almost entirely on members' dues, which support the Annual Symposium, the Video Library, the Comedia Bulletin Board, the AHCT website, the bi-annual newsletter, the Everett W. Hesse Endowment, and other services.

Please also accept best wishes for the summer & Un saludo cordial,

Bob Johnston
AHCT Recording Secretary
robert.johnston@nau.edu
Modern Languages, Box 6004
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011-6004

To help us keep membership records accurate, make corrections or changes in your address and affiliation on the bottom portion of the page and send it along with your check. To simplify payment, please feel free to pay for more than one year ahead.

Please note: dues for regular members have been increased to $20 per year, with the additional $5 to be added to the Everett Hesse Memorial Endowment. Other dues categories remain the same.

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 (a.stoll@rock.geo.csuohio.edu). (Checks to: Association for Hispanic Classical Theater).

(To report corrections/changes, please return the following information with dues)

Name:
Title:
Address:
Academic Affiliation:
Phone:(wk.):
Phone:(hm):
e-mail:

Association for Hispanic Classical Theater, Inc.

Most recent update: 03 Aug 2005