Devised Theatre Initiative

Devised Co-Coordinators

Carlos Cruz
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
carloscruz@uncc.edu

Brittney Harris
Old Dominion University
b1harris@odu.edu

Students are encouraged to form teams to participate in the Devised Theatre Initiative!

2023-2024 Prompt:

“We Gather To Bear Witness”

 
  • Each showing will be given a short response from regional faculty and/or devising guest artists. Each deviser will be expected to speak articulately about their work, displaying rigor of process and responsibility for form an content.
  • Devising isn’t an aesthetic, it’s a process. This approach to creating new work includes multiple aesthetics, production value spectrums, and performance styles.
  • Schools may enter multiple groups for the devising project.
  • To participate in Region 4, send an email of intent as outlined below to Carlos Cruz at carloscruz@uncc.edu and Brittney Harris at b1harris@odu.edu.

Register Your Ensemble:

You will need the following information:

  • Name of School
  • Title of your work
  • Name and email of a faculty advisor
  • Name, email, and phone number of a lead contact participant
  • A cast list

Timeline:

  • Deadline to register – January 10, 2024
  • Info session via Zoom –  TBA
  • Submission deadline – TBA
  • Devised Theatre Workshop session and conversation – TBA – during the festival
  • Presentations and Feedback – TBA – Friday of the Festival
  • One piece will be performed at the Saturday night Gala. To be selected by the collective participants in the devised program.

How to Create:

Ensembles will select their sources of inspiration as their creative container (examples: a photograph, a poem, a fictional or non-fictional short story, a memory, interviews, a question, etc.) Ensemble will be asked to clearly articulate how their sources informed process, product, form, and content.

Each ensemble will create a unique performance vocabulary informed by their source materials. This vocabulary should include movement, voice, visual image, sonic landscape, text, and scenic environment and communicate the piece’s style and aesthetic.

Ensemble should consider time restraints and travel considerations. These parameters are designed to form a creative container to spark your imaginations and deepen your exploration.

Logistics and Parameters:

Companies will present their material live at festival and will have guest artists respond to the work. The collective group of devised artists (students and guest artists) will select one of the pieces to be performed at the closing night Gala, Feb. 11.

Companies should adhere to their own institution’s guidelines regarding health and safety.

20 minute time limit which must include set-up, performance, and strike.
(Set-up and strike can be part of the performance.)

Contributions of the ensemble are to be balanced and evenly distributed.

Not every member of the ensemble must perform, but the majority should.

Faculty advisors may provide outside-eye feedback, but students should drive the work.

No live flame.

No smoking.

No functional weapons.

There is no control over lighting other than up and down, if you need lighting effects you need to bring source and extension cords – no theatrical lighting. 

You are responsible for your own sound source as well.

Limit ensemble size – 15.

General devising structure:

Ensembles will select their sources of inspiration as their creative container (examples: a photograph, a poem, a fictional or non-fictional short story, a memory, interviews, a question, etc.) 

Ensemble will be asked to clearly articulate how their sources informed process, product, form, and content.

Each ensemble will create a unique performance vocabulary informed by their source materials. This vocabulary should include movement, voice, visual image, sonic landscape, text, and scenic environment and communicate the piece’s style and aesthetic.

Ensembles should consider time restraints and a best way to accomplish and communicate within the virtual/visual media realm. These parameters are designed to form a creative container to spark your imaginations and deepen your exploration.

 


Contact for questions:

Devised Co-Coordinators

Carlos Cruz
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
carloscruz@uncc.edu

Brittney Harris
Old Dominion University
b1harris@odu.edu