CALL FOR PAPERS
PAL JOEYS AND CALAMITY JANES: GENDER AND THE MUSICALS
ONE-DAY CONFERENCE SATURDAY 8 DECEMBER 2007
As a genre, the musical is an endlessly rich ground for discussions of
gender. From its creation of a world of fantasy, free of traditional
boundaries, to the elements of spectacle and performance that lie at the
core of its framework, the musical provides an arena for expressions and
representations of gender which stray distinctly from the norm. From Kelly
and Garland to the Nicholas Brothers, the stars of the genre have
consistently played with conventional notions of gender through performance
and star imagery. Similarly, the musical transgresses stereotypical gender
dynamics, while seemingly based in traditional boy meets girl narratives.
This one-day conference seeks to promote original scholarship on gender in
all forms of the musical. While celebrating the central significance of the
Hollywood musical, explorations of the genre will be extended to
incorporate international cinema and other media forms such as television
and stage. Professor Steven Cohan of Syracuse University, NY, author of
Incongruous Entertainment: Camp, Cultural Value and the MGM Musical,
Hollywood Musicals: The Film Reader and Masked Men: Masculinity and the
Movies in the Fifties, will be the conference's keynote speaker. Proposals
are welcome which examine issues of gender from a wide variety of original
perspectives. Topics may include but are not limited to:
Camp
Objectified masculinity
Representations of race and ethnicity
Generic constraints
Star images
International distinctions
Media variations
Audience reception
Female imaging
Directorial authorship
Impact of song and dance performance
Gender role stereotyping
Performance of sexuality
Importance of clothes and style
Choreography
Social/cultural context
Please email a 250 word proposal in the body of an email or as a word
attachment, together with a brief biography, by Friday 7 September to:
[log in to unmask]
*******************************************
Dr Karen McNally
Senior Lecturer and Course Leader
BA Film Studies
London Metropolitan University
North Campus
Tel. 020 7133 4369
Email: [log in to unmask]
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