Future Theatre

FUTURE THEATRE, in a two-day symposium dealing specifically with theater, takes up the theme of the exhibition FUTURE CINEMA, pursuing the question as to how much the old medium of theater, in its various forms, and with its concepts of narration, dramaturgy, space, time, reception/interaction influences the new narrative forms in the internet, in computer games, etc. Already at the beginning of the 1990’s Brenda Laurel emphasized in her book Computers as Theatre a possible model function of theater for the structuring and presentation of »content« in the new media. On the other hand, the forms of communication which have crystallized from out of the media, likewise have effects on theater, opening new varieties, which may be described using the term »intermediality of theater« [Petra M. Meyer].

The symposium aims to provide an interim balance on the subject. What is going on in this field located somewhere between theater, installation, film, and net art? What projects exist which are often overlooked in the discourse on media theory and, for practical reasons, likewise scarcely find a place in the season’s theater schedules? Invited to take part are theater and media critics as well as selected artists who will introduce their projects—projects which were created and realized from out of the theater and which will enrich the discussion on the media arts in specific ways with new experiences and ideas.

Program

Sat, January 18, 2003

11:00 am:

Peter Weibel [ZKM], Elisabeth Schweeger [schauspielfrankfurt], and Michael Simon [HfG Karlsruhe/Department for Scenography]
Welcoming remarks

11.30 am:
section 1:  »Computers as Theater« 

Lectures

Carl Hegemann (Volksbühne Berlin): »»Dinopark und Cyperspace: Funktionen des Theaters«

Tilman Sack (chattheater Leonce & Lena. Berlin/St. Poelten) : »'Drei Medien - Eine Vision': Ein Spiel mit Text, Sprache und Handlung im Internet, auf der Bühne und im Radio« 
Gisela Mueller (theatermaschine.net, Munich): »'Wo eine Masche, da ist es kalt; wo ein Knoten, da ist es warm' [Estn. Sprichwort]. Von vernetzten Spielräumen und der Inszenierung des Disparaten«
Herbert Fritsch (Volksbühne Berlin):»hamlet_X[(theater.film.internet).project]« 

3:00 pm:
section 2: »From Think Tank to Executive Tank« 

Panel Discussion

Elisabeth Schweeger (schauspielfrankfurt)
Wanda Golonka (Choreographer, Frankfurt)
Ingrid von Wantoch-Rekowsi (Scenographer, Brussels)
Nikolas Stemann (freelance director, Hamburg/Berlin)
Michael Simon (HfG Karlsruhe /Scenography)

Sun, January 19, 2003

11:00 am:
section 3: »Theater, Intermediality, Digital Divide«

Johannes Odenthal (Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin): »Interkulturalität-Medien-Emanzipation«
Wolfgang Bergmann (theaterkanal/3sat, Mainz): »Operation Theaterkanal: elektronische Bühne - Medienverbund für Theater - kulturelles Gedächtnis«
Michael Simon (HfG Karlsruhe/Scenography):»Die mediale Bühne - am Beispiel von Peter Greenaways Oper 'Writing to Vermeer'«
Helena Waldmann (freelance director, Berlin): »'Dieses Switchen zwischen den Welten...' - Forschung auf dem Feld der Blicke«

2:00 pm: 
section 4: »Theater-Research-Laboratories«

Lectures

Christopher Balme (Faculty for Theatre Studies, University of Mainz):»Theater und andere Medien: Zum internationalen Forschungsprogramm 'Performance und Media Studies' der Universität Mainz«
Sabine Mitterecker [director, vienna]/ Uwe Mattheiss [dramaturg, critic, Vienna]: »Theatre is not dead, it just smells funny«
Andreas Breitscheid (Forum Neues Musiktheater, Stuttgart Opera):»Forum Neues Musiktheater an der Staatsoper Stuttgart - Etablierung einer Laborsituation für neue musikalische und theatralische Formen im Musiktheater« 

Presentation

Bernd Lintermann: »The Jew of Malta«
opera project of the Munich Biennale, in cooperation with the ZKM | Institute for Visual Media

Concluding discussion

Moderation: Birgit Wiens and Peter M. Boenisch [both Intitute for Theater Studies, Ludwigs-Maximilian-University, Munich]