Theatre Archive 2019-2020

4

This introduction to acting prepares students for work in production and develops skills in all forms of communication. The first part of the course uses improvisational exercises based on the Stanislavski method to teach fundamental acting techniques. The second half of the course applies those techniques to scene work from major 20th century plays. This course is a core requirement for all Theatre Majors.

4

This course will teach both the methods and principles behind stage management demonstrating how to support a production while facilitating the work of directors, designers, and actors. In addition to teaching the specific technical skills necessary to each part of the production process, this course will also address the more subtle intellectual and managerial skills that make stage management an art. Satisfies a core requirement for Theatre majors.

Theatre Majors and minors only.

1

This course helps orient Theatre Department Freshmen to university life while presenting them with practical information about the department. Topics will include production practicum, student showcases, auditioning, advising, capstone projects, internships and study abroad opportunities. Theatre professors, staff, and visiting professionals come to classes to discuss their areas of expertise. Students are made aware of arts activities on campus and in the city of Boston for which weekly journals are required. A script and performance of at least one play in Boston will be studied.

Theatre majors or minors only.

1

This course is designed to give you the tools to plan for and support your career path after graduation. Activities include audition/resume/ cover-letter workshops; interviewing techniques; dressing for success; networking; identifying your personal brand; professional internships; and deciding whether graduate school is right for you. Master classes with professional theatre artists and field trips to professional theatres will also be included.

0.00

The capstone experience demonstrates a student's high level of practical and/or academic facility and prepares them for their transition into the world of professional theatre and graduate school. Upper Level production activities within the theatre department that may fulfill this requirement are directing, designing, stage managing, acting a major role, playwriting, or some special approved project. Students may also fulfill this requirement by completing a Senior Honors Thesis.

4

This rigorous class will give students the fundamental concepts, vocabulary and skills used to design for the stage such as: color, line, composition, research and script analysis. The class has a written component and is intended to prepare students to design workshop productions in the Studio Theatre. Students will be expected to complete a minimum of ten hours of production work for Theatre Department productions.

4

This rigorous survey class will give students the fundamental concepts, vocabulary, and skill to implement basic scenery, lighting, costuming, props and sound. The class is intended to prepare students as technical support for workshop productions in the Studio Theatre. There is a written component and students will be expected to complete a minimum of ten hours of technical work on Theatre Department productions.

4

This course is a survey of American musical theatre from its roots in the mid-19th century to the present. It provides the analytical tools and historical insight to more fully appreciate Broadway's greatest musicals and musical theatre artists. Students will explore the ways in which American forms of popular entertainment helped to shape Broadway musicals from their infancy through their adulthood. The course also explores the ways in which musicals provided opportunities for African-Americans, women, immigrants, and the GLBT community.

4

This survey course provides students with an historical, philosophical, and aesthetic overview of theatre practices from the Golden Age of Greek drama to 19th-century melodrama and early experiments in realism. Through readings, lectures, and discussions, the class will explore the theatre's persistent capacity to mirror the societies that produce it. Satisfies a core requirement for Theatre majors. Normally offered alternate years.

4

Picking up chronologically where THETR 225 leaves off, this survey course is designed to provide students with an understanding of modern Western theatre. Beginning with a melodrama, plays will include representative works of realism, naturalism, expressionism, epic theatre, theatre of cruelty, theatre of the absurd, and metatheatricality. Lectures and class discussions will explore how these concepts translate to acting and production techniques as well as what they imply as artistic responses to a modern and post-modern world. Satisfies a core requirement for Theatre Majors.

4

This course provides a formal introduction to the theories and practices strategically used by American theatre artists after the Second World War. Special emphasis is placed on theatre artists exploring issues of cultural identity including works by GLBT, African-American, Asian-American, and Latin American playwrights. These playwrights may include Tony Kushner, Paula Vogel, Suzan-Lori Parks, Adrienne Kennedy, August Wilson, David Henry Hwang, Philip Kan Gotanda, Eduardo Machado, and Melinda Lopez. The course will also provide an introduction to trends in post-modern theatre practices related to emerging work of the auteur director, solo performers, and interdisciplinary collectives. Satisfies a core requirement for Theatre majors. Normally offered alternate years.

4

Focusing on classic musical comedies from 1910-1950 e.g. Anything Goes, Kiss Me Kate, and Guys and Dolls this skills-based studio course introduces students to an integrated approach to singing and stage performance. Students will learn the fundamentals of vocal technique which includes targeted vocal warm-ups and relaxation exercises in addition to the basics of breath support, placement, and phrasing. Students will also learn how to analyze musicals for their dramatic potential in order to make their performances more believable to an audience. Several classes will be devoted to audition preparation. Private vocal coaching and acting coaching will be scheduled outside of class. Students will work on assigned songs, duets, and choreographed group numbers which will be presented at the end of the term for an invited audience.

4

Learning how to prepare for effective auditions is essential training for anyone who wishes to be cast in theatre productions. This studio course will provide practical guidelines and useful strategies to help students be at their best during the always competitive audition process. Over the course of the term students will not only prepare to participate confidently in professional and non-professional auditions, but learn to enjoy the journey as well.

THETR 229 or THETR-129 or instructor's consent

4

A continuation of Acting I with special emphasis on verse and heightened language. Students will explore acting Shakespeare and other classical plays and will rehearse and perform short projects. Students will also learn to think, read and write about classical performance.

4

Focusing on classic rock, pop, and progressive musicals from the 1970s-1990s, e.g. A Chorus Line, Chicago, and Into the Woods this studio course provides students with an integrated approach to singing and stage performance. Students will learn the fundamentals of vocal technique which includes targeted vocal warm-ups and relaxation exercises in addition to the basics of breath support, placement, and phrasing. Students will learn how to analyze musicals for their dramatic potential in order to make their performances more believable to an audience. They will also be introduced to basic music theory and how to plunk out notes on a piano - skills that will make them more independent and confident performers. Several classes will be devoted to audition preparation. Private vocal coaching and acting coaching will be scheduled outside of class. Assigned solos and choreographed group numbers will be presented weekly in class and at the end of the term in a recital for an invited audience.

4

Focusing on classic musicals from 1950-1970 e.g., Pajama Game, Fiddler on the Roof, and Cabaret, this skills-based studio course exposes students to an integrated approach to singing and stage performance. Students will learn the fundamentals of vocal technique which includes targeted vocal warm-ups and relaxation exercises in addition to the basics of breath support, placement, and phrasing. Students will also learn how to analyze musicals for their dramatic potential in order to make their performances more believable to an audience. Several classes will be devoted to audition preparation. Private vocal coaching and acting coaching will be scheduled outside of class. All students will work on assigned songs and choreographed group numbers which will be presented at the end of the term for an invited audience.

4

This conservatory-style course provides students with fundamental directing skills through lectures, readings, and weekly projects that explore composition, staging, text analysis, and directorial communication skills. Students in this course become eligible to propose their own projects to the Theatre Department for production consideration. Directing students are also encouraged to stage manage and assistant direct faculty productions both in and outside of the Department.

4

An introduction to playwriting, students will be required to submit weekly assignments which explore and refine fundamental components of the dramatist's craft including plot, character, conflict, voice, dialogue, rhythm, point of view, surprise, structure," and style. Students are encouraged to participate in ""Play Day!""\"

Take THETR-187 THETR-152 or THETR-151; or instructor's consent

4

Students will explore the basic process of lighting design for the theatre through hands-on, practical experience, conceptual work, and a study of the history of lighting design. The course will focus on common vocabularies, descriptions of imageries from text, physical forms of design expression and general approach. In addition, students will learn basic skills in electrics to support the design process. Sample assignments might include written critiques of local productions, design approach statements with lighting research, lighted one act plays in the Studio Theatre, and lighting set models. Normally offered alternate years.

Take THETR-129

4

Using plays from the mid-20th century to the present, students will engage in advanced acting techniques to discover connections with the material at the deepest, most intimate level. The ability to apply highly sensitized analyzation to character, relationships and circumstances of each scene will be thoroughly explored and students will be encouraged to work outside of their comfort zones. Also, the awareness and execution of the emotional commitment needed to fulfill the life of each scene will be courageously explored and incorporated.

Instructor's consent required

4

Focusing on musicals written from the 1990-the present e.g. Next to Normal, The Last Five Years, and Spring Awakening, this advanced studio course provides students with an integrated approach to singing and stage performance. The fast-paced tempo of the class will encourage students to build on their previous training and experience and to become increasingly independent as they prepare for auditions and performance work beyond the university. Private vocal coaching and acting coaching will be scheduled outside of class. Students will be expected to prepare selected solos or duets and learn additional choreographed group numbers which will be presented at the end of the term for a public performance.

4

This seminar course examines Shakespeare's plays and their modern correlatives. (i.e. Hamlet and The Seagull, King Lear and Endgame) Students read the texts out loud in class examining the meaning, action, objective, and philosophical and historical contexts with the professor. The goal is to get closer to the original intentions of the author and determine not only the basic theme and character relationships, but the kind of mind that could create such a play. In analyzing a modern play students also examine the impact of Shakespeare's mind on future playwrights. There will be a midterm paper and a final exam.

THETR-375 or instructor's consent

4

Directing II focuses on the development of an individual directorial point of view and explores a variety of theoretical and applied approaches to cultivating interpretive skills. The course also examines how the director reconciles traditional theatrical conventions and techniques with the ability to create fresh, innovative and personal results. Students will stage weekly theatrical responses to class readings in addition to creating a fully-realized final directing project.

THETR-377 or instructor's consent

4

Playwriting II is a continuation, deepening and thickening of the principles learned in Playwriting I. A course designed for dedicated writers, students are expected to explore a wide variety of playwriting challenges," skills and techniques. Student works will be regularly shared and discussed in class. Students will also be assigned plays by recognized playwrights to discuss and analyze in class. Playwriting II students are encouraged to participate in ""PlayDay!""\"

4

This course provides an overview of the modern concept of performance and how it has evolved in a variety of interdisciplinary fields. Encompassing the areas of dance, music, theatre, installation work, 'happenings' and spectacles, students will explore the ways performance is understood by ethnographers, anthropologists, linguists, cultural theorists, social scientists, and artists Using the theoretical base covered during the semester, students will conceive, develop, and present a final performance piece appropriate to their chosen discipline.

This is a no credit course.

0

A non-credit course to satisfy the Theatre practicum requirement for theatre majors and minors. Students should register for this course when participating in Theatre Department performance activities such as acting, directing, playwriting, dramaturgy, choreography, or stage management may. May be taken more than once.

This is a no credit course.

0

A non-credit course to satisfy the Theatre practicum requirement for theatre majors and minors. Students should register for this course when participating in Theatre Department production activities such as design or assistant design, load-in or run crews, board operators, carpenters, electricians, stitchers and painters. May be taken more than once.

Theatre majors or minors or instructor's consent

1.00- 4.00

This course offers flexible credit for a wide range of production work in the Theatre Department determined by the challenge and time commitment of the assignment. Students should register for this course when participating in Theatre Department performance activities such as acting, directing, playwriting, dramaturgy, choreography, or stage management may. Written work includes a production log signed by the supervisor and a narrative journal. This course also satisfies the Theatre requirement for Theatre majors and minors. May be taken more than once. ECR

Theatre majors or minors or instructor's consent

1.00- 4.00

This course offers flexible credit for a wide range of production work in the Theatre Department determined by the challenge and time commitment of the assignment. Students should register for this course when participating in Theatre Department production activities such as design or assistant design, load-in or run crews, board operators, carpenters, electricians, stitchers and painters. Written work includes a production log signed by the supervisor and a narrative journal. This course also satisfies the Theatre requirement for Theatre majors and minors. May be taken more than once. ECR

4

This introduction to acting prepares students for work in production and develops skills in all forms of communication. The first part of the course uses improvisational exercises based on the Stanislavski method to teach fundamental acting techniques. The second half of the course applies those techniques to scene work from major 20th century plays. This course is a core requirement for all Theatre Majors.

4

This rigorous class will give students the fundamental concepts, vocabulary and skills used to design for the stage such as: color, line, composition, research and script analysis. The class has a written component and is intended to prepare students to design workshop productions in the Studio Theatre. Students will be expected to complete a minimum of ten hours of production work for Theatre Department productions.

4

This rigorous survey class will give students the fundamental concepts, vocabulary, and skill to implement basic scenery, lighting, costuming, props and sound. The class is intended to prepare students as technical support for workshop productions in the Studio Theatre. There is a written component and students will be expected to complete a minimum of ten hours of technical work on Theatre Department productions.

4

This course will teach both the methods and principles behind stage management demonstrating how to support a production while facilitating the work of directors, designers, and actors. In addition to teaching the specific technical skills necessary to each part of the production process, this course will also address the more subtle intellectual and managerial skills that make stage management an art. Satisfies a core requirement for Theatre majors.

4

This course is a survey of American musical theatre from its roots in the mid-19th century to the present. It provides the analytical tools and historical insight to more fully appreciate Broadway's greatest musicals and musical theatre artists. Students will explore the ways in which American forms of popular entertainment helped to shape Broadway musicals from their infancy through their adulthood. The course also explores the ways in which musicals provided opportunities for African-Americans, women, immigrants, and the GLBT community.

4

This survey course provides students with an historical, philosophical, and aesthetic overview of theatre practices from the Golden Age of Greek drama to 19th-century melodrama and early experiments in realism. Through readings, lectures, and discussions, the class will explore the theatre's persistent capacity to mirror the societies that produce it. Satisfies a core requirement for Theatre majors. Normally offered alternate years.

4

Picking up chronologically where THETR 225 leaves off, this survey course is designed to provide students with an understanding of modern Western theatre. Beginning with a melodrama, plays will include representative works of realism, naturalism, expressionism, epic theatre, theatre of cruelty, theatre of the absurd, and metatheatricality. Lectures and class discussions will explore how these concepts translate to acting and production techniques as well as what they imply as artistic responses to a modern and post-modern world. Satisfies a core requirement for Theatre Majors.

4

This course provides a formal introduction to the theories and practices strategically used by American theatre artists after the Second World War. Special emphasis is placed on theatre artists exploring issues of cultural identity including works by GLBT, African-American, Asian-American, and Latin American playwrights. These playwrights may include Tony Kushner, Paula Vogel, Suzan-Lori Parks, Adrienne Kennedy, August Wilson, David Henry Hwang, Philip Kan Gotanda, Eduardo Machado, and Melinda Lopez. The course will also provide an introduction to trends in post-modern theatre practices related to emerging work of the auteur director, solo performers, and interdisciplinary collectives. Satisfies a core requirement for Theatre majors. Normally offered alternate years.

This is a no credit course.

0

A non-credit course to satisfy the Theatre practicum requirement for theatre majors and minors. Students should register for this course when participating in Theatre Department performance activities such as acting, directing, playwriting, dramaturgy, choreography, or stage management may. May be taken more than once.

This is a no credit course.

0

A non-credit course to satisfy the Theatre practicum requirement for theatre majors and minors. Students should register for this course when participating in Theatre Department production activities such as design or assistant design, load-in or run crews, board operators, carpenters, electricians, stitchers and painters. May be taken more than once.

Theatre majors or minors or instructor's consent

1.00- 4.00

This course offers flexible credit for a wide range of production work in the Theatre Department determined by the challenge and time commitment of the assignment. Students should register for this course when participating in Theatre Department performance activities such as acting, directing, playwriting, dramaturgy, choreography, or stage management may. Written work includes a production log signed by the supervisor and a narrative journal. This course also satisfies the Theatre requirement for Theatre majors and minors. May be taken more than once. ECR

Theatre majors or minors or instructor's consent

1.00- 4.00

This course offers flexible credit for a wide range of production work in the Theatre Department determined by the challenge and time commitment of the assignment. Students should register for this course when participating in Theatre Department production activities such as design or assistant design, load-in or run crews, board operators, carpenters, electricians, stitchers and painters. Written work includes a production log signed by the supervisor and a narrative journal. This course also satisfies the Theatre requirement for Theatre majors and minors. May be taken more than once. ECR

Instructor's permission and Senior standing required

4.00- 8.00

Theatre majors who meet the GPA criteria for Honors in the Theatre Major have the opportunity to work with a faculty advisor during their senior year to focus intensively on a specific area of interest for a Senior Honors Project. Regular meetings with the advisor will be scheduled to guide the student through the project. Options for the Senior Honors Project include: a production, a research project, a professional internship, an experiential service learning project, a senior honors portfolio, or a self-defined independent project. Successful completion of this course is required for awarding departmental honors to graduating Theatre majors. Theatre majors who are CAS Honors students may also receive Honors in the Major and may use their Theatre Senior Honors Project to fulfill their CAS Honors requirement.

This is a no credit course.

0

A non-credit course to satisfy the Theatre practicum requirement for theatre majors and minors. Students should register for this course when participating in Theatre Department performance activities such as acting, directing, playwriting, dramaturgy, choreography, or stage management may. May be taken more than once.

This is a no credit course.

0

A non-credit course to satisfy the Theatre practicum requirement for theatre majors and minors. Students should register for this course when participating in Theatre Department production activities such as design or assistant design, load-in or run crews, board operators, carpenters, electricians, stitchers and painters. May be taken more than once.

4

This introduction to acting prepares students for work in production and develops skills in all forms of communication. The first part of the course uses improvisational exercises based on the Stanislavski method to teach fundamental acting techniques. The second half of the course applies those techniques to scene work from major 20th century plays. This course is a core requirement for all Theatre Majors.

4

This rigorous class will give students the fundamental concepts, vocabulary and skills used to design for the stage such as: color, line, composition, research and script analysis. The class has a written component and is intended to prepare students to design workshop productions in the Studio Theatre. Students will be expected to complete a minimum of ten hours of production work for Theatre Department productions.

4

This rigorous survey class will give students the fundamental concepts, vocabulary, and skill to implement basic scenery, lighting, costuming, props and sound. The class is intended to prepare students as technical support for workshop productions in the Studio Theatre. There is a written component and students will be expected to complete a minimum of ten hours of technical work on Theatre Department productions.

1

Introduces students to the fundamentals of sound design for theater or live performance art. This course is a hands-on introduction to the process of planning, communicating, organizing, and producing sound for live productions. Workshop-style classes will rigorously explore the components of the sound system, editing and cuing software, and basic skills needed to support the design, including common terminology & script analysis. At the completion of the course, students will be able to design sound for small-scale theater pieces. Requires a personal laptop to run the software and do the assignments.

4

This course will teach both the methods and principles behind stage management demonstrating how to support a production while facilitating the work of directors, designers, and actors. In addition to teaching the specific technical skills necessary to each part of the production process, this course will also address the more subtle intellectual and managerial skills that make stage management an art. Satisfies a core requirement for Theatre majors.

Theatre Majors and minors only.

1

This course helps orient Theatre Department Freshmen to university life while presenting them with practical information about the department. Topics will include production practicum, student showcases, auditioning, advising, capstone projects, internships and study abroad opportunities. Theatre professors, staff, and visiting professionals come to classes to discuss their areas of expertise. Students are made aware of arts activities on campus and in the city of Boston for which weekly journals are required. A script and performance of at least one play in Boston will be studied.

Theatre majors or minors or instructor's consent

1.00- 4.00

This course offers flexible credit for a wide range of production work in the Theatre Department determined by the challenge and time commitment of the assignment. Students should register for this course when participating in Theatre Department performance activities such as acting, directing, playwriting, dramaturgy, choreography, or stage management may. Written work includes a production log signed by the supervisor and a narrative journal. This course also satisfies the Theatre requirement for Theatre majors and minors. May be taken more than once. ECR

Theatre majors or minors or instructor's consent

1.00- 4.00

This course offers flexible credit for a wide range of production work in the Theatre Department determined by the challenge and time commitment of the assignment. Students should register for this course when participating in Theatre Department production activities such as design or assistant design, load-in or run crews, board operators, carpenters, electricians, stitchers and painters. Written work includes a production log signed by the supervisor and a narrative journal. This course also satisfies the Theatre requirement for Theatre majors and minors. May be taken more than once. ECR

4

Professional actors engage in rigorous voice and movement training throughout their careers. This course provides students with the theory and practical training to free and develop their natural voices for the stage. They will also explore physical acting through improvisation and a series of exercises that will expand their ability to respond reflexively and organically to their instincts. Wear comfortable clothing.

4

This course serves as an introduction to scenic improvisation and it's application toward short-form, long-form and as a tool to develop written material. Students will begin classes with various improvisational exercises and transition to creating improvised scenes focusing on agreement, relationship, game and heightening concepts. Particular emphasis is placed on creative collaboration with scene partners and as part of an ensemble. This class will benefit anyone who wants to develop tools to think on their feet and participate in creative collaborations.

4

Focusing on classic musical comedies from 1910-1950 e.g. Anything Goes, Kiss Me Kate, and Guys and Dolls this skills-based studio course introduces students to an integrated approach to singing and stage performance. Students will learn the fundamentals of vocal technique which includes targeted vocal warm-ups and relaxation exercises in addition to the basics of breath support, placement, and phrasing. Students will also learn how to analyze musicals for their dramatic potential in order to make their performances more believable to an audience. Several classes will be devoted to audition preparation. Private vocal coaching and acting coaching will be scheduled outside of class. Students will work on assigned songs, duets, and choreographed group numbers which will be presented at the end of the term for an invited audience.

4

This course explores the history and practice of music and dance in Senegal, West Africa taught through lectures, readings, and studio classes which are accompanied by live African drumming. Proper dance attire is required.

4

This course is a survey of American musical theatre from its roots in the mid-19th century to the present. It provides the analytical tools and historical insight to more fully appreciate Broadway's greatest musicals and musical theatre artists. Students will explore the ways in which American forms of popular entertainment helped to shape Broadway musicals from their infancy through their adulthood. The course also explores the ways in which musicals provided opportunities for African-Americans, women, immigrants, and the GLBT community.

4

This survey course provides students with an historical, philosophical, and aesthetic overview of theatre practices from the Golden Age of Greek drama to 19th-century melodrama and early experiments in realism. Through readings, lectures, and discussions, the class will explore the theatre's persistent capacity to mirror the societies that produce it. Satisfies a core requirement for Theatre majors. Normally offered alternate years.

4

Picking up chronologically where THETR 225 leaves off, this survey course is designed to provide students with an understanding of modern Western theatre. Beginning with a melodrama, plays will include representative works of realism, naturalism, expressionism, epic theatre, theatre of cruelty, theatre of the absurd, and metatheatricality. Lectures and class discussions will explore how these concepts translate to acting and production techniques as well as what they imply as artistic responses to a modern and post-modern world. Satisfies a core requirement for Theatre Majors.

4

This course provides a formal introduction to the theories and practices strategically used by American theatre artists after the Second World War. Special emphasis is placed on theatre artists exploring issues of cultural identity including works by GLBT, African-American, Asian-American, and Latin American playwrights. These playwrights may include Tony Kushner, Paula Vogel, Suzan-Lori Parks, Adrienne Kennedy, August Wilson, David Henry Hwang, Philip Kan Gotanda, Eduardo Machado, and Melinda Lopez. The course will also provide an introduction to trends in post-modern theatre practices related to emerging work of the auteur director, solo performers, and interdisciplinary collectives. Satisfies a core requirement for Theatre majors. Normally offered alternate years.

4

The expansive world of arts administration provides a wealth of rewarding career opportunities. This course will provide a fundamental overview of the managing, marketing, fundraising, and financial management functions of the performing and visual arts organizations. Using Suffolk's Modern Theatre as a laboratory, as well as site visits to some of Boston's greatest arts and culture institutions, we will investigate real world successes and challenges and discover what special talents each individual student can bring to the management mix. This course is a core requirement for Suffolk's new interdisciplinary Arts Administration minor.

Theatre majors or minors only.

1

This course is designed to give you the tools to plan for and support your career path after graduation. Activities include audition/resume/ cover-letter workshops; interviewing techniques; dressing for success; networking; identifying your personal brand; professional internships; and deciding whether graduate school is right for you. Master classes with professional theatre artists and field trips to professional theatres will also be included.

THETR-129 or instructor's consent

4

This course gives students an understanding of the acting challenges unique to film, television, and commercial acting and helps them develop an effective process for on-camera performance. The material in this class is drawn from various media as well as from students' own research and writing. Class exercises and presentations are video taped, viewed, and critiqued by the students and the instructor as students grow and learn. Students also become familiar with the language and demands of professional production as well as how the technical process affects their performance.

4

Learning how to prepare for effective auditions is essential training for anyone who wishes to be cast in theatre productions. This studio course will provide practical guidelines and useful strategies to help students be at their best during the always competitive audition process. Over the course of the term students will not only prepare to participate confidently in professional and non-professional auditions, but learn to enjoy the journey as well.

THETR 229 or THETR-129 or instructor's consent

4

A continuation of Acting I with special emphasis on verse and heightened language. Students will explore acting Shakespeare and other classical plays and will rehearse and perform short projects. Students will also learn to think, read and write about classical performance.

4

Focusing on classic rock, pop, and progressive musicals from the 1970s-1990s, e.g. A Chorus Line, Chicago, and Into the Woods this studio course provides students with an integrated approach to singing and stage performance. Students will learn the fundamentals of vocal technique which includes targeted vocal warm-ups and relaxation exercises in addition to the basics of breath support, placement, and phrasing. Students will learn how to analyze musicals for their dramatic potential in order to make their performances more believable to an audience. They will also be introduced to basic music theory and how to plunk out notes on a piano - skills that will make them more independent and confident performers. Several classes will be devoted to audition preparation. Private vocal coaching and acting coaching will be scheduled outside of class. Assigned solos and choreographed group numbers will be presented weekly in class and at the end of the term in a recital for an invited audience.

4

Focusing on classic musicals from 1950-1970 e.g., Pajama Game, Fiddler on the Roof, and Cabaret, this skills-based studio course exposes students to an integrated approach to singing and stage performance. Students will learn the fundamentals of vocal technique which includes targeted vocal warm-ups and relaxation exercises in addition to the basics of breath support, placement, and phrasing. Students will also learn how to analyze musicals for their dramatic potential in order to make their performances more believable to an audience. Several classes will be devoted to audition preparation. Private vocal coaching and acting coaching will be scheduled outside of class. All students will work on assigned songs and choreographed group numbers which will be presented at the end of the term for an invited audience.

4

Grounded in the fundamentals of dance, this course will focus on the rigors and vitality of dances created for the Broadway musical. Students will learn about the history of Broadway dance and will present choreography developed in class at the end of the semester for an invited audience. Students will learn to think and write critically about the form. Dance attire is required.

Take THETR-237 THETR-250 or THETR-251; or instructor's consent

4

This is a studio course exploring the process of interpreting dramatic scripts in visual, three-dimensional ways. Projects will include abstract visual responses, group installations, enacting texts, visual research and textual analyses as well as ground plans and models for sets. Students will need a variety of painting and drawing supplies and equipment. A willingness to think beyond the box set to discover vital ways to shape a production is essential.

THETR 250 OR THETR 251 or by instructor's permission.

4

This is a comprehensive studio course with a written component. The course explores many aspects of the design process including concept, research, collaboration, and full renderings. Normally offered alternate years.

Take THETR-187 THETR-152 or THETR-151; or instructor's consent

4

Students will explore the basic process of lighting design for the theatre through hands-on, practical experience, conceptual work, and a study of the history of lighting design. The course will focus on common vocabularies, descriptions of imageries from text, physical forms of design expression and general approach. In addition, students will learn basic skills in electrics to support the design process. Sample assignments might include written critiques of local productions, design approach statements with lighting research, lighted one act plays in the Studio Theatre, and lighting set models. Normally offered alternate years.

4

"How do playwrights of different backgrounds and genders interpret ""female-ness""? This class explores some of the great heroines of dramatic literature\"

THETR-225, THETR-226, THETR-227, THETR-310, THETR-307, THETR-405, THETR-450, THETR-455, THETR-460, THETR-489, THETR-507 or THETR-510 or instructor's consent

4

This course will explore the fundamentals of dramatic structure and investigate the various roles of the contemporary dramaturg. Through the in-depth analysis of texts, students will follow Aristotle's example in The Poetics and attempt to figure out what makes great plays tick. Weekly reading and writing assignments will be supplemented by live theatrical performances.

4

This conservatory-style course provides students with fundamental directing skills through lectures, readings, and weekly projects that explore composition, staging, text analysis, and directorial communication skills. Students in this course become eligible to propose their own projects to the Theatre Department for production consideration. Directing students are also encouraged to stage manage and assistant direct faculty productions both in and outside of the Department.

1

This one-credit course is intended for those students who seek knowledge of theatrical techniques employed to respond quickly in public space to social and political injustice. The course will explore historical precedents of theatre of protest as a tool for resistance and change. These precedents include the strategic theatrical deployment of ritual, ceremony, song, satire, symbolism, puppetry and mythology. The course will also serve as a workshop for students to imagine, prepare and develop ideas, techniques and strategies which they can apply to their own social activism.

4

An introduction to playwriting, students will be required to submit weekly assignments which explore and refine fundamental components of the dramatist's craft including plot, character, conflict, voice, dialogue, rhythm, point of view, surprise, structure," and style. Students are encouraged to participate in ""Play Day!""\"

THETR-237 or instructor's consent

4

"In ""calling a show"" the stage manager cues all technicians to effect changes in lighting\"

THETR-281

4

In this course, we will see how the administrative functions discussed in Arts Administration I work in different kinds of arts organizations. Using actual cases from the world of performing and visual arts, we will explore the operations for profit and non-profit arts producers and presenters, art service organizations, and many kinds of funding institutions. We will put this knowledge to use by building each student's dream project culminating in a presentation at the end of the term.

THETR-201 OR THETR-229 or instructor's consent

4

Students compliment their practical theatre training with a wide range of physical and vocal skills. This three part class focuses on the art of creating a clown, the ability to safely build and execute a stage fight, and special work on creating a three dimensional character for the stage. Normally offered alternate years.

Take THETR-232 or Instructor's consent

4

Applying skills introduced in Acting for the Camera I, students produce and perform in a showcase video with more demanding material. Included in this course is a focus on the business of film and television work as it affects an acting career. From auditioning skills to on-set work ethics, students will work in class and on film locations to experience the realities of the film and television industries and learn to think and write critically about on camera performance. Each student will have the opportunity to put together a demo reel showcasing their acting work prepared for class.

Take THETR-129

4

Using plays from the mid-20th century to the present, students will engage in advanced acting techniques to discover connections with the material at the deepest, most intimate level. The ability to apply highly sensitized analyzation to character, relationships and circumstances of each scene will be thoroughly explored and students will be encouraged to work outside of their comfort zones. Also, the awareness and execution of the emotional commitment needed to fulfill the life of each scene will be courageously explored and incorporated.

THETR-129

4

This project-based performance class explores the unique, specially adapted acting experience found working in unusual and sometimes public settings. Through improvisation and socio-drama exploration, students will write, produce and direct their own interactive and non-interactive performance pieces. This innovative team-building class will challenge your ideas of what and where theatre lives through discussion and performance. The semester will conclude with a group project to be performed publicly.

Instructor's consent required

4

Focusing on musicals written from the 1990-the present e.g. Next to Normal, The Last Five Years, and Spring Awakening, this advanced studio course provides students with an integrated approach to singing and stage performance. The fast-paced tempo of the class will encourage students to build on their previous training and experience and to become increasingly independent as they prepare for auditions and performance work beyond the university. Private vocal coaching and acting coaching will be scheduled outside of class. Students will be expected to prepare selected solos or duets and learn additional choreographed group numbers which will be presented at the end of the term for a public performance.

Instructor Consent Required

1.00- 4.00

Staged Reading of a Classic Musical is a studio course designed to provided advanced students with the opportunity to spend an entire semester working on a single classic musical that we will present, script in hand, in the Modern Theatre for a public audience. Production values will be kept to the barest minimum so that we can focus our attention on the musical and dramatic values of the material. The reading will be accompanied by a three piece band. Although most rehearsals will be held during class time, there will be evening and weekend rehearsal in the weeks before the performance. Previous acting and/or singing training and any Singing for the Stage class preferred.

4

This course encourages students to develop a broad palette of choreographic tools drawn from the work of early modern choreographers and theorists and post-modern techniques. The process of the class will include structured improvisations, analysis of historical and contemporary dance works, the development of a critical response process, journaling, and the creation of original solo and group work. Additionally, students will attend two dance concerts throughout the semester and submit written critiques of each performance. The class will culminate in the performance of self-selected compositions for an invited audience. Proper dance attire is required.

THETR-359

4

An advanced course in lighting design. Meets concurrently with Lighting Design I, but Lighting Design II students create advanced individual projects for presentation, as well as mentor and join in group critiques. A high level of independence and experience in practical lighting technique is required.

Prerequisites: THETR225 or THETR226, or THETR227 and THETR250 or THETR251 or THETR237 (or permission of the instructor)

4

An upper level course, of interest to directors and dramaturges as well as designers, about a remarkable period in American theatre history, explored within the context of four stage designers and the playwrights with whom they collaborated. Scripts by O'Neil, Williams, Miller, and Odets will be studied in conjunction with their revelatory original designs, which have become as iconic as the plays themselves. The designer's process, the collaborative nature of theatrical production, and the advances in theatre technology will also be explored The course will have a seminar format, require independent reading and research, and be writing intensive, culminating with a final term paper presented to the class.

4

This seminar course examines Shakespeare's plays and their modern correlatives. (i.e. Hamlet and The Seagull, King Lear and Endgame) Students read the texts out loud in class examining the meaning, action, objective, and philosophical and historical contexts with the professor. The goal is to get closer to the original intentions of the author and determine not only the basic theme and character relationships, but the kind of mind that could create such a play. In analyzing a modern play students also examine the impact of Shakespeare's mind on future playwrights. There will be a midterm paper and a final exam.

THETR-375 or instructor's consent

4

Directing II focuses on the development of an individual directorial point of view and explores a variety of theoretical and applied approaches to cultivating interpretive skills. The course also examines how the director reconciles traditional theatrical conventions and techniques with the ability to create fresh, innovative and personal results. Students will stage weekly theatrical responses to class readings in addition to creating a fully-realized final directing project.

THETR-377 or instructor's consent

4

Playwriting II is a continuation, deepening and thickening of the principles learned in Playwriting I. A course designed for dedicated writers, students are expected to explore a wide variety of playwriting challenges," skills and techniques. Student works will be regularly shared and discussed in class. Students will also be assigned plays by recognized playwrights to discuss and analyze in class. Playwriting II students are encouraged to participate in ""PlayDay!""\"

THETR 281

4

In this course, we will see how the administrative functions discussed in Arts Administration I work in different kinds of arts organizations. Using actual cases from the world of performing and visual arts, we will explore the operations for profit and non-profit arts producers and presenters, art service organizations, and many kinds of funding institutions. We will put this knowledge to use by building each student's dream project culminating in a presentation at the end of the term.

instructor's consent and internship availability required

0.00- 4.00

This course provides students with the opportunity to receive credit for their work on an approved internship assignment in the professional performing and visual art world. At the successful completion of the internship, students will be required to submit a written analysis of their experience as well as a journal documenting the daily events of their project. Professional internships are difficult to secure. Interested students are advised to contact members of the Theatre Department faculty at least one semester in advance to facilitate this opportunity.

4

This course provides an overview of the modern concept of performance and how it has evolved in a variety of interdisciplinary fields. Encompassing the areas of dance, music, theatre, installation work, 'happenings' and spectacles, students will explore the ways performance is understood by ethnographers, anthropologists, linguists, cultural theorists, social scientists, and artists Using the theoretical base covered during the semester, students will conceive, develop, and present a final performance piece appropriate to their chosen discipline.

Instructor consent required.

1

"This 1-credit seminar is a ""master class\"

Instructor's consent required

0.00- 4.00

Theatre majors who have demonstrated academic excellence and involvement in department productions may propose to work with a faculty advisor during their senior year to focus intensively on a specific area of interest to prepare for graduate school and the professional world. Options include: a production, a research project, a professional internship, an experiential service learning project, a senior honors portfolio, or a self-defined independent project. Successful completion of this course confers departmental honors to graduating Theatre majors.

Instructor's permission and Senior standing required

4.00- 8.00

Theatre majors who meet the GPA criteria for Honors in the Theatre Major have the opportunity to work with a faculty advisor during their senior year to focus intensively on a specific area of interest for a Senior Honors Project. Regular meetings with the advisor will be scheduled to guide the student through the project. Options for the Senior Honors Project include: a production, a research project, a professional internship, an experiential service learning project, a senior honors portfolio, or a self-defined independent project. Successful completion of this course is required for awarding departmental honors to graduating Theatre majors. Theatre majors who are CAS Honors students may also receive Honors in the Major and may use their Theatre Senior Honors Project to fulfill their CAS Honors requirement.

0.00

The capstone experience demonstrates a student's high level of practical and/or academic facility and prepares them for their transition into the world of professional theatre and graduate school. Upper Level production activities within the theatre department that may fulfill this requirement are directing, designing, stage managing, acting a major role, playwriting, or some special approved project. Students may also fulfill this requirement by completing a Senior Honors Thesis.

Instructor's consent required

1.00- 8.00

Variable credits for approved projects outside the classroom. Since all independent studies must be approved by the Dean's Office, all interested students must be able to persuasively articulate their proposal in writing and include both an annotated reading list and a schedule of meetings with faculty supervisors.