The theatre and dance department will host renowned guest scholar Lynne Conner at Coger Theatre Oct. 19. A reception in the Craig Hall lobby will follow.

Taking serious arts to the streets

Conner’s presentation, “Please Don’t Turn Off Your Cell Phone: The Changing Culture of 21st-Century Arts Audiences,” explores why Americans shy away from talking about serious arts like theatre, opera, concert music and more.

Conner, who specializes in audience engagement, will cite material from her new book, “Audience Engagement and the Role of Arts Talk in the Digital Era.”

She will argue that audience pleasure is deeply tied to interpretation of meaning and value in the arts, a pleasure that can be enhanced by public, social interactions about the arts.

More about Conner

In addition to her scholarship, Conner is a cultural historian, an award-winning playwright and director, and a professor of theatre and dance at Colby College.

Her current research interests are focused on studying the history and contemporary status of audience behavior.

She is regularly invited to present at international arts conferences. She also consults with major arts organizations.

Her blog “We the Audience” is featured on ArtsJournal.com, the most widely read arts industry online journal in the U.S.

Event details

Date: Oct. 19
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Craig Hall, Coger Theatre
Admission: Free and open to the public