CALL FOR PAPERS
Theatre (about) Science: Interconnections and Interspaces
Co-editors: Mário Montenegro, Fernando Matos Oliveira, Clara Barata, Sara Varela Amaral, Ana Santos Carvalho, Catarina Seabra, João Gaspar, Silvia P. Carballo, Francisca Moreira
Following on from the Theatre About Science International Conference 2025, and as in previous years, we are opening a call for papers for a new publication, Theatre About Science:
Interconnections and Interspaces.
The current intensity and growth in production and reflection on the intersections between the performing arts and the sciences were reflected, at the most recent conference, in a quantitative increase and greater diversity of artistic and academic expressions in this field. These signs of vitality have been accompanied by a series of publications over the last five years, which have by no means exhausted the exploration and reflection on the wealth of initiatives that have brought theatre and science together in recent years. Some good examples are The Routledge Companion to Performance and Science (Johnson et al., 2026), The Proof Stage (Abbott, 2023), Science & Theatre (Weitkamp & Almeida, 2022), or our very own Theatre About Science: Theory and Practice (Montenegro et al., 2023) and Theatre About Science: Performing and Communicating (Montenegro et al., 2026).
At the same time, the continued organisation of a conference dedicated to this area of interdisciplinary crossover – one that is inclusive in terms of the origins of its contributions, drawing from both artistic and academic fields – has fostered new creative experiences and research, whilst also contributing to the formation of a close-knit community dedicated to practice, study and research in this field.
We therefore believe it remains appropriate to have a publishing platform dedicated to these interdisciplinary intersections, in partnership with the University of Coimbra Press. This publishing house shares and supports our interest in publishing work in this field of research and creation.
As with previous calls for submissions, we invite proposals that reflect contemporary contexts of interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration between theatre and the sciences. We welcome contributions ranging from the performing arts to the communication of science, and of diverse nature – from academic reflections to practical research and performance. We also welcome contributions exploring connections between theatre and the formal, natural, health, and social sciences.
These works may address a variety of perspectives on the intersections of theatre and the sciences, including geographies, histories, scientific disciplines and topics, audiences, participants, venues, formats, and scientific approaches in theatre practice, reflecting the intense practice and research in this field.
We welcome contributions on topics such as:
➔ Scientific topics and concepts as subjects for theatre
➔ Theatrical subgenres and forms related to science
➔ Contemporary practices in theatre about science
➔ Scientific methods as theatrical tools
➔ Theatrical methods in scientific inquiry
➔ Future trends in practice and research in the science theatre field
➔ Theatrical research methods vs scientific research methods
➔ Theatre in the training of scientific researchers
➔ Funding in the arts and in science
➔ Communicating science with theatre
Fill out this form to express your interest with an abstract (300-400 words) of your proposal by September 30th, 2026.
The authors of the selected abstracts will then be invited to submit a first draft of the proposal that will undergo a double-blind peer-review process.
NOTE: The acceptance of the proposed abstract does not imply the publication of a chapter in the book. The submitted manuscripts will undergo scientific review to determine their suitability for publication in the volume.
The proposals should be within one of the following formats:
● Papers | 6000 to 8000 words
Original research articles or empirical articles that report on your original studies.
● Reports on Practices | 2000 to 2500 words
Short papers on practice cases that can contribute significantly to the existing knowledge in the field
Relevant dates:
➔ Send the abstract deadline | 30 SEP 2026
➔ Confirmation of acceptance of the proposal | 31 OCT 2026
➔ Deadline for submitting the first draft | 28 JAN 2027
➔ Publication of the volume | OCT 2027
The book will be published by the University of Coimbra Press, in open access, in the same collection as the previous volumes - Theatre About Science: Theory and Practice & Theatre About Science: Performing and Communicating.
The submitted articles should be unpublished and cannot be considered for publication elsewhere.
Contributors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce any materials, including photographs and illustrations, for which they do not hold copyright.
Open Access:
Free and unlimited access to the full text of all articles will be guaranteed.
Contact: theatreaboutscience@gmail.com