The theme of this year’s Shakespeare Authorship Conference is “Shakespeare and the Living Theatre.” It will be presented with support of the Theatre and Drama departments of York University and the University of Guelph, two major Canadian universities.
Conference organizer Professor Don Rubin of Toronto’s York University stated “The man who wrote under the name of Shakespeare, was clearly a man of the theatre. We know that William of Stratford had connections to the Globe but few people know that the 17th Earl of Oxford, also had significant theatre connections to both adult and children’s companies of the period.” “We are hoping that the Conference will offer new understandings of these connections as well as insights into theatrical conditions of the time and put to rest the idea that William of Stratford was the only candidate in the authorship debate with strong and profound theatrical involvement.”
There will be a variety of papers on related subjects presented as well as a trip to Canada’s internationally-acclaimed Stratford Festival to see a production of The Merchant of Venice, including a chance to meet and talk with the director of the production (and also the new Artistic Director of the Stratford Festival), Antoni Cimolino.
A preliminary list of speakers and topics is provided below:
Toronto Conference Schedule
The following program is subject to change.
Thursday, 17 October
12:00-1:00 Registration
1:00-1:15 Welcome. Opening of Conference.
1:15-2:00 Shelly Maycock. (Virginia)
“Essex, Oxford and the Concept of Popularity in Late Elizabethan
Discourse.” How the notion of popularity can be recast from an
Oxfordian perspective.
2:00-2:45 Priscilla Costello. (Ontario)
“Astrology Confirms de Vere.” A professional astrologer compares the
astrological charts of de Vere and “Shakespeare.”
2:45-3:30 Ron Halstead. (Michigan)
“Death of a Dictator: The Dangerous Timeliness of Julius Caesar and
the Authorship Question.” De Vere’s interest in rebellion.
3:30-3:50 Coffee break
3:50-4:35 Walter Hurst. (North Carolina)
“What’s Your Authority for that Statement: An Approach to
Examining External Evidence in Early Modern Authorship.”
How to evaluate the strength of historical evidence.
4:35-6:00 Video: The Naked Shakespeare
A new video on the authorship question from Germany.
Friday, 18 October
8:30-9:15 Ron Hess. (Georgia)
“The Significant History of The Passionate Pilgrim.” Did this work
predate both Venus and Adonis and Rape of Lucrece?
9:15-10:0 Heward Wilkinson. (UK)
“Coleridge and the Implications of Authorial Self-Awareness in
Shakespeare.” There is no sign that the Stratford man embodied
the consciousness of “Shakespeare” while there is substantial testimony
that Oxford did.
10:45-10:45 Michael Egan. (New Mexico)
“The Shakespeare Grain Dealer Uproar.” The documented facts about
Shakspere’s financial arrangements, when compared with the plays, show
clearly that we are dealing with two distinct individuals, the man from
Stratford and the man who wrote the plays.
10:45 –11:05 Coffee Break
11:05-11:50 Tom Regnier. (Florida)
“Could Ben Jonson Think Like A Lawyer? Taking a Closer
Look at Clarkson and Warren.” A revaluation of the 1942 study on
property law in Elizabethan drama which disparages Shakespeare’s
legal knowledge.
11:50-12:35 Earl Showerman. (Oregon)
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Shakespeare’s Aristophanic Comedy.”
Was Shakespeare acquainted with Athenian drama? The former
President of the SF explores the territory.
Lunch on own
3:00 Bus leaves for the Stratford Festival
(Tom Regnier paper on “The Law and Merchant” on bus)
5:00 Arrive at Stratford. Meeting with Antoni Cimolino (Director
of Merchant) followed by “on own’ dinner
8:00 Merchant of Venice on Festival Stage
10:30 Bus returns to Toronto (arrives about 12:30 a.m.)
Saturday, 19 October
8:30-9:30 Annual Meeting of the Shakespeare Oxford Society
9:30-10:15 Cheryl Eagan-Donovan. (Massachusetts)
“The Reason for the Alias: Oxford’s Bisexuality and
the Elizabethan Theatre.” A look at the sexual
behavior of bothactors and audiences of the
period suggests that Oxford’s Sexuality may have been a prime reason for the pseudonym.
10:15-11:00 Hank Whittemore. (New York)
“The Unbroken Line: Oxford, Acting Companies and the
Phenomenon of Shakespeare.” A look at de Vere as guiding
force behind the three most important acting companies
of Elizabeth’s reign.
11:00-11:15 The Missing Debate: A Comment. Don Rubin and Keir Cutler.
11:15-12:00 Roger Stritmatter (Maryland) and Lynne Kositsky (Ontario)
‘Much Ado About Nothing: The Tempest Debate.” Two major
scholars put the Tempest dating debate to rest.
12:00-12:15 The Tempest Book launch/signing (Roger and Lynne)
12:15-1:45 Lunch (buffet with Keynote)
Mark Anderson (Massachusetts)
“Shakespeare, Newton and Einstein: Listening to the Obsession
of Genius.” The author of the major de Vere biography, Shakespeare
By Another Name looks at the nature of genius and obsession.
2:00-2:45 Robert Detobel/Henno Wember (Germany)
“The Outcast State: Oxford’s Passion for the Theatre.” Was it
his love of the theatre that led to Oxford’s “outcast state?”
2:45 to 3:30 Keir Cutler (Quebec)
‘From Crackpot to Mainstream: The Evolution of the Authorship
Question.” Are the doubts about the man from Stratford becoming
mainstream? An actor suggests that the answer is “yes.”
3:30 to 4:15 Sky Gilbert (Ontario)
“Was Shakespeare A Euphuist?” The connections between Shakespeare
and Lyly, between Endymion and Twelfth Night done with student actors.
4:15 to 4:35 Coffee break
4:35 to 6:35 Canadian Premiere Screening: Last Will and Testament.
Introduction of this full-length film by the directors – Lisa and Laura Wilson.
Sunday, 20 October
8:30-9:30 Annual Meeting of the Shakespeare Fellowship
9:30-10:20 Ramon Jimenez (California)
‘Shakespeare’s Two Lear Plays: How the Playwright Transformed His
First Romance into his Last Tragedy.” From King Leir to King Lear.
10:20-11:20 Michael Morse. (Tennessee)
“What the Thunder Said and Tom O’Bedlam’s Song.” Views of Lear.
11:20-12:15 Gerit Quealey. (New York)
“Studying Authorship: Why It Matters for Actors. The Road
To Revelation.” How authorship research can inform and illuminate
A Text.” A working actor demonstrates her points with student actors.
12:15-2:00 Closing Banquet with Keynote. Awards and Final words.
John Shahan (California).
“The Shakespeare Authorship Coalition: Future Strategies.” The
head of SAC and one of the editors of the volume Shakespeare Beyond Doubt?
The conference will also include the annual general meetings of both organizations, which, because of the proposed unification of the two organizations, should not be missed.
The conference will be held at the Metropolitan Hotel in Toronto; registrants may receive a conference rate of $135/night at the hotel by calling 800-668-6600 or by e-mail at reservations@tor.metropoliton.com. Please mention Reservation ID#269-931 or the SOS or the SF. This hotel room rate will be good for up to three days before and after the conference for those who wish to extend their visit to Toronto. This rate is guaranteed for reservations made before September 17.
Transportation from the Toronto airport directly to the hotel can be obtained from Airport Express (905-564-6333 or http://www.torontoairportexpress.com). Rates are $27.95 one-way and $42.00 for round trip. There is a 5% discount for ordering online. There is a 10% senior and student discount for one-way only ($25) so this is not practical if you want a round trip.
Full registration for the conference includes all presentations and materials as well as lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Per day rates are also available. Registration is also possible onsite, including reduced daily rates for Saturday and Sunday that do not include lunch.
Please note, however, that the trip to Stratford may not be available for registrations received after September 15.
