Research-based Theatre Lab Institute: Intersections of Identities and Ways of Knowing

May 24 - May 26, 2022

REGISTER for sessions here. All session times are PDT.

These events are happening in person. For information on UBC's current COVID-19 policies, please visit https://srs.ubc.ca/covid-19/ubc-campus-rules-guidance-documents/.

Workshop Descriptions

Day 1: May 24, 2022

10.00-10.30 AM - Institute Opening

Multipurpose Room (PCN 2012), Ponderosa Commons North: Oak House

An introduction to our Research-based Theatre (RbT) Institute on Intersections of Identities and Ways of Knowing. These three days will include workshops from visiting artist-scholars, working sessions focused on developing new RbT pieces, opportunities to share short excerpts of RbT works-in-progress, and collaborations with local theatre companies.

10.30 AM-12.30 PM - Workshop: What is Research-based Theatre?

Multipurpose Room (PCN 2012)

Diane Conrad facilitates a session that draws on image theatre and comics creation as an arts-based strategy to support participants in exploring and disseminating how they define and approach Research-based Theatre as a creative and scholarly practice.

4.30-6.00 PM - Workshop: Holding Space for Personal Stories in RbT

Arts Club Theatre Company: Granville Island Stage

Research-based Theatre Lab Members facilitate a session in creating and holding space for personal stories when interviewing and building narratives in RbT. This session will take place at the Arts Club Theatre Company: Granville Island Stage. To learn more about the Arts Club Theatre Company's educational programming, visit https://artsclub.com/education/about-arts-club-education.

6.30-8.00 PM - Workshop: Son histoire, mon histoire - An Exploration of Language and Acadian History

Arts Club Theatre Company: Granville Island Stage

This session will explore the possibilities of sound, music, lighting, props, and costumes while developing a Research-based Theatre piece. This interactive session led by Laen Hershler and assisted by a sound/lighting technician explores an emerging RbT play on Acadian culture and identity by George Belliveau. 


Day 2: May 25, 2022

10.00 AM-12:00 PM - Graduate Student Workshop: Voyage Boldly - Trans Theatre Practices and Autoethnodrama

Multipurpose Room (PCN 2012), Ponderosa Commons North: Oak House

This session will offer a workshop exploration of an emerging Research-based play, Voyage Boldly, by RbT Lab graduate student Christina Cook. Voyage Boldly explores psychology’s historic and contemporary pathologizing of trans identities and autobiographic experiences of discovering gender euphoria amid graduate studies in psychology.

1.00-2.15 PM - Performance: DOTS

Multipurpose Room (PCN 2012) and on Zoom.

A relaxed sharing of a self-revelatory solo performance by visiting theatre artist Annie Cheung. Read more about the show at: https://www.facebook.com/dots.annie/

Please note, this presentation contains adult content, coarse language, and may have disturbing scenes and sounds of popping balloons.

3.00-4.30 PM - Seminar: Self-Revelatory Theatre - A merger of Research-based Theatre and Arts-based Health Research? Its Risks and Potential

Multipurpose Room (PCN 2012) and on Zoom

A seminar with Annie Cheung exploring the interconnections between arts-based research and mental health.  

4.30-5.00 PM - Day Two Reflections

Multipurpose Room (PCN 2012) and on Zoom

A chance to informally reflect on themes, curiosities, and revelations from the first two days of the Institute.  


Day 3: May 26, 2022

10.00-11.30 AM - Workshop: Creating Scored Transcripts – Coding for Speech & Gestural Patterns

Multipurpose Room (PCN 2012), Ponderosa Commons North: Oak House

Joe Salvatore will share techniques for creating more nuanced transcripts of interview-based data that can notate an original speaker’s speech and gestural patterns. Transcription and coding exercises will lead participants to create their own version of a scored transcript.  

1.00-3.00 PM - Walking Methodologies: Research-based Theatre in Motion

Pacific Spirit Park

This outdoor session will invite participants to explore physical walking methodologies and their intersection with Research-based Theatre. Please wear comfortable shoes as clothes, as we will be walking on unpaved paths. Location TBD.

4.30-6.00 PM - Workshop: Applied Theatre and Youth Participatory Action Research

Room 1002, Ponderosa Commons North 

Diane Conrad facilitates a session that explores the use of Applied Theatre methods in Participatory Action Research with youth. Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) involves youth as co-researchers centring the voices and knowledge of the youth. The workshop will include examples from Diane’s past projects with youth and practical exploration of strategies.

6.30-8.00 PM - Workshop: Transcripts, Assumptions, and Verbatim Performance

Room 1002, Ponderosa Commons North 

Joe Salvatore will facilitate a workshop exploring transcripts and the assumptions we as artist-scholars may bring to our interpretation and analysis of transcripts when creating Verbatim Performance. 

8.00-8.30 PM - Final Reflections

Room 1002, Ponderosa Commons North 

A chance to informally reflect on the Institute's themes, curiosities, and revelations. 

Register for sessions here.



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