Medieval World Drama

This group has a remarkable catalogue of translations of global premodern drama, including medieval plays originally written in French, Chinese, Spanish, and Arabic. We meet monthly to cold-read dramatic works written 1550 (or, preferably, 1500) translated into modern English from around the world. This practice enables us to discover and enact the reading right there, together, assigning parts as we go.  This year we will reorient our focus toward two goals. Our meetings will review, re-perform, and discuss the “greatest hits” of the previous years to organize those translations into a public syllabus of medieval world drama. We will also partner with PLS (Poculi Ludique Societas), who are hosting the massive York Plays medieval drama festival in early June 2025, at which we will unveil the syllabus. The year will culminate in a  practical workshop in a system of body-based perception and performance skills adapted specifically to medieval performance practices.  To request to join the group, email the group lead linked in the list.

Lead

Faculty, University of Toronto

  • Antje Budde, Drama Theatre & Performance Studies (CDTPS)
  • Jill Carter, CDTPS
  • Alexandra Johnston, A&S English (emerita)
  • David Klausner, A&S English (emeritus)

Staff Members, University of Toronto

  • Katherine Belyea, Poculi Ludique Societas and Centre for Performance Studies in Early Theatre
  • Linda Phillips, Artistic Director, Poculi Ludique Societas / CDTPS

Graduate Students, University of Toronto

  • Alexandra Atiya, Medieval St.
  • Jenna McKellips, English
  • Morgan Moore, Medieval Studies
  • Colin Rowley, English

Graduate Students Outside University of Toronto

  • Angie Lo, Imperial College, London
  • Tricia Postle, Musicology, University of Cambridge

Undergraduate Students, University of Toronto

  • Dylan Coley
  • Frank Cui
  • Noor Gouda
  • Belzad Hoa
  • Kurt Jiang
  • Aria Kowal
  • Daning Li
  • Delphine Li
  • Savannah Lollo
  • Isabella Maria Masellis
  • Aras Pebedinskas
  • Jane Smythe
  • Matthew Stainfield
  • Julia Xu

Community Members

  • Judith Skelton Grant, Sr. Fellow, Massey College
  • James Hyett, actor
  • Michella Mairi Kinloch, actor
  • Sharon Klassen, educational developer
  • Denis Kulesha, psychiatrist
  • David N. Orenstein, UC Alumni Association
  • Aras Pabadinskas, actor
  • Jane Smythe, actor
  • Marlow Stainfield, actor