Center for Studies in Beckett and Contemporary Theatre Practice
History & Activities
- Colorado State University Diversity Conference: Because of its success and popularity Colorado State University has invited the Center’s Catastrophe project to return as a keynote event for the High School Focus Day component of the 2008 Diversity Conference.
- And Oppression Still Goes On: Catastrophe /Catástrofe de Samuel Beckett
Paper and Presentation given to The Comparative Drama Conference, Loyola Marymount University, March 2008 with publication pending for The Beckett Circle.
Subject of paper: a narrative and rationale to an unusual collaboration in performance and translation of one of Samuel Beckett’s least performed yet most explicitly politicized plays. Catastrophe, written in 1982, in support of the then imprisoned dissident Czech playwright Vaclav Havel - later to become the democratically elected president of his country. The play is Beckett’s late satirical jibe at authoritarianism, torture and abuse, and a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the act of resistance.
- Pinter and Beckett’s Catastrophe - Paper and Presentation
Artist and Citizen: 50 Years of Performing Pinter
A Conference at the University of Leeds, UK - 2-14 April 2007
In the presence of Nobel Prize Winning Writer Harold Pinter
- What Where – Beckett’s Final Act
Directed Workshop, World Congress VI, International University Theatre Association: Urbino, Italy - July 2006
- Waiting for Godot - Samuel Beckett - Artistic Director:
A Colorado State University Theatre Production
Selected as a Regional Finalist,
Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Region VII –February 2006
- Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival
April 2007: Appointment of Dr. Prince asNational Playwriting Program Chair –
Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival - Region VII
(Comprising: Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska)
- Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett
Director: Eric Prince:
Inaugural production for the opening of CSU’s University Thrust Theater Stage
October 28-30 and November 2 - 5, 2005
Selected as one of only four productions from eighty competing productions across the seven North West States of Region VII’s Kennedy Center/American Theatre Festival. Staged in Pasco, Washington, - February 2006.
- A Seminar on Beckett The Center hosted visiting speaker Linda Ben Zvi (Tel Aviv University), first woman president of the International Beckett Society - Venue: Bas Bleu Theatre - April 2005
- Directing Beckett: Issues of Freedom, Control and Authority Presentation of paper by Eric Prince: for Northwest Drama Conference, hosted by KCACTF Region VII in Ashland, Oregon, February 2005
- Clinic/Workshop - Acting in Beckett - directed by Eric Prince for students of the KCACTF Festival Region VII - Ashland, Oregon – February 2005
- Séance - Summoning Old Ghosts to New Stages – Samuel Beckett Symposium, Sydney 2003: after Beckett d’après Beckett . Eric Prince directed scenes from his original play, written in the late style of Beckett’s works and featuring Bas Bleu actress Wendy Ishii. January 2003, Sydney, Australia
- Beckett and the Old Masters Open lecture by Dr. James Knowlson, emeritus professor of French at Reading University, U.K., founder of the ‘Beckett Archive’ and author of the definitive Beckett biography ‘Damned to Fame’ (the only biography to be authorized by Beckett himself). This symposium was one of only two that Professor Knowlson was prepared to conduct in the States in 2002-03.
- A Staging of Embers - Conference paper (Eric Prince) International Federation of Theatre Research - Beckett Working Group ( IFTR/FIRT), University of Amsterdam, June 30-July 6, 2002
- Voices From the Dark - Three Plays by Samuel Beckett Oct 4 – Nov 16, 2002, Eric Prince ( Center Director) directed this joint project with Bas Bleu Theatre. The production was subsequently staged at Colorado State University. This collaboration generated extensive local and media news coverage (including a special feature in The Denver Post) and was attended by Professor James Knowlson as specialist respondent. Faculty acting professor Wendy Ishii performed and English professor Elizabeth Stein contributed as dramaturg to the production.
“This was one of the best performances I’ve seen of ‘Footfalls’ and I’ve seen some of the great ones’ – James Knowlson (The Coloradoan 10/25/02)
