Institute for Theatre Research, The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum, Waseda University21st Century Centre Of Excellence ProgrammeDevelopment of Research and Study Methodologies in Theatre
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Annual Activity Report

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Annual Activity Report

Theatre Research Centre Activity Report
(November 1, 2003 - October 31, 2004)
Assistant Director, The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum,
Waseda University

Theatre Research Centre Assistant Leader, Yuichi Akiba


Waseda University started the 21st Century COE Program to “Establish Comprehensive Studies in Theatre and Theatrical Science” in October 2002. Just how assuredly and steadfast research activities are developing can be readily understood from the Activity Reports of the four courses: “The Studies of Theatre Archives”, “Theoretical Studies of Theatre”, “Traditional Japanese Theatre Studies” and “The Studies of Cultural Environment for Theatre”. A description of the individual courses is best left to those reports; for now, let us call to your attention the following two points.

1. Research Group Activities
The activities of the Theatre Research Centre are animated and varied. Between the almost 30 project leaders, roughly the same number of cooperating researchers and some 70 special research students, everyone is learning assiduously through cooperation and rivalry while working hard to maintain the program. Compared to the early days of the Centre, the interaction amongst researchers has increased in leaps and bounds. It is not uncommon for researchers to be involved in more than one course. And, this kind of interaction breeds new developments and new encounters. Whether a research group, research announcement, seminar, special lecture, theatre debate, lecture, workshop, symposium or what have you, researchers are often together. Looking at statistics from April last year to March this year, there were some 160 events that brought people together. Perhaps drawn by the vitality, many visiting researchers use the Theatre Research Centre as a hub for their activities and their participation further ignites meetings and get-togethers. You see just the opposite, too: it is not rare for experts from this program to travel abroad for research meetings or to take part in active research exchanges. It is the first rule to functioning as a centre of theatre research for the Theatre Research Centre to develop activities outside its walls while continuing to promote research activities within its walls.

2.Information Sharing
In order to operate as an open institute, it is necessary to announce research results via publications and other means, as well as to compile materials and information into a database and provide access to such database from the outside. The task of building an archive and the practice of allowing public access to materials and information help to discover researchers with strong interest in theatre both in and outside Japan. For the Theatre Research Centre, cooperation in the development of the COE Program is a smart way to secure researchers who can contribute to the Centre. Frequently sharing opinions on research with the outside world and inquiring as to research results in other parts of the academic world establishes a synergetic position as a research centre.

By integrating individual research results, the “Comprehensive Studies in Theatre” should come together and contribute to the “Establishment of the Theatrical Sciences”. We are hoping for a synergetic effect here as well.





2002 2003 2004 2005 2006


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