Asst. Prof. Jason Hale, chair of the Department of Performing Arts, spoke at a conference held in conjunction with this year’s Sibiu International Theater Festival (FITS). The conference took place August 20–21 in Sibiu, Romania.
Titled “Theater Education and Performance Research in the Current Context,” the conference was organized by Lucian Blaga University and had as its motto the phrase “Building Hope Together.” During the conference, theater scholars and pedagogues from around the world explored the cultural challenges, practical changes and paradigm shifts in theater teaching and performance research in the post-2019 world.
“In a world that continues to change dramatically, in a theatrical sphere that is evolving unpredictably, a redefinition of both teaching and research seems to inevitable,” noted conference chair Octavian Saiu.
During the conference, Mr. Hale talked about his experience of teaching both online and face to face at Bilkent University during the pandemic. “The conference inspired theater professionals from around the world,” he said later, discussing his impressions of the event.
One of the world’s most important international performing arts festivals, FITS has been held in Sibiu since 1994; last year’s festival took place in an online format. This year’s event was conducted in a hybrid manner, with speakers and other guests present either in person or online. The festival also included both live and online theater performances, master classes and discussions.