Department of English, Film, and Theatre FALL EDITION OCTOBER 2011 DEFT Message from the Head Dr. Arlene Young “Sundry jottings, stray leaves, fragments, blurs and blottings” Our Department, University, and the fitting tribute to John and all that he Robert Browning country were deeply saddened last June stood for and loved—literature, learn- at the passing of a towering figure in ing, and life. Canadian literature and culture, Robert Remembering John and his enthusiasm Kroetsch. Canada has lost an icon, but for literature and for teaching, though we have also lost an old friend and col- bittersweet, could only add to the fa- league, an intellectually generous man miliar excitement of a new academic who helped and inspired aspiring stu- year, which was also heightened this dents and local writers for decades. But fall by the kind of weather that lightens the death of a significant person in our everyone‘s mood. I can only hope that all this augers well for so much that is Inside this lives, whether it be a loved one, a men- tor, a colleague, or a public figure, leads new to me this year in taking on the issue: duties of the headship. I value our past, us to reflection about that individual‘s Messages 1 our former colleagues and their legacy life and achievements—reflections that to the Department, but I am excited by can inspire us anew. The Department our future, by the continuing dedica- Rempel Symposium 3 will be fostering such reflection on tion of long-standing members of the Theatre News 4 Robert Kroetsch‘s contribution to Ca- Department, by the vibrancy of the nadian literature, identity, and culture younger members of the Department, Alumni News & 6 Centre for Globaliza- in a memorial event to be scheduled by the commitment of our wonderful tion for early May. support staff, and by the promise of CCWOC & Graduate 7 our students. It is an honour to be the Student Research Such reflection on the life and contri- Head of a Department filled with such butions of a sadly missed colleague talent and alive with such energy. Staff News 9 took place on September 23rd during the enormously successful and stimu- Film Studies 10 lating Memorial Symposium for John Online Tools 11 Rempel, ―Wit, Words, and Wine.‖ The day was indeed replete with wit and words—insightful scholarship on Shakespeare and eighteenth-century authors, esoteric knowledge and hu- mour about birds, dog collars, and square dancers. The symposium was a PAGE 2 DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH, FILM, AND THEATRE Message from the Acting Associate Head Dr. Alison Calder This note brings brief greetings there‘s always coffee. One navigate the demands of the from the Associate Head. Now thing that I would encourage term! that the term is well underway, I both faculty and students to do hope that everyone has man- is to get involved in the intellec- aged to find the rhythm of it. tual life of the department, by Diving back into the fall sched- taking advantage of visiting ule can be a cruel undertaking. speakers, workshops, and social I remember hearing once that it opportunities. Great ideas of- takes students several weeks just ten come from casual conversa- to get used to the sounds of tions, so do try to carve out their professors‘ voices. Of some time in your schedule to course, the fall is also a time for seek out these opportunities. new ideas and interests – and if Best of luck to all of us as we that fails to motivate you, Message from the Graduate Chair Dr. Mark Libin been an exciting one, with several areas in particular you‘d like to see successful defenses and a fine start to covered. These workshops can be a our Fall graduate seminars. I‘m de- great help in guiding students through lighted to be working with Katelyn their thesis work, and of course in Dykstra Dykerman, this year‘s presi- getting them ready for the job market. dent of pAGES. Katelyn‘s enthusiasm My best wishes to all of you for a and energy guarantee that this will be a great semester, and please feel free to great year for DEFT graduate stu- contact me, Sandra, or Katelyn if there dents, and I urge all of you to come are any questions or concerns you see what pAGES has to offer you. might have. I‘m currently working on organiz- I want to welcome all new MA and ing this year‘s professionalization PhD students to the department, and workshops, so I encourage you to let welcome back all our returning stu- me, or Katelyn, know if there are any dents. This September has already Message from the pAGES Chair Katelyn Dykstra Dykerman I would like to welcome you all to seminar run by Professor Michelle dynamic and timely topic, and it will another year of graduate studies at Faubert on November 17th, which will create a lot of interest. We want to The University of Manitoba‘s Depart- address all issues that surround prep- discuss where this topic is going and ment of English, Film, and Theatre. It ping oneself for a conference. Second, we would like to hear from all of you. seems like the first weeks of school I am very excited to announce a collo- What are the implications of your have gone by in a blink. I hope you quium entitled ―Where are we now: A research? To submit a paper, if you are all finding your comfort zone here colloquium on the ideas and ideals of have any quandaries about future in the department. I have had the literary studies‖. We will be exploring events or would like to suggest an pleasure of meeting a fair number of the position of our own research event, please do not hesitate to con- you, but there are still a few names on within the larger context of literary tact me at [email protected]. I the email list that I do not recognize. studies, and the implications that our hope you all have a wonderful first We have two p.A.G.E.S events com- projects may have for the future of semester and I hope to see you around ing up: first, a professionalization literary studies as a whole. This is a often. Best of luck. FALL EDITION PAGE 3 Wit, Words, and Wine: A Memorial Symposium for John Rempel by Judith Owens “Wit, Words, and Wine: A Memorial Symposium for John Rempel” was held on Friday, September 23rd to honour John‘s many contributions to the life of the Department. In keeping with the breadth of his passions and pursuits, the pro- gramme covered a wide array of topics: literature and life of the eighteenth century, the period in which he was so deeply im- mersed; Shakespeare, whose plays he never tired of teaching and seeing; bibliography and book culture, about which he had so much material knowledge; and humour in literature, which John always taught with just the right mix of levity and learning. The programme also included performances, both theatrical and artistic: a scene from Much Ado about Nothing, performed by alumni of the Black Hole Theatre where John saw so many plays; a movingly elegiac recitation from Cymbeline; and a demonstration of Renaissance drawing, which John would have appreciated, perhaps especially for the connections drawn to dancing. As was only fitting, given John’s wide expertise in wine, the symposium concluded with a wine-tasting reception that featured superb wines selected from John’s own cellar and generously donated by Ursula Rempel. The following individuals gave presentations: from DEFT, David Arnason, Glenn Clark, Karen Clavelle, Lyle Ford, Margaret Groome, Chris Johnson, Bill Kerr, Dana Medoro, Judith Owens, Pam Perkins, David Watt, and Gene Walz; from the Faculty of Music, Kurt Markstrom; from the School of Art, Celia Rabinovitch; from the Black Hole Theatre, Megan Andres and Ivan Henwood; from Dafoe Library Archives, Betty Braaksma; from the University of Winnipeg, Brandon Christopher and Kate Ready. “Wit, Words, and Wine” was organized by Glenn Clark, Judith Owens, Pam Perkins, and David Watt, who would like to thank everyone who participated or attended, and who would like to extend special thanks to Ursula Rempel for her gen- erosity, Cliff Eyland for the poster, and Al Bowness and Andy Tekauz, for invaluable help with the wine reception. PAGE 4 DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH, FILM, AND THEATRE Theatre News Dr. Bill Kerr Come out to see our Black Hole Thea- We have begun anew our play creation tre mainstage season. Chris Johnson is cycle with Professor Smith writing a advising senior student Jaclyn Kozak play and teaching playwriting and Pro- on a commedia del‘arte piece, The fessors Johnson and Kerr directing Gypsy Woman by Don Nigro, Nov. 15- and dramaturging respectively and 26. Margaret Groome is directing teaching those subjects. Look for our Arms and the Man by G.B. Shaw, as Fire in the Hole/Fire out of the part of ShawFest, at the Gas Station Hole festival of works by student Theatre, Jan 20-29. George Toles is playwrights, dramaturged and directed returning to the Black Hole and di- by students in March/April of 2012 The Theatre Program is very happy to recting The House of Blue Leaves by John and to our production of Bob Smith‘s officially confirm that a new theatre – Guare, complete with talent pre-show, new play in the Black Hole Theatre in The Conklin Theatre – is part of the Mar. 13-24. (See ad for more show March 2013.