|
|
| (33 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) |
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| − | | + | #REDIRECT [[Encyclopaedia of South African Theatre, Film, Media and Performance]] |
| − | | |
| − | '''General Editor: [[Temple Hauptfleisch]] '''
| |
| − | | |
| − | | |
| − | == Introduction ==
| |
| − | | |
| − | | |
| − | The '''Encyclopaedia of South African Theatre and Performance (ESAT)''' is an open access, internet based interactive resource for theatre and performance researchers interested in the evolution, history and forms of drama, theatre and performance in South Africa. Deriving from the [[University of Stellenbosch]]'s Libopedia, it uses the Wiki format and programmes and is published on the web with the assistance of the [[University of Stellenbosch, Department of Drama]] (and its former [[Centre for Theatre and Performance Studies]]), the J.S. Gericke Library and the division for Information Technology at the University of Stellenbosch
| |
| − | | |
| − | | |
| − | ==Aims==
| |
| − | | |
| − | | |
| − | The aims of the ESAT encyclopaedia are to create a comprehensive database on the history and nature of South African theatre and make it available as a general reference work and resource for the use of researchers, students, artists, journalist and all other interested parties. This first version of the encyclopaedia was originally intended to be a published mini-encyclopaedia and reference work called [[A Companion to South African Theatre and Performance (COMSAT)]] and is derived from a database collated by [[Temple Hauptfleisch]] and the [[Centre for Theatre and Performance Studies]] (CENTAPS)at Stellenbosch (with the help of a large number of associates and assistants) over the course of twenty years (1990-2010) (For more on this see [[Background, origins and history]], [[Contributors]] and [[Acknowledgements]]).
| |
| − | | |
| − | The encylopaedia's editors invite the academic and artistic community to help in expanding and improving on this material in order to make which would make the results of academic and other research more readily accessible to the general reader and the theatre enthusiast. (For more on this see [[Updating ESAT]].) In this sense the basic aim is rather to condense and collate available information on all South African theatre and performance forms (as far as they have been documented) in one place and in a handy and accessible digital format, rather than to undertake any comprehensive new research. Happily a great deal of little known and/or forgotten information has in fact come to the fore during the course of this project, and can be made available, though that was not the fundamental aim of this first version of [[ESAT]].
| |
| − | | |
| − | | |
| − | == Background and origins ==
| |
| − |
| |
| − | '''ESAT''' began as a research and documentation project, [[A Companion to South African Theatre and Performance (COMSAT)]] which was originally conceived and initiated by [[Temple Hauptfleisch]] in 1994, when he founded the [[Centre for Theatre and Performance Studies]] at the [[University of Stellenbosch]]. The aim was to involve a range of researchers and students to compile a general reference work on [[South African Theatre]] and performance which would make the results of academic and other research more readily accessible to the general reader and the theatre enthusiast. In this sense the basic aim was rather to condense and collate available information on all South African theatre and performance forms (as far as they have been documented) in a single volume and in a handy format, rather than undertake any comprehensive new research. A key model for this project was Phyllis Hartnoll’s famous ''Oxford Companion to the Theatre''.
| |
| − | | |
| − | The working procedures for the original [[COMSAT]] project were relatively simple. The basic framework of the project was conceived by [[Temple Hauptfleisch]], while the detail principles for the publication – and especially the the format for the entries (see below) – were devised by the Project Committee in consultation with the Advisors. With these in hand the members of the Project Committee thereupon did a basic search of the most prominent books and articles on South African theatre and performance, in order to compile a gross list of possible entries for the Companion. The gross list was then honed down to a basic shortlist of about 2000 entries, which were apportioned out to possible authors.
| |
| − | | |
| − | | |
| − | == History ==
| |
| − |
| |
| − | 1994-2010
| |
| − | | |
| − | While the authors were working on the entries, the project’s co-ordinator [[Yvette Hutchison]] – with the help of Petra Malherbe of the University of Stellenbosch’s Data-centre, set about devising a computerized format for the various kinds of entries, utilizing the Microsoft’s Access programme. This would allow the team to continually update the basic information, and possibly publish revised versions of the book or go on to an online facility or a CD-rom based product.
| |
| − | | |
| − | When the original deadline for entries had come and gone in 1996, only 21 of the 80 people approached had accepted the contracts, 12 had submitted material, of which only 9 had had fulfilled their contracts completely and properly. (A few more submitted entries during 1997-8, bringing us to 11 contributors by 1999.) It became clear that the project was very close to getting bogged down. At a subsequent meeting, the Committee decided that the rest of the book would be written by [[Temple Hauptleisch]], assisted by [[Yvette Hutchison]] and some of the post-graduate students in the Department of Drama , while the two sub-editors – [[Edwin Hees]] and [[Arnold Blumer]] – would help with the final editing process. The current database is the result of all the aforementioned processes.
| |
| − | | |
| − | From 1994 to 2010 the project expanded almost exponentially, generating over 10 000 individual entries and a number of sub-sections, including an Overtview of theatre and performance in the country, a chronology of theatre events (in the context of social, cultuiral and political events), a comprehensive bibliography and annotated lists of plays and performances.
| |
| − | | |
| − | This database of more than 2000 pages soon became a core resource for the research undertaken by the staff of the Centre for Theatre and Performance studies as well as the staff and students of the Drama Department. Gradually international enquiries also begtan to come in to the Centre.
| |
| − | | |
| − | In view of this interest the pressure to "publish" the material began to grow. However, it slowly became clear that that (a) few publishers were really interested in a publication of this enormous size and (b) as the material still kept on increasing , much editing still needed to be done, and there was an enormous amount of information still lacking. Thus the research team began to explore other possibilities. The most promising seemed to be an online version of the database, done in consultation with the University of Stellenbosch IT section and the J.S. Gericke.
| |
| − | | |
| − | So, in May 2010 a meeting was held with Ms Ina Smith head of *** and Mr Hilton Gibson IT specialist for the J.S Gericke Library, to create a website for [[An Encyclopaedia of South African Theatre and Performance (ESAT)]]. This would form part of the University of Stellenbosch's Libopedia programme. The various templates were now developed, the staff were trained and transferral of the data to the [[ESAT]] file began in July 2010. The ESAT encyclopaedia website was launched and opened for public use in March 2011.
| |
| − | | |
| − | | |
| − | == Sources ==
| |
| − | | |
| − | == For more information ==
| |
| − | | |
| − | To find out more, or use the encyclopaedia, go to http://esat.sun.ac.za/index.php/Main_Page
| |
| − | | |
| − | == Return to ==
| |
| − | | |
| − | Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Venues|South African Theatre Venues, Companies, Societies, etc ]]
| |
| − | | |
| − | Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
| |
| − | | |
| − | Return to [[Main Page]]
| |
