NOVELIST JOYCE CAROL OATES
TO BE KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT CONFERENCE ON PLAY

	CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., March 16 -- The Commonwealth Center
for Literary and Cultural Change at the University of Virginia will
sponsor a conference titled ÒTransformations of PlayÓ on Friday,
March 31, and Saturday, April 1, at the Omni Hotel in downtown
Charlottesville.  
	How playing becomes culture and how what we call playing
changes will be among topics explored during a multifaceted program
beginning with a keynote address by internationally known writer
Joyce Carol Oates.  The conference is designed to draw from a
variety of perspectives, including philosophy, anthropology, human
development, the arts, creative arts therapy, professional sports,
film and television.
	Oates, one of the countryÕs most versatile and prolific
writers, will launch the conference at 7:30 p.m. March 31 at the
Omni by giving a talk on play, a subject that has intrigued her for
a long time.
	The program for Saturday, April 1, will include the
following discussions and workshops:
	9 a.m.		ÒHow Children Begin to Play,Ó Erna Furman,
child analyst, Cleveland Center for Child Development

	10 a.m.	ÒTag, YouÕre It:  Indexing Indeterminacy in Worlds
of Play,Ó Roger Abrahams, professor of folklore at the University of
Pennsylvania

	11 a.m.	ÒFilm -- The Lens on Play,Ó Bruce Sklarew, co-chair,
Forum for the 			Psychoanalytic Study of Film




	2:30 p.m.	Five Workshops

			ÒThe Play of Transformation:  Viewing a Film
of ÔYoung Children in Brief Separation:  Thomas,ÕÓ led by Ruth
Weeks, child psychiatrist, The Under Fives Study Center, U.Va., and
Erna Furman

			ÒAt Play in a Different Culture,Ó led by
Susan McKinnon, professor of anthropology, U.Va., and Maurice
Apprey, professor of psychiatric
			medicine, U.Va.

			ÒPlay as Professionalism,Ó led by Rick
Turner, dean of African-American affairs, U.Va.

			ÒFilm & Cultural Play,Ó led by Sklarew and
Abrahams

			ÒPlay as Therapy,Ó led by Zane Apprey, music
therapist, with Samona Aranow, dance therapist; Larry Goldstein,
drama therapist; and Melissa 			Mayens, art therapist

	ÒTransformations of Play,Ó like all Commonwealth Center
events, is free and open to the public.  Please register for the
workshops by calling (804) 982-2005.

###

March 15, 1995

	EDITORS:  A photograph of Joyce Carol Oates is available by
calling (804) 982-2705.