Mythcon 32 - August 3-6, 2001
Mythcon 32
Many Dimensions:
Modern Supernatural Fiction
Clark Kerr Conference Center
Berkeley, California
August 3-6, 2001
Berkeley, California
August 3-6, 2001
Many Dimensions: Modern Supernatural Fiction
Our 2001 conference, Mythcon 32, celebrates the role of Charles Williams as one of the founders of this currently popular genre, modern supernatural fiction.
David Llewellyn Dodds, Scholar
He is the editor of two books in Boydell and Brewer's "Arthurian Poets" series, one on Charles Williams and the other on John Masefield.
Peter S. Beagle, Author
He is the author of The Last Unicorn, A Fine and Private Place and many other books, is considered among the finest of modern fantasy writers. He is a two-time Mythopoeic Fantasy Award winner, for The Folk of the Air in 1987 and Tamsin in 2000. Beagle was a guest of honor at Mythcon IV in 1974 and we are honored to welcome him back in 2001.
A meals-only package is available for $90 to attendees staying off-site. This includes Friday dinner, Saturday lunch and dinner, and Sunday lunch and evening banquet. Individual banquet tickets are available for $30 each. Deadline for purchasing banquet tickets or meal packages is July 15th.
For children under 12 years of age, both the room and board package and the meals only package are half-price.
Clark Kerr campus is a non-smoking campus. Smoking is not permitted inside any campus buildings, including residence halls or suites.
The Clark Kerr Campus, our conference site, is located at 2601 Warring St., Berkeley CA 94720, between Dwight Way and Derby St. in southeast Berkeley.
Registration: on Friday, conference and housing registration will be in the administration building, directly in front of you as you face the campus at the main entrance. On Saturday and Sunday, conference registration and information will be in the lobby of the Krutch Theatre, the main programming building, the first building on the right as you face the campus.
Telephone messages may be left for you during Mythcon at 510-642-6290. Mail messages can be addressed to: Name, c/o Mythcon, Clark Kerr Campus, 2601 Warring Street, Berkeley, CA 94720-2288. Messages will be posted on the bulletin board in the administration building.
Weather: Berkeley faces the Golden Gate and is exposed to the ocean, so its weather is variable and often cool. Balmy summer days in the 70s are common, but cool, windy, overcast days in the 50s with even a little rain are more likely than scorchers in the 90s. Do not dress too lightly, and bring fairly warm clothing for cooler weather.
Travel Web Sites:
Oakland International Airport: www.oaklandairport.com
San Francisco International Airport: www.flysfo.com
BART: www.bart.gov
AC Transit: www.actransit.dst.ca.us
Shuttles: Over two dozen shuttle companies offer service from the Oakland airport to the Clark Kerr campus; check the airport's web site (above) for listings. Always phone in advance to make reservations, both coming and going. Most of these companies also offer service from the San Francisco airport, but the cost will be much higher.
Mass Transit: The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) serves San Francisco and the East Bay. From the Oakland Airport, AirBART shuttle buses (fare: $2) leave every 10 minutes for the Coliseum BART station. From downtown San Francisco, enter any of the BART stations along Market Street. Board a Richmond-bound train to the Berkeley station or a Pittsburg train to the Rockridge station. Before exiting, take a free transfer from the machine to receive 25 cents off your AC Transit bus fare. BART's information number is (510) 464-6000.
AC Transit bus route 7 stops at both the Berkeley and Rockridge BART stations and serves the Clark Kerr Campus, which is located between them. The fare is $1.35 without a BART transfer. AC Transit also runs buses to Berkeley and Oakland from the TransBay Terminal at First and Mission Streets in San Francisco, for a fare of $2.50. For further information, call AC Transit at (800) 559-4636.
To reach the San Francisco BART stations from the San Francisco Airport, take the SamTrans BX bus to the Colma BART station. (Buses run every 15-30 minutes; fare is $1.10.) Then catch a Richmond BART train to the Berkeley or a Pittsburg train to the Rockridge station and switch to AC Transit.
Parking: Short-term parking (for registration) is available at the main entrance. Long-tem parking around the conference site is limited. Weekly passes for parking on the Clark Kerr campus are available for $30; send payment to the main registration address by July 15. Daily parking at Clark Kerr is $6 and can be paid on a day-by-day basis (via cash machines).
The hotels closest to campus are:
There is no direct bus service to Clark Kerr from University Avenue; but local buses do serve the general location.
We encourage all attendees staying off-campus to buy the meal package. Shared meals are a large part of Mythcon, and attendees of past Mythcons will confirm that Clark Kerr serves some of the best meals we've had. There are no restaurants less than 1/2 mile from campus.
Information
Bonnie Rauscher, Registrar
2231 10th Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
bonnier@fpcberkeley.org
Mythcon 32 Registration Form (PDF)
Friday
Fresh from the CD re-release of their acclaimed album The Starlit Jewel (songs of J.R.R. Tolkien set to music by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Kristoph Klover, and Margaret Davis), Broceliande will perform these and other songs from their repertoire of folk songs and early music in concert for us. Members of Broceliande performed the Tolkien settings at the 1995 Berkeley and 1996 Boulder Mythcons, and we're pleased to welcome them back again, and to hear other music in their repertoire, which runs from Irish and English folk songs through cantigas from the court of Alfonso el Sabio to works by Orlando di Lasso and J.S. Bach. Broceliande will perform on Saturday evening.
The Masque of the Manuscript
Charles Williams spent his working life as an editor at the Oxford University Press. In 1927 he wrote this allegorical verse play depicting the submission, acceptance, and publication of a scholarly manuscript. With music by his editorial colleague Hubert Foss, it delighted the co-workers who performed and saw it. This is not the Chuck you expect: it's droll, witty, and even catty, as well as filled with Williams¹s customary literary and mythological allusions. A reading of an abridged text was given at our last Mythcon in 1995. Now, we proudly present the first production ever of The Masque of the Manuscript outside England. The cast features both our Guests of Honor, Peter S. Beagle and David Llewellyn Dodds; Kristoph Klover and Margaret Davis of Broceliande; Mythcon musical favorites Lynn Maudlin, Berni Phillips, and Deirdre McCarthy, with Emily Rauscher as the Manuscript; musical accompaniment by James Langdell; directed by David Bratman. The Masque of the Manuscript will be performed on Sunday evening.
Banquet
A festive start to Sunday evening activities, which will include presentation of the Mythopoeic Awards and a talk by our Author Guest of Honor, Peter S. Beagle.
Banquet Menu
Beef Tenderloin and Rosemary Chicken
Mashed red potatoes
Buttered broccoli florets
Salad
Dessert
Beverages (including wine/beer)
Fruit
(Vegetarian entree available on request)
Video Program
The video program at this year's Mythcon will feature three supernatural films each night, with a strong emphasis on ghost stories. The actual program will not be fixed until the weekend of the conference, but expect to see a selection drawn from the following list: 13 Ghosts, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, The Canterville Ghost, Topper, Blithe Spirit, Zotz!, The Sixth Sense, The Haunting (1963), The Uninvited, The Haunted Palace, The Dunwich Horror, The Black Cat, The Sentinel, Incubus, Doppelganger, Manos: The Hands of Fate.
Confirmed dealers include:
Lisa Deutsch Harrigan
P.O. Box 28427
San Jose, CA 95159
E-mail: Lisa@harrigan.org
Please include a cover letter with name, address and percentage donated to the Society (cannot be less than 40 percent). All of the amount donated to the Society is tax deductible. Also, please indicate whether unsold items should be returned (postage deducted from your check), kept for future auctions, or tossed.
Author- and Theme-Related Sites
Guests of Honor
David Llewellyn Dodds, Scholar
He is the editor of two books in Boydell and Brewer's "Arthurian Poets" series, one on Charles Williams and the other on John Masefield.
Peter S. Beagle, Author
He is the author of The Last Unicorn, A Fine and Private Place and many other books, is considered among the finest of modern fantasy writers. He is a two-time Mythopoeic Fantasy Award winner, for The Folk of the Air in 1987 and Tamsin in 2000. Beagle was a guest of honor at Mythcon IV in 1974 and we are honored to welcome him back in 2001.
Press Release and Progress Reports, Etc.
Download PDF versions of Mythcon 32 publications:- Mythcon 32 Press Release/Flyer (PDF)
- Mythcon 32 Progress Report 1 (PDF)
- Mythcon 32 Progress Report 2 (PDF)
- Mythcon 32 Progress Report 3 (PDF)
Registration
Conference membership (at the door rates):- $55 for Mythopoeic Society members
- $65 for non-members
- $25 for children aged 7-13
- One-day memberships (Saturday or Sunday): $35 at the door
Room and Board Rates
- Residence Hall: $285 each (single occupancy)/ $235 each (double occupancy)
- Suite: $300 each (single occupancy)/ $245 each (double occupancy)
A meals-only package is available for $90 to attendees staying off-site. This includes Friday dinner, Saturday lunch and dinner, and Sunday lunch and evening banquet. Individual banquet tickets are available for $30 each. Deadline for purchasing banquet tickets or meal packages is July 15th.
For children under 12 years of age, both the room and board package and the meals only package are half-price.
Clark Kerr campus is a non-smoking campus. Smoking is not permitted inside any campus buildings, including residence halls or suites.
Location
Clark Kerr Campus Specifics
The Clark Kerr Campus, our conference site, is located at 2601 Warring St., Berkeley CA 94720, between Dwight Way and Derby St. in southeast Berkeley.
Registration: on Friday, conference and housing registration will be in the administration building, directly in front of you as you face the campus at the main entrance. On Saturday and Sunday, conference registration and information will be in the lobby of the Krutch Theatre, the main programming building, the first building on the right as you face the campus.
Telephone messages may be left for you during Mythcon at 510-642-6290. Mail messages can be addressed to: Name, c/o Mythcon, Clark Kerr Campus, 2601 Warring Street, Berkeley, CA 94720-2288. Messages will be posted on the bulletin board in the administration building.
Weather: Berkeley faces the Golden Gate and is exposed to the ocean, so its weather is variable and often cool. Balmy summer days in the 70s are common, but cool, windy, overcast days in the 50s with even a little rain are more likely than scorchers in the 90s. Do not dress too lightly, and bring fairly warm clothing for cooler weather.
Getting There
We strongly recommend that air travelers fly to the Oakland International Airport. Airport shuttles and taxis can take you to the campus, which is about 9 miles away. Maps and details on how to get to the site are included in PR #3. San Francisco International Airport, 23 miles away, is a good substitute if convenient flights to Oakland are not available.Travel Web Sites:
Oakland International Airport: www.oaklandairport.com
San Francisco International Airport: www.flysfo.com
BART: www.bart.gov
AC Transit: www.actransit.dst.ca.us
Shuttles: Over two dozen shuttle companies offer service from the Oakland airport to the Clark Kerr campus; check the airport's web site (above) for listings. Always phone in advance to make reservations, both coming and going. Most of these companies also offer service from the San Francisco airport, but the cost will be much higher.
Mass Transit: The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) serves San Francisco and the East Bay. From the Oakland Airport, AirBART shuttle buses (fare: $2) leave every 10 minutes for the Coliseum BART station. From downtown San Francisco, enter any of the BART stations along Market Street. Board a Richmond-bound train to the Berkeley station or a Pittsburg train to the Rockridge station. Before exiting, take a free transfer from the machine to receive 25 cents off your AC Transit bus fare. BART's information number is (510) 464-6000.
AC Transit bus route 7 stops at both the Berkeley and Rockridge BART stations and serves the Clark Kerr Campus, which is located between them. The fare is $1.35 without a BART transfer. AC Transit also runs buses to Berkeley and Oakland from the TransBay Terminal at First and Mission Streets in San Francisco, for a fare of $2.50. For further information, call AC Transit at (800) 559-4636.
To reach the San Francisco BART stations from the San Francisco Airport, take the SamTrans BX bus to the Colma BART station. (Buses run every 15-30 minutes; fare is $1.10.) Then catch a Richmond BART train to the Berkeley or a Pittsburg train to the Rockridge station and switch to AC Transit.
Parking: Short-term parking (for registration) is available at the main entrance. Long-tem parking around the conference site is limited. Weekly passes for parking on the Clark Kerr campus are available for $30; send payment to the main registration address by July 15. Daily parking at Clark Kerr is $6 and can be paid on a day-by-day basis (via cash machines).
Off-Campus Accomodations
Because suites are limited and some members may prefer not to stay in dorm rooms, here is some information on local hotels.The hotels closest to campus are:
- Hotel Durant, Durant Ave. at Bowditch St., 510-845-8981, www.hoteldurant.com
- Claremont Hotel and Resort, Claremont Ave. at Tunnel Rd., 800-551-7266, http://www.fairmont.com/claremont-berkeley/
- Bancroft Hotel, 2680 Bancroft Way at College Ave., 510-549-1000, www.bancrofthotel.com
- Travelodge, 1820 University Ave., 510-843-4262
- Holiday Inn Express, 1175 University Ave., 510-548-1700
- Ramada Inn, 920 University Ave., 510-849-1121
There is no direct bus service to Clark Kerr from University Avenue; but local buses do serve the general location.
We encourage all attendees staying off-campus to buy the meal package. Shared meals are a large part of Mythcon, and attendees of past Mythcons will confirm that Clark Kerr serves some of the best meals we've had. There are no restaurants less than 1/2 mile from campus.
Information
Bonnie Rauscher, Registrar
2231 10th Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
bonnier@fpcberkeley.org
Registration Forms
(Please print and mail to conference address on form)Mythcon 32 Registration Form (PDF)
Program Schedule and Highlights
Registration opens at noon on Friday in the administration building; programming begins at 3 pm. Closing ceremonies on Monday end at 1 pm. Papers, panels and author readings are scheduled for each day. Other highlights include:Friday
- Mythopoeic Awards nominee discussion
- Opening night party
- English country dancing
- Film program
- The Mythcon Procession and Opening Ceremonies
- Guest of Honor speech by David Llewellyn Dodds
- Evening concert by Broceliande
- Costume Masquerade
- Sizzling Egrets Return from the Grave!
- Bardic Circle: share poetry and songs
- Films, con suite, other silliness
- Interview with Philippa Boyens, Lord of the Rings film screenwriter
- Tengwar workshop
- Auction of books, art work, sundry paraphernalia
- The Mythcon Banquet
- Presentation of the Mythopoeic Awards
- Guest of Honor Speech by Peter Beagle
- The Masque of the Manuscript
- The Not-Ready-for-Mythcon Players
- Films, Bardic Circle, con suite
- Mythopoeic Society members¹ meeting (all are welcome)
- Closing ceremonies and singing of the Mythcon songs
Papers
See the Full Mythcon 32 Schedule for a complete list of papers to be presented during the conference.Panel Discussions
Mythcon will feature half-a-dozen panel discussions providing a lively approach to topics such as these:- The role of the supernatural in modern fiction
- Modern Arthurian literature and the place of Charles Williams's Arthurian poetry
- The connection between fantasy literature and popular and folk music
- Children's fantasy in the age of Harry Potter and The Amber Spyglass
- Crystal-ball-gazing at the prospects for Peter Jackson¹s Lord of the Rings film
- Win Blevins
- Charles R. Coulombe
- Lisa Goldstein
- Katherine Kerr
- Alexei Kondratiev
- Sherwood Smith
- Laurel Winter
- and many of your favorite Mythcon regulars.
Other Program Items
- Philippa Boyens, co-author of the screenplays for the upcoming Peter Jackson/New Line Lord of the Rings movies, will speak on the writing and production of the films. Tolkien fans awaiting the release of these productions will want to hear this extra-special talk from one of the actual creators.
- Readings by attending authors of their works.
- A Tengwar calligraphy workshop, led by Dr. Arden Smith. Learn how to write "Speak, friend, and enter" in Elvish.
- English country dancing on Friday night, led by dancemaster Alan Winston. These fun and easy dances require no fancy footwork, and can be learned by anyone who can walk and remember their lefts from their rights.
- Bardic Circle: Saturday and Sunday evenings
- Discussion of Mythopoeic Fantasy Award finalists
- Khazad-dûm sponsored "Book Toss"
- Sizzling Egrets Return from the Grave!
- The Not-Ready-for-Mythcon Players
- and many more activities ...
Special Musical Performances
BroceliandeFresh from the CD re-release of their acclaimed album The Starlit Jewel (songs of J.R.R. Tolkien set to music by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Kristoph Klover, and Margaret Davis), Broceliande will perform these and other songs from their repertoire of folk songs and early music in concert for us. Members of Broceliande performed the Tolkien settings at the 1995 Berkeley and 1996 Boulder Mythcons, and we're pleased to welcome them back again, and to hear other music in their repertoire, which runs from Irish and English folk songs through cantigas from the court of Alfonso el Sabio to works by Orlando di Lasso and J.S. Bach. Broceliande will perform on Saturday evening.
The Masque of the Manuscript
Charles Williams spent his working life as an editor at the Oxford University Press. In 1927 he wrote this allegorical verse play depicting the submission, acceptance, and publication of a scholarly manuscript. With music by his editorial colleague Hubert Foss, it delighted the co-workers who performed and saw it. This is not the Chuck you expect: it's droll, witty, and even catty, as well as filled with Williams¹s customary literary and mythological allusions. A reading of an abridged text was given at our last Mythcon in 1995. Now, we proudly present the first production ever of The Masque of the Manuscript outside England. The cast features both our Guests of Honor, Peter S. Beagle and David Llewellyn Dodds; Kristoph Klover and Margaret Davis of Broceliande; Mythcon musical favorites Lynn Maudlin, Berni Phillips, and Deirdre McCarthy, with Emily Rauscher as the Manuscript; musical accompaniment by James Langdell; directed by David Bratman. The Masque of the Manuscript will be performed on Sunday evening.
Banquet
A festive start to Sunday evening activities, which will include presentation of the Mythopoeic Awards and a talk by our Author Guest of Honor, Peter S. Beagle.
Banquet Menu
Beef Tenderloin and Rosemary Chicken
Mashed red potatoes
Buttered broccoli florets
Salad
Dessert
Beverages (including wine/beer)
Fruit
(Vegetarian entree available on request)
Video Program
The video program at this year's Mythcon will feature three supernatural films each night, with a strong emphasis on ghost stories. The actual program will not be fixed until the weekend of the conference, but expect to see a selection drawn from the following list: 13 Ghosts, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, The Canterville Ghost, Topper, Blithe Spirit, Zotz!, The Sixth Sense, The Haunting (1963), The Uninvited, The Haunted Palace, The Dunwich Horror, The Black Cat, The Sentinel, Incubus, Doppelganger, Manos: The Hands of Fate.
Art Show
Artists are invited to display their work on tables in the dealers' room. All artwork must be brought to the conference and removed by the exhibitors; we do not accept mailed pieces. The conference will take a 10‰ commission on sales; all bidded Art Show items will be included as part of the Society Auction. For more information, rates and art show forms, please contact the main conference address.Dealers' Room
Dealers' room tables are still available at $50 each; this does not include membership in the conference but dealers do not have to buy memberships if they will not be attending any other events or exhibits. For more information, write to the main conference address or contact Mary Kay Kare via e-mail at marykay@kare.ws.Confirmed dealers include:
- The Mythopoeic Society (publications and merchandise)
- Phil Kaveny Books
- Black Plankton Press
- Other Change of Hobbit
- Cargo Cult Books and Notions
- Borderlands Books
Society Auction
Mathoms from your bookshelves and art collections are respectfully solicited for the Mythcon auction, to raise funds for the Society. Auctioneers Eric Rauscher and Charles Coulombe will await your raised hands and checkbooks on Sunday afternoon. You may bring these items along to Mythcon, or mail them to the conference treasurer:Lisa Deutsch Harrigan
P.O. Box 28427
San Jose, CA 95159
E-mail: Lisa@harrigan.org
Please include a cover letter with name, address and percentage donated to the Society (cannot be less than 40 percent). All of the amount donated to the Society is tax deductible. Also, please indicate whether unsold items should be returned (postage deducted from your check), kept for future auctions, or tossed.
Program Book Advertising
Program Book page size will be 8-1/2 inches x 5-1/2 inches. Rates are:full page: $40 half page: $25 quarter page: $15Electronic files preferred; contact the Publications department (e-mail: emfarrell@earthlink.net) for specific format requirements.
Useful Web Sites
Conference-Related SitesAuthor- and Theme-Related Sites
- The Charles Williams Society
- Unofficially Peter S. Beagle (fan site run by Kim Flournoy)
- Book review: Charles Williams, edited by David L. Dodds
- Book review: Tamsin by Peter S. Beagle
- Book review: Giant Bones by Peter S. Beagle