Hello and welcome.

My name is Will Weigler. I am a doctoral candidate in Applied Theatre at the University of Victoria in Canada. For my dissertation research, I am looking for stories about those rare and unforgettable moments in theatre in which something happened onstage that managed, in a brief moment, to produce among members of the audience a sudden and unexpected emergence of deeply felt insight, or the radical re-assessment of a long-held assumption. Variations on this phenomenon have been called: a stop; a coup de théâtre; a moment of aesthetic arrest. By collecting diverse accounts of this phenomenon and then coding and analyzing what happened on stage in each one–and what led up to it–I hope to identify patterns in the way these moments unfold. I believe such patterns may reveal a clearer understanding of the conditions that contribute to the effectiveness of these remarkable moments of theatricality. To find out more about me or the study rationale and methodology, follow the links below.

If you have ever been witness to this phenomenon (or if you know of an historical example), and would like to contribute to the study, please click on the 'submit a story' button below. You will first be asked confirm that you've consented to participate, a requirement of my university for this research study. Messages will be kept confidential: no other visitors to the website will be able to read them. If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact me by e-mail: wweigler@uvic.ca or telephone: 250-382-7324, or you may contact my doctoral supervisor, Dr. Warwick Dobson by e-mail: wdobson@uvic.ca or telephone: 250-721-7991.

Thank you very much for your time and support. Your contribution will be greatly appreciated.

Will Weigler, doctoral candidate
Department of Theatre, Faculty of Fine Arts
University of Victoria