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CALL FOR PAPERS PAL JOEYS AND CALAMITY JANES: GENDER AND THE MUSICALS ONE-DAY CONFERENCE SATURDAY 8 DECEMBER 2007 (UK) 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: k.mcnally_at_londonmet.ac.uk. -- Iain Robert Smith Doctoral Student Institute of Film and Television School of American and Canadian Studies University of Nottingham University Park NG7 2RD