Donovan King
Encyclopedia
Donovan King is a performance activist and experimental theatre
artist from Montreal, Canada who juggles acting
, teaching, directing
, dramaturgy
, and theory
, and is a columnist for Indie Theatre Times and Review.
, a Bachelor of Fine Arts
in Drama in Education from Concordia University
, a Bachelor of Education
from McGill University
and a Diplome d’Études Collegiales in Acting from John Abbott College
. He is the author of Optative Theatre: A Critical Theory, and he facilitates various activist campaigns and drama classes in Montreal. He has been known to collaborate with other theatre activists internationally such as Augusto Boal
, Andrew Boyd of the Billionaires for Bush
, Reverend Billy (aka Bill Talen), Stephen Duncombe, Larry Bogad, Kathryn Blume, Kurt Schneiderman, Jason C. McLean
, Gary St. Laurent, and many others.
As the co-founder of the Optative Theatrical Laboratories (OTL) and creator of the international Infringement Festival
, King strives to revitalise theatre as an agent for social change through experimental practice, critical theory, and sustained performance. The OTL designs interconnected theatrical campaigns such as Car Stories, that target instances of oppression, and employs a diversity of cutting-edge activist performance techniques: culture-jamming, Viral Theatre, Sousveillance Theatre, meme-warfare, Electronic Disturbance Theater, and Global Invisible Theatre, to name a few.
King recently took issue with racism inherent in what has been called “Canada’s First Play” – the 1606 The Theatre of Neptune (Le Théâtre de Neptune) by Marc Lescarbot
, and staged a counter-performance called “Sinking Neptune” in Annapolis Royal on the day of the “400th Theatre Anniversary” (November 14, 2006), in order to protest the original.
Experimental theatre
Experimental theatre is a general term for various movements in Western theatre that began in the late 19th century as a retraction against the dominant vent governing the writing and production of dramatical menstrophy, and age in particular. The term has shifted over time as the mainstream...
artist from Montreal, Canada who juggles acting
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
, teaching, directing
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, dramaturgy
Dramaturgy
Dramaturgy is the art of dramatic composition and the representation of the main elements of drama on the stage. Dramaturgy is a distinct practice separate from play writing and directing, although a single individual may perform any combination of the three. Some dramatists combine writing and...
, and theory
Theory
The English word theory was derived from a technical term in Ancient Greek philosophy. The word theoria, , meant "a looking at, viewing, beholding", and referring to contemplation or speculation, as opposed to action...
, and is a columnist for Indie Theatre Times and Review.
Background
King holds an Masters of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Studies from the University of CalgaryUniversity of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
, a Bachelor of Fine Arts
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
in Drama in Education from Concordia University
Concordia University
Concordia University is a comprehensive Canadian public university located in Montreal, Quebec, one of the two universities in the city where English is the primary language of instruction...
, a Bachelor of Education
Bachelor of Education
A Bachelor of Education is an undergraduate academic degree which qualifies the graduate as a teacher in schools.-North America:...
from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
and a Diplome d’Études Collegiales in Acting from John Abbott College
John Abbott College
John Abbott College is an English-language general and professional educational college located in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada, near the western tip of the Island of Montreal. The enabling legislation is the General and Vocational Colleges Act -History:The college was accredited in...
. He is the author of Optative Theatre: A Critical Theory, and he facilitates various activist campaigns and drama classes in Montreal. He has been known to collaborate with other theatre activists internationally such as Augusto Boal
Augusto Boal
Augusto Boal was a Brazilian theatre director, writer and politician. He was the founder of Theatre of the Oppressed, a theatrical form originally used in radical popular education movements...
, Andrew Boyd of the Billionaires for Bush
Billionaires for Bush
Billionaires for Bush is a culture jamming political street theater organization that satirically purports to support George W. Bush for those activities which are perceived to benefit corporations and the super-wealthy...
, Reverend Billy (aka Bill Talen), Stephen Duncombe, Larry Bogad, Kathryn Blume, Kurt Schneiderman, Jason C. McLean
Jason C. McLean
Jason C. McLean is a Montreal-based theatrical activist, actor, writer, journalist, and aco-founder of both the International infringement Festival and the Forget The Box Media Collective....
, Gary St. Laurent, and many others.
As the co-founder of the Optative Theatrical Laboratories (OTL) and creator of the international Infringement Festival
Infringement Festival
The infringement Festival is an international, interdisciplinary critical arts festival that features theatre, music, film, culture jamming, street performance and visual arts, with an emphasis on activist art and work that challenges the commodification of culture.Conceptualized by theatre...
, King strives to revitalise theatre as an agent for social change through experimental practice, critical theory, and sustained performance. The OTL designs interconnected theatrical campaigns such as Car Stories, that target instances of oppression, and employs a diversity of cutting-edge activist performance techniques: culture-jamming, Viral Theatre, Sousveillance Theatre, meme-warfare, Electronic Disturbance Theater, and Global Invisible Theatre, to name a few.
King recently took issue with racism inherent in what has been called “Canada’s First Play” – the 1606 The Theatre of Neptune (Le Théâtre de Neptune) by Marc Lescarbot
Marc Lescarbot
Marc Lescarbot was a French author, poet and lawyer, best known for his Histoire de la Nouvelle-France , based on his expedition to Acadia and research into French exploration. Considered one of the first great books in the history of Canada, it was printed in three editions, and was translated...
, and staged a counter-performance called “Sinking Neptune” in Annapolis Royal on the day of the “400th Theatre Anniversary” (November 14, 2006), in order to protest the original.
Partial directing
- Grease, JPPS, Montreal, 2006
- The Lysistrata Project, OTL, Montreal, 2003
- Miss Julie: a theatrical experiment into the psychosis of a. strindberg, University of Calgary, 2000
- Waiting For God, Nickel & Dime Productions, Calgary, 1999
- Call Me, InfinitheatreInfinitheatre-Infinite vision. Infinite possibilities:Infinithéâtre is an anglophone theatre in Montreal. Located in the Mile End area of Montreal, and most of their productions play at Le Bain St-Michel, a converted bath house. Founded in 1988 by Marianne Ackerman and Clare Schapiro as Théâtre 1774, the name...
, Montréal, 1999- MECCA Award – Best Production (semi-professional)
- Godspell, Lewisham Operatic Society, London, England, 1996
- Mrs. Fieldstone’s Water Retention Problem, Greene Pressure Theatre, Montréal, 1995
- The Tinker’s Wedding, Wahoo Family Theatre, 1994
- The Misanthrope, Wahoo Family Theatre, 1993
- Tiger Mouth, Kindergarten Players, Montréal, 1993
Filmography
- My Grad Date (2004)
- Death by Latté (2004)
- The Legend of Jackie Robinson (2003)
Partial performance theater
- La Grande Masquerade, Groupe-Conseil L’Entracte, 2007–present
- Les Fantômes du Vieux-Montréal, GuidaTour, 2006–present
- Sinking Neptune, OTL, Montreal, 2005–2006
- Car Stories, OTL, Montreal, 2001–present
- Wal*Jam, OTL, Montreal, 2003
- Quartier des contre-Spectacles, OTL/Place des Arts, Montreal, 2003
- Stones Scandal, Galway Arts Festival, Ireland, 2001
- FJOLZ!, Elvagel Performance Festival, Elsinore, Denmark, 2001
- CorporACT, Auckland, New Zealand, 1997–1998
- Monsterworld Inc., Chateau Greystoke, Montréal, 1994
Partial traditional theater
- The Captives, Knebworth House, England
- Ever After, Out Of Our Heads & One Yellow Rabbit, Calgary
- The Tempest, Stage 2 Productions, Auckland, New Zealand
- Anne of Green Gables, Montreal Concordia Players & ACT, Hong Kong
- Manhattan, Je Vous Dis, Theatre 21st Century, Montréal
- Who Ran Off With Dr. Seuss?, Wahoo Family Theatre Co., Montréal Fringe Fest.
- The Misadventures…., Concordia University Theatre Department
- Rising of the Moon, Wahoo Family Theatre Co., Montréal
- St. George & the Dragon, Christmas Mummering Company, Montréal
- L’Avare (The Miser), Cleante Thé à l’âtre, Montréal Fringe Festival