Oscar G. Brockett Center for Theatre History and Criticism

Initiatives and Awards

The following are recent awards and initiatives of the Oscar G. Brockett Center for Theatre History and Criticism.

Scholarship

• Co-Sponsored the 2016 Oscar G. Brockett Golden Pen Award at USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology), given to Arnold Aronson for his book Ming Cho Lee: a Life in Design.
• Co-Sponsored the 2015 Oscar G. Brockett Essay Prize at American Society of Theatre Research (ASTR), given to Ellen MacKay, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, for her essay "Acting Historical with Shakespeare, or William-Henry Ireland's Oaken Chest" Shakespeare Survey, vol. 67 (2014), Editor: Peter Holland.
• Co-Sponsored the 2014 Oscar G. Brockett Essay Prize at American Society of Theatre Research (ASTR), given to Marvin Carlson for his work "The Arab Aristophanes," published in Comparative Drama 47:2 (2013).
• Co-Sponsored the 2014 Oscar G. Brockett Book Prize for Dance Research at Congress on Research in Dance (CORD), given to Paul Scolieri, associate professor of dance at Barnard College for his book Dancing the New World: Aztecs, Spaniards, and the Choreography of Conquest.
• Funded and hosted Consortium of Programs in Theatre History and Performance Studies.
• Provided support for "The State of the Comedia Suelta: Celebrating the Texas Collections," a two-day symposium at the Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin (2014).
• Celebrated the opening of the Oscar G. Brockett archive at a public event with The University of Texas at Austin Fine Arts Library (2014).

Education

• Brockett Scholars: Scholarships for students studying theatre history at The University of Texas at Austin.
• Brockett Fellow: Scholarship for a graduate student at The University of Texas at Austin who works on the Brockett Center's initiatives.
• Co-Sponsored 2015 Oscar Brockett Outstanding Teacher of Theatre in Higher Education at Association of Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE), given to E. Patrick Johnson.
• Co-Sponsored the 2014 Oscar Brockett Outstanding Teacher of Theatre in Higher Education at Association of Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE), given to Gretel Geist Rutledge of Michigan State University.
• Co-Sponsored the 2013 Oscar Brockett Outstanding Teacher of Theatre in Higher Education at Association of Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE), given to Joseph Roach or Yale University.
• Coordinated pre-show talk with student dramaturgs, in conjunction with the Department of Theatre and Dance's staging of A Streetcar Named Desire, about the Tennessee Williams holding at the Harry Ransom Center and the production's dramaturgy process.
• Supported dramaturgical study at The University of Texas at Austin by mentoring student dramaturgs assigned to productions.

Public History

• Partnered with American Theatre Archive Project to provide archival services for Austin theatres and ensembles, including ZACH Theatre, Rude Mechs and Teatro Vivo.
• Partnered with American Theatre Magazine to author a monthly historial almanac column.
• Partnered with American Theatre Magazine to author "antecedents" column.
• Supported the residency of Holly Hughes, fall of 2015.
• In coordination with University of Texas at Austin student dramaturgs, presented on topics in theatre history at professional theatres in Austin, Texas.
• Co-sponsored an internet-wide edit-a-thon to promote greater visibility for theatre artists, plays, companies, journalists/critics and scholars from underrepresented groups.
• Provided financial support for the Latin@ Performance Symposium associated with The University of Texas at Austin's staging of In the Heights in 2014.
• Began creation of a Cohen New Works Festival Archive at The University of Texas at Austin.