Robert Wilson | Photograph © Lucie Jansch
Robert Wilson Yearbook
The Robert Wilson Yearbook, published annually by the Martin E. Segal Theatre Center, offers a dedicated platform for scholarly and creative engagement with the life, artistry, and enduring legacy of Robert Wilson (1941–2025), one of the most original visionaries in contemporary theatre and performance. The Yearbook seeks to explore and expand upon Wilson’s groundbreaking approaches to staging, lighting, movement, and visual composition. Each issue will feature a diverse range of content—including original essays, critical commentary, archival materials, artist reflections, and photography—examining facets of Wilson’s multifaceted practice across genres, eras, and geographies.
Entries under this journal are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license.
About The Journal
History and Mission
Founded in 2025 by the Martin E. Segal Theatre Center, the Robert Wilson Yearbook is a peer-reviewed annual journal devoted to the study, documentation, and critical exploration of the life, work, and influence of Robert Wilson (1941–2025). Known for his radical reimagining of theatre, opera, performance, and visual art, Wilson’s practice shaped global performance aesthetics for more than half a century.
The Yearbook publishes essays, archival research, artist reflections, performance documentation, and creative responses that illuminate Wilson’s artistry and legacy. By encouraging historical, theoretical, and practice-based approaches, the journal seeks to advance scholarship and foster interdisciplinary dialogue between theatre studies, performance studies, visual culture, and contemporary art.
Our mission is to preserve, critique, and expand upon Wilson’s extraordinary body of work while providing a platform for new voices and perspectives shaped by his influence. The Yearbook is fully online, freely accessible, and committed to bridging academic rigor with artistic innovation.
Submission Guidelines
The editors of the Robert Wilson Yearbook welcome submissions for essays, archival interventions, and creative responses related to Robert Wilson’s life, work, collaborations, and legacy.
Article Manuscripts
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Length: 6,000–8,000 words
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Style: Chicago Manual of Style, using footnotes
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Format: Microsoft Word (.docx) attachment
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Review: All submissions undergo double-blind peer review; please allow 3–4 months for a decision
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Images: Authors may submit up to 6 images (minimum 300 dpi). Captions must be included. Authors are responsible for securing all image permissions prior to submission.
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Bio: Include a short author biography (100–150 words) with your submission.
Creative Contributions
In recognition of Wilson’s multidisciplinary practice, the Yearbook also considers creative submissions—such as artist reflections, experimental writing, visual essays, or documentation of Wilson-inspired works. These should be accompanied by a 500-word critical framing statement.
Performance Reviews
We invite reviews of recent revivals, reinterpretations, or stagings of Wilson’s work worldwide, as well as works by artists explicitly engaging with his methods. Reviews should be 800–1,200 words. Please query the editors in advance at
robertwilsonyearbook@gmail.com
Book Reviews
The Yearbook publishes reviews of monographs, edited volumes, and exhibition catalogues related to Robert Wilson, his collaborators, or fields directly informed by his practice. Reviews should not exceed 1,000 words. To propose a review, please contact robertwilsonyearbook@gmail.com
Submission Process
We accept submissions on a rolling basis. Queries are welcome at any time. Completed manuscripts should be submitted as email attachments to: robertwilsonyearbook@gmail.com
People
Editorial Board
Markus Wessendorf
Frank Hentschker
Viola Kántor
Martin E. Segal Theatre Center
Frank Hentschker
Executive Director
Gaurav Singh Nijjer