Inaugural Issue: “On Theater Manifestos”
The history of theater is a history of reinvention. The renewal of theater has, at the very latest, become a central concern for theater practitioners and theorists since the early 20th century. It is no coincidence that the historical theater avant-gardes rose to this challenge in an unprecedented manner, responding with a level of engagement and intensity rarely matched since. The political, governmental, social, cultural, and technological upheavals following World War I served as crucial catalysts for rethinking what a new theater could and should look like. Tadeusz Peiper expressed this urgency in stark terms in 1930, declaring it “outrageous” that we should be forced to “bind the hands of other arts” in order to rescue theater, for “either theater is a vital necessity for society, and thus irreplaceable, or it is not—and then it should die!”
The historical avant-gardes were determined not to let theater die, and as a result, we now have access to a wealth of theater manifestos from across different theatrical traditions, each preserving radical visions for the stage. Time and again, social transformations seem to create the conditions for the search for a “new” theater. This is evident when we recall the radical and revolutionary theatrical ideas of the 1960s and 1970s, as exemplified by Carmelo Bene, Augusto Boal, Jerzy Grotowski, Peter Handke, Ernst Jandl, and Ariane Mnouchkine.
Theater and its manifestos are inextricably linked to broader social transformations, shaped by their historical contexts and driven by an urgent impulse for change. While drawing direct analogies between past and present risks overlooking the specific historical conditions that define each era, what emerges from this very contingency is a sense of continuity. This continuity is rooted in the understanding that theater, if it is not to devolve into mere historical preservation, must remain a site of constant reinvention—especially in an age shaped by digitalization, artificial intelligence, climate change, and the resurgence and normalization of nationalist and far-right ideologies.
about ephemer
ephemer is a multilingual journal committed to cultural and linguistic diversity in academic discourse. To ensure accessibility and intellectual richness, all articles will be published in the language preferred by the author and, where applicable, accompanied by an English translation.
Each issue will feature:
- Four peer-reviewed scholarly essays
- Two contributions from the field of artistic research
Call for Co-Editors: Role and Application Requirements
We are seeking a co-editor for this inaugural issue who will work closely with the editorial team in shaping the volume and identifying suitable contributors. Applicants should submit the following documents:
- An abstract (2,000 words) outlining their vision for the issue “On Theater Manifestos,” including key thematic and methodological considerations.
- A brief CV, including a list of the applicant’s four most recent publications (preferably peer-reviewed), a record of the last five academic presentations given, and the applicant’s current academic position.
ephemer will be published by Böhlau Verlag in both print and open-access formats. All articles will undergo a rigorous peer-review process, and the editorial team will be supported by an international advisory board.
Submission Deadline & Contact
Submissions should be sent by June 01, 2025 to
ephemer.office@kunstuni-linz.at.
For further information contact us by email.