Without Borders: Dramaturgy in the New Decade: Virtual Synchronous

Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas presented Without Borders: Dramaturgy in the New Decade / Sin Fronteras: Dramaturgismo en la Nueva Década livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Thursday 17 June and Friday 18 June 2021.

LMDA’s mission with this ground-breaking gathering is to ignite a global conversation about the impact / purpose / process / evolution of dramaturgy in the new decade. This conference will ask participants to examine how dramaturgy lives, breathes, and changes during/after the social, political, and economical adjustments that COVID-19 has brought to our lives.

This project is supported in part by an award from National Endowments for the Arts.

The in-person conference in Mexico City is supported in part by Coordinación Nacional de Teatro of the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura (INBAL).

Thursday 17 June

Keynote: Mexico City 2006-Mexico City 2021 & Beyond!
9 a.m. PDT (Tijuana, UTC -7) / 11 a.m. CDT (CDMX, UTC -5) / 12 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4)
Original language: English
Speakers: Sabina Berman, Mark Bly, Liz Engelman, Conchi León, Silvia Peláez, Brian Quirt

In 2006 ten LMDA Member Delegates from Canada and the United States were invited to the prestigious international Gateway to the Americas Festival in Mexico City. In LMDA’s first ever event in Mexico they participated and led a series of roundtables on the challenges facing playwrights in Mexico and Latin America in the areas of translation, circulation, publication, and production opportunities, and also questions about what a dramaturg does all leading to a lively mutual exchange. Now fifteen years later, we have gathered together a panel that helped to make this original exchange take place including Sabina Berman, Conchi León, and Silvia Peláez from Mexico; Brian Quirt from Canada; and Mark Bly and Liz Engelman from the United States. This panel, moderated by Mark Bly LMDA’s Board President back in 2006, will touch on the original Festival, with panelists sharing how that Festival and the mutual exchange generated new opportunities for them, where they are now as artists and educators, their dreams for the future, and finally, how in deploying the digital we can continue to break down the visible and invisible artistic borders in the face of increasing globalization and 21st Century “colonization” that takes place in our lives now.

Canadian and Mexican Artist Exchange at 2021 Annual LMDA Conference
10:30 a.m. PDT (Tijuana, UTC -7) / 12:30 p.m. CDT (CDMX, UTC -5) / 1:30 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4)
Original language: English
Speakers: Daniela Atiencia, Catherine Ballachey, Pedro Chamale, Didanwy Kent, Paula Zelaya

LMDA Canada has partnered with the Canadian Latinx Theatre Artist Coalition (CALTAC) and LMDA México to host an online panel to discuss the intersection of Latinx dramaturgical processes in Mexico, Canada, and beyond.

The panel led by Canadian Latinx Vancouver-based theatre artists, Pedro Chamale and Daniela Atiencia, will be composed of Canadian and Mexican artists. The goal of the panel will be to discuss the vibrant and varied work created by Latinx artists in both countries and the intersections of their work.

Playwrights Under the Radar
Original language: English and Spanish
12:45 p.m. PDT (Tijuana, UTC -7) / 2:45 p.m. CDT (CDMX, UTC -5) / 3:45 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4)
Host: Bryan Moore

Speakers will spread the word about one of "their" playwrights -- maybe one they've worked with or want to work with, or maybe one whose plays they just love -- but who may not yet be on the national or international radar. Using the popular Hot Topics format, each presenter will get five minutes to sing the praises of a playwright they believe deserves a spot in the big leagues. Come discover a new "favorite" and help spread the word.

Friday 18 June

International Dramaturgy Lab - Connecting Dramaturgs Across Borders
9 a.m. PDT (Tijuana, UTC -7) / 11 a.m. CDT (CDMX, UTC -5) / 12 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4)
Original language: English
Speakers: Laurel Green, Martha Herrera-Lasso, Megan Johnson, David Robertson, Phaedra Scott, Hanna Slattne, Kristoffer Spender

The International Dramaturgy Lab (IDL) connected over 90 dramaturgs and theatre makers from 7 different partner organizations across the globe. It hosted 14 groups put together across language, culture and timezones to share, explore, create and innovate. The theme and the practice was to “work dramaturgically across borders”. The project was successful beyond expectations. Reflecting back on the experience and the importance of supporting and nurturing cross-border contacts between dramaturgs, we also look to the future to see how we build on this extraordinary journey. Members of the steering group who shaped, facilitated and made the IDL happen will share the journey, the learnings and the inspirations.

Hot Topics
Original language: English and Spanish
10:30 a.m. PDT (Tijuana, UTC -7) / 12:30 p.m. CDT (CDMX, UTC -5) / 1:30 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4)
Hostess: Jane Barnette

HOT TOPICS speakers present a provocative question, assertion, issue, or project with which they are currently (passionately) engaged to initiate conversations and collaborations, or to address pressing issues for our community. Speakers have just five minutes each to open a door into their topic. The strict time limit allows for multiple presentations and follow-up conversations. It also requires careful preparation. At four minutes, the hostess will give the presenter a one-minute warning; at five minutes, the presenter will be gently, but firmly, yanked off of the stage.

This year’s Hot Topics features presentations in both English and Spanish! Speakers will share scintillating insights about the pandemic, the canon, archives, film dramaturgy, religious challenges, and dramaturgical drag, among other topics. Come for the provocation; stay for the conversation; be inspired by the critical generosity!

About HowlRound TV
HowlRound TV is a global, commons-based peer produced, open access livestreaming and video archive project stewarded by the nonprofit HowlRound. HowlRound TV is a free and shared resource for live conversations and performances relevant to the world's performing arts and cultural fields. Its mission is to break geographic isolation, promote resource sharing, and to develop our knowledge commons collectively. Participate in a community of peer organizations revolutionizing the flow of information, knowledge, and access in our field by becoming a producer and co-producing with us. Learn more by going to our participate page. For any other queries, email [email protected], or call Vijay Mathew at +1 917.686.3185 Signal/WhatsApp. View the video archive of past events.