Introduction to Theatrical Medium increases the student's understanding, appreciation, and critical perceptions of the theatrical event. Readings and lectures will focus on the elements of theatrical practice; artists and innovators of theatre throughout history; the theatre's development as an art form and a social phenomenon; participation in class forum discussions; sharing of individual theatrical interests; and attendance at theatrical events will offer firsthand experience in the arts. Meets Gen Ed - Fine and Performing Arts.
An exploration of the creative impulse as expressed through the medium of theatre. This is a course intended to ground the student with an understanding of the self, the process, and provide a beginning exploration of the elements and principles of artistic expression specific to theatre.
This course examines the role of theatre in society by culturally and historically contextualizing dramatic works and performance events, prompting students to make connections between what happens on stage and what happens in the world around the play. The course may be may be organized around a single theme, such as theatre and the environment, or it may engage with several topics such as the politics of representation, theatre and medicine, or theatre and war. Assignments include readings, attendance at performances, critical responses, and artistic creation. This course also further introduces students to collaborative roles in the theatre such as director, performer, and dramaturg. Majors in the BA in Theatre Studies must maintain a B- in THTR 102 Theatre in Society and THTR 208 Drama in Text.
Basic introduction to acting; involving exploration of one's self and experiencing inwardly; deepening the personal involvement and significance of actions; improvisation and exercises for perception, self-awareness and justification. Meets Gen Ed - Fine and Performing Arts.
This lecture class explores the composition, direction and performance of original solo theater projects. We develop our skills through individual and collective engagement. Our work is grounded in experimentation and rigorous play. The semester culminates in a final solo performance.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 105. Restriction(s): BA Theatre Studies majors only. Continuation of Acting I including improvisation, scene study, characterization and script analysis.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 105 or THTR 115. This course will develop and train the actors' voice and interpretation of songs through exercises, vocal production technique, in-class vocal assignments, and texts. The student will be expected to learn and prepare several songs over the term and be expected to be able to present them in a professional manner, i.e., with confidence, control and in a manner which best displays the actors' vocal abilities.
Restriction(s): BFA in Theatre, Acting concentration only. Acting I course work focuses on self-discovery and exploration, working from a neutral, grounded place with sensual awareness, emotional availability and empathy with an integrated mind/body/voice. Students learn beginning acting technique through scene study from contemporary plays and how to work as an ensemble.
Restriction(s): BFA in Theatre, Acting concentration majors or Musical Theatre majors only. Basic movement for the actor in terms of development of characterization, physicality and projection of mood and attitude.
Restriction(s): BFA in Theatre, Acting concentration majors only. This course is the first in a six-semester progression of acquiring voice and speech skills for the actor applicable to stage and film. Students will focus on gaining an intellectual and experiential knowledge of the physical anatomy involved in breathing and vocal production, the identification and elimination of habitual tensions in the body that impede a free use of breath and sound, the use of the breath and the voice as an open channel for expression.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 115. Restriction(s): BFA in Theatre, Acting Concentration majors only. Acting II course work continues the development of the actor with an emphasis on working from the self through more advanced ensemble training and continued scene work from contemporary plays. Particular emphasis is placed on investigating characters that are in contrast to the self, material with higher stakes and more complex given circumstances. Continued development of text analysis and the close reading of theatrical texts.
Prerequisite(s): Departmental approval. An exploration of mind-body connections and the importance of mental and psychological clarity in the development of free and impulsive movement and physical expression. This course also investigates deep awareness as an aid to holistic physical and mental health and the importance of self-care as a practice for professional performers.
Techniques in theatrical drafting that explore the mechanics of drafting through the solution of practical problems in floor planning, front and rear elevations; the use of different building techniques, materials and structures.
An intensive training experience in the fundamentals of makeup for beauty and fashion. Equivalent course ARTX 150 effective through Spring 2020.
Appreciation of make-up through symbolic aspects and historic differences with regard to theatrical productions. Make-up materials and their uses; creating corrective and character make-up, mustaches and beards for a research or creative experience to compile a practical resource file. Course may not be repeated; may only be taken one time for either one, two or three credits.
This course intends to develop students' understanding of textual interpretation as it relates to theatre design. Emphasis is placed on the exploration of ideas and the process by which visual metaphors are formed, developed and re-thought through the process of collaboration. Course includes text analysis, research, and the exploration of design ideas from a liberal arts point of view. Students are not expected to have strong technical skills.
An introductory course in technical theatre including scenic construction, lighting and sound technology and costume construction. Students will gain practical experience in various theatre production shops.
An introductory course in technical theatre, specifically scenic construction. A strong emphasis is placed on the development of both technical and conceptual skills.
Introduction to basic lighting production skills in a studio environment. Topics include lighting, electrics, instrument processing, lighting systems. Strong emphasis is placed on developing practical skills (technical and conceptual). Students are also expected to research and report on the use of lighting in the industry.
Studies the practical function of the costume shop and the techniques and crafts used in the execution of costumes for the stage. Production work is included with discussions of pattern and fitting techniques.
Introduction to basic sound production skills in a studio environment. Topics include: use of microphones, sound mixing, theatrical sound systems and use of special effects systems. Strong emphasis is placed on developing practical skills (technical and conceptual). Students are also expected to research and report on the theatrical industry.
A study in the organizational skills needed to document and manage a theatre or dance production from audition to final performance. May be repeated once for a total of six credits.
Designed for those who have had no previous musical training and are pursuing a career in Theatre. A study of music notation, music theory: scales, keys, intervals, harmonization, transposition, triads and simple chord progressions, to be able to read a score and communicate effectively with the music team in Musicals, Opera and Dance.
A drawing course aimed at developing skills necessary for rendering techniques for stage designs. Perspective drawing, the use of light, shadow, composition, landscape and the techniques in different media (such as pencil, charcoal, pastel, ink, tempera), basic water color technique, color theory, and architectural sketching are included.
Special fee. Play-going class that introduces students to the variety of theatre and performance experiences in New York and New Jersey. The course combines attendance at plays with classroom discussion and text analysis. All styles and genres of performance will be considered when selecting productions.
Performance Studies focuses on performance as a method of textual study, as an aesthetic event, and as a social and rhetorical act. Exploring how performance operates as a way of knowing, of being, and of acting in our world. This course is concerned with performances that occur in classroom spaces, theatre spaces, everyday spaces, and social spaces. Related course work includes textual study; oral history and ethnography; and the theory of and practice in writing, designing, and directing performative events. Students are encouraged to participation in regional and national conferences and festivals, along with campus, and community performance and production projects.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 150 may be taken as prerequisite or corequisite. The application of principles learned in THTR 150 (Stagecraft) to the building and mounting of Theatre Series productions. Taken concurrently with THTR 150.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 150 may be taken as prerequisite or corequisite. The application of principles involving lighting, sound and props to the creation and mounting of non-scenic elements and/or the running crew for Theatre Series productions. May be repeated seven times for a maximum of 8 credits.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 150 may be taken as prerequisite or corequisite. The application of costuming principles and techniques to the building of costumes, mounting Theatre Series productions and/or costume running crew for Theatre Series productions. May be repeated seven times for a maximum of 8 credits.
Rehearsal, performance and strike for the first Theatre Series production in a given semester. May be repeated for a total of 8 credits.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 135 may be taken as prerequisite or corequisite. Restriction(s): BFA Theatre w/conc in Design, Technology and Management or by departmental approval. Course involves intense practical work on departmental productions. Taken each semester in the BFA Production and Design Program.
Rehearsal, performance and strike for the second Theatre Series in a given semester. May be repeated for a total of 8 credits.
Rehearsal, performance and strike for the third Theatre Series production in a given semester. May be repeated for a total of 8 credits.
An evaluation of play texts in terms of structural and stylistic elements with a focus on possibilities for text in performance. Emphasis on developing close reading skills. Meets the Graduation Writing Requirement for majors in Theatre. Majors in the BA in Theatre Studies must maintain a B- in THTR 102 Theatre in Society and THTR 208 Drama in Text.
A survey of early world theater and performance traditions. Emphasis on Western theater with substantial analysis of traditions from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and/or South America. Attention to rituals, plays, playwrights, theatre architecture, design elements, acting, and theatrical conventions. Emphasis on the relationship between social and political context and aesthetic development. Meets the Graduation Writing Requirement for majors in Theatre.
Prerequisite(s): WRIT 105 or HONP 100. A survey of modern world theater and performance traditions. Emphasis on Western theater with substantial analysis of traditions from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, South America and/or diasporas. Attention to rituals, plays, playwrights, theatre architecture, design elements, acting, and theatrical conventions. Emphasis on the relationship between social and political context and aesthetic development. Meets the Graduation Writing Requirement for majors in Theatre.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 112. This course will continue the work of Singing for the Actor I to train the actors' voice through exercises and vocal production technique designed to provide flexibility and freedom to the singer; to learn to "protect" the voice from harm while maximizing its strengths and potential.
Corequisite(s): THTR 110. Prerequisite(s): THTR 105. Restriction(s): Theatre Studies majors only. An intensive one-semester voice and speech class for Theatre Studies majors. Students will engage in a progression of physical and vocal exercises designed to free their natural speaking voice, and increase their vocal power and expressivity as theatre artists. Course work will include the development of a personal vocal warm-up, text analysis and work on scripted material draw from classic and contemporary plays.
Prerequisite(s): WRIT 105 or HONP 100 may be taken as prerequisite or corequisite. The course explores movements in African American theater from the early‐twentieth century to today, examining historical theater movements within specific social, political, and cultural contexts. Examples of topics include the "New Negro" movement, the problematic use of blackface in early twentieth‐century popular culture, jazz and race in the Harlem Renaissance, African American Little Theaters, the Federal Theatre Project, performance in the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Arts Movement, black musical theatre, drama in the age of “multiculturalism,” "colorblindness," "Obama's post‐racial America," and today. Discussion framed by questions of voice, representation, resistance, audience, and cultural production. We will explore the significance of theater as part of a movement, how "community" is defined and created, and the role of race in American theater history.
Prerequisite(s): WRIT 105 or HONP 100. As an inquiry into the innovations, traditions, and conventions made by Latinx artists, this course will look at plays and productions created by Latinx artists and how they have influenced culture from the early twentieth century to today.
Restriction(s): BFA in Theatre, Acting concentration majors only. Advanced movement for the actor in terms of the relationship of movement to characterization and the need to cultivate physical and emotional relationships in body movement.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 130. Restriction(s): BFA in Theatre, Acting Concentration majors only. Introduction to Stanislavskian objectives, obstacles and actions in order to create stage truth and to generate physical and emotional involvement. Students explore psychophysical action to project character choices in nonverbal and scripted scene work.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 222. Restriction(s): BFA in Theatre, Acting Concentration majors only. A continuation of the study of psychophysical action and the use of objectives and actions to investigate and master stage truth. Students explore advanced character work through more challenging scene study.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 115, THTR 120, THTR 125; and THTR 130 and THTR 220 may be taken as prerequisites or corequisites. Restriction(s): BFA in Theatre, Acting concentration majors only. This course is the second in a six-semester progression of acquiring voice and speech skills for the actor applicable to stage and film. It continues to focus on gaining an intellectual and experiential knowledge of the physical anatomy involved in breathing and vocal production, the identification and elimination of habitual tensions in the body that impede a free use of breath and sound, the use of the breath and the voice as an open channel for expression.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 208. An introduction to the major styles in costume, architecture and decor of western civilization from pre-history to the Elizabethan age. Particular attention will be given to the influences and role of style, as used by designers, in theatre production.
Prerequisite(s): VIST 105 and VIST 106. An introduction to the major styles of costume, architecture and decor of Western civilization from Restoration to the present through video, films, television, artwork, music, museum research and site visits. This course will familiarize students with various research approaches and tools including the use of Internet, libraries, museums and historical sites. An emphasis is placed on the sources of research needed for theatre design. Part two of a two course sequence.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 105 or THTR 115. Production styles, techniques and dramatic conventions used in the musical theatre in relation to direction, music, dance and design.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 139. A demonstration laboratory in planning and executing corrective middle-age, old age, stylized and other creations; three-dimensional make-up with crepe hair, latex, putty and dermawax; make-up crew supervision.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 138. This course prepares students in advanced techniques of makeup for fashion and beauty. Principles of health, diet, makeup selection and application technique, and color selection will be covered. Extensive lab experience will help prepare students in technique and product selection for a wide range of special occasions, runway, photo, special skin types and tones. Equivalent course ARTX 151 effective through Spring 2020.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 138 and THTR 240. An intensive experience-based course in professional level makeup artistry as practiced in the fashion and beauty industry. Topics include makeup for the camera, working with designers in fashion, and portfolio development. Equivalent course ARTX 152 effective through Spring 2020.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 135 and THTR 252. Three-dimensional design in theatrical model making. Exploration of the creative design process in working with construction models executed in paper, cardboard and clay. Equivalent course THTR 442 effective through Spring 2020.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 135. Advanced drafting techniques for theatrical designs including computer assisted drafting techniques.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 140. The theory and practice of the general techniques of the scenic artist and the methods and materials used in this discipline. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 151 and THTR 140. Practical study of prop design, construction and management. Multiple projects in props construction will be completed utilizing various materials and approaches. The course will introduce research and organizational skills needed for the procurement and management of props in performance.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 130, THTR 220 and THTR 225. Restriction(s): BFA Acting, Musical Theatre or Theatre Studies Majors only. This course will provide an environment for students to explore using masks as actors through work with both Neutral and Commedia Dell'Arte masks. Neutral Mask will be the focus of the first half of the semester and engage students in exercises that will prepare the body for the mask, fill the mask, and eventually remove the mask. The second half of the semester will focus on character transformation through Commedia Dell'Arte and its world of stock characters. Students will learn stock body positions for characters with Commedia masks, and engage in improvisations and exercises that will include slapstick and lazzi. The mask work will then be applied to group improvisations, choreographed dances, and text work from familiar works. This class is geared towards giving students a sense of play, freedom and understanding of their physical instrument as actors.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 150 or THTR 151. An advanced course in technical theatre. Examples of topics to be covered are mechanics, stage rigging, advanced construction techniques, pneumatics, hydraulics and electronics. Practical application in department of theatre productions.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 140. Interpretation of dramatic texts towards the realization of effective stage designs. Styles and principles will be explored as well as the complete process which translates visual concepts into stage worthy designs. The use of different media: drawing ground plans, paint, front elevations.
Corequisite(s): THTR 205. Prerequisite(s): THTR 152 or TVDM 170. Applications of sound design and reinforcement techniques in live performance. Primary focus on the role sound plays in enhancing theatrical design and production. Technical elements include system design, microphone selection and placement, mixing live theater/performance, and signal processing for live theater/performance.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 140. A study of basic costume design for the stage, emphasizing the interpretation of dramatic texts in terms of characterization. Basic figure drawing and fabric study are included and the collaborative process which translates ideas to finished design will be explored.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 155. This course defines the responsibilities of the stage management position for various performance mediums including dance, opera, musical theatre and television. Content includes an introduction to the various unions involved in performance, the nature of collaboration and leadership and students will explore a variety of management styles.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 180 or THTR 155. This course is designed for individuals who are interested in arts management and are considering a career in this field. This course will introduce commercial and nonprofit practices, providing students with an overview of the career options for arts managers. Students will research and study the process of developing and bringing the arts and cultural programming to audiences, and examine the current issues and trends now affecting arts management professionals.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 152; and THTR 135 may be taken as prerequisite or corequisite. The functions of light on stage; the use of lighting equipment. Application work in the Memorial Auditorium and the L. Howard Fox Studio Theatre.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 160. Advanced drawing and rendering for theatrical stage design. Includes work with color, the human figure and perspective as well as work with ink.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 140 and THTR 160. This studio course provides an introduction to the application of digital rendering methods to design for theatre/performance, including 2D, 3D and moving graphics visualization. Course objective is to synthesize and expand traditional drawing and painting methods with modern digital media-based applications. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 150 or THTR 152 or DNCE 150. An introduction to the design and technology of visual media for live performance events such as theatre, dance, and concerts.
The course examines multicultural issues raised in the plays of contemporary American playwrights. Relevant theatre attendance is part of the class requirement. Meets Gen Ed - Fine and Performing Arts. Meets World Cultures Requirement.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 153 or ARTX 120. An advanced study of flat patterning, draping, tailoring, period cut and detailing used in the development of stage costumes. Construction projects and lab hours required. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 153 or ARTX 120. An introduction to costume crafts for the theatre including masks, puppet construction, millinery, armor, jewelry, shoe alterations, and wigs. Content varies by semester. May be repeated for a maximum of nine credits.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 153 or ARTX 120. An introduction to techniques for dyeing and patterning fabric. May be repeated for a maximum of six credits.
This course examines classical and modern plays and culminates in an eight day study abroad experience in London during Spring break. Students attend theatre productions and participate in workshops and discussions with theatre artists. May be repeated once for a maximum of 6 credits.
The function of performance masks as they have been used for rituals, myths, ceremonies, carnival, and drama in African, European, American and Asian/Pacific societies. Meets World Cultures Requirement.
Prerequisite(s): Any 100-level THTR course. This course analyzes the plays of African American, Latinx, Caribbean, and Asian-American playwrights on the page and on the stage. As texts, students will examine these works for their historical significance in the world canon, as well as how they reflect a society's political and cultural thoughts, trends, and news. This course emphasizes the performative aspect of each work, investigating themes, production values, and interpretation, and leading students to the creation or production of their own work. Plays will include newer works by playwrights including Tearrance Chisholm, Dael Orlandersmith and Tarell Alvin Mccraney, as well as established works from seasoned playwrights like August Wilson, Lynn Nottage and Anna Deavere Smith.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 130, THTR 220 and THTR 225; by audition only. The focus of this course is to create, rehearse and perform a weekly late-night live comedy show for the Department of Theatre and Dance which consists of improvisational comedy, original sketch comedy and filmed sketches. Students in this course will learn how to conceive, write, pitch, rehearse and perform sketch comedy through collaboration with an ensemble and faculty mentorship. Students will learn how to engage in short and long form improvisation, how to create original and specific characters, and relationships and situations that lead to comic sketches. This course will sharpen improvisational skills, hone comic timing and increase the students' ability to connect with other actors in an impulse moment-to-moment way. It will provide students the unique opportunity to learn the craft of sketch comedy and improv not only in the classroom with an instructor and other actors, but with a live audience through weekly late-night performances.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 211. Students will read and examine several plays written from the beginning of the twentieth century through the present. Secondary readings devoted to specific plays, including the early political and folk plays of the 1910s and 1920s, and protest drama of the 1940s will be studied. Students will explore The Revolutionary Theater Movement of the '60s and how contemporary playwrights have expanded the contours of the American dramatic landscape, addressing complex topics such as race/gender, and gay/lesbian issues.
Prerequisite(s): Any 200-level THTR course. This course offers an introduction to the field of drama therapy, looking at what role drama therapy plays in our schools and institutions and how, with adequate training, drama therapy techniques can be used responsibly by therapists, teachers, recreational workers, child life specialists, and theater professionals, among others. Theories and approaches to drama therapy to be examined include Robert Landy's role theory, David Read Johnson's developmental transformations, Moreno's psychodrama, and Jonathan Fox's playback theatre, as well as in the paradigm of more traditional forms of therapy and clinical approaches.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 223 or departmental approval. An advanced acting studio for junior musical theatre students which focus on the theories and techniques of Stanislavsky and include textual analysis, improvisational exercises and scene work as they relate to the written works of Chekhov.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 315 or departmental approval. A classical acting studio for junior musical theatre students which focuses on the theories and techniques of scansion, iambic pentameter and scoring of text as well as textual analysis, improvisational exercises and scene work as they relate to the written works of William Shakespeare.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 120 and THTR 220. Restriction(s): BFA Theatre, Acting concentration majors only. Advanced movement for the actor in terms of the relationship of movement to space and form and the need to cultivate physical and emotional relationships in body movement. Advanced exercises and assignments related to movement in playscripts and in theatrical contexts.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 120, THTR 220, THTR 320. Continued study and mastery of the movement skills necessary for the professional actor with a focus on developing an energized neutral, advancing core strength, and finding character in body centers and qualities of movement.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 115 and THTR 130 and THTR 222 and THTR 223. Restriction(s): BFA Theatre, Acting concentration majors only. An introduction to work on classical material with an emphasis on Shakespearean texts. New acting demands are layered onto a Stanislavskian base of action and objectives, including physical, vocal, imaginative and analytical work.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 322. Restriction(s): BFA Theatre, Acting Concentration majors only. A continuation of the study of classical work, culminating in a practical demonstration of the actors' engagement with heightened language in an extended project designed to provide students individual assessments of their progress.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 323. Restriction(s): BFA Theatre, Acting Concentration majors only. Advanced scene work on texts focused around a specific playwright, period, or style such as mid-20th century American poetic realism or contemporary British political theatre. Students apply techniques of script analysis and research and are coached through the creation of character and relationship.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 130, THTR 220, THTR 225; and THTR 222 and THTR 320 may be taken as prerequisites or corequisites. This course is the third course in a six-semester progression of acquiring voice and speech skills for the actor applicable to stage and film. This course continues to focus on gaining an intellectual and experiential knowledge of the physical anatomy involved in breathing and vocal production, the identification and elimination of habitual tensions in the body that impede a free use of breath and sound, the use of the breath and the voice as an open channel for expression, knowledge and application of the International Phonetic Alphabet, the ability to speak with Non-Regional Standard American speech, identification and elimination of habitual tensions that impede the use of Non-Regional Standard American speech.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 222, THTR 320, THTR 325; and THTR 223 and THTR 321 may be taken as prerequisite or corequisite. Restriction(s): BFA in Theatre, Acting concentration majors only. This course is the fourth course in a six-semester progression of acquiring voice and speech skills for the actor applicable to stage and film. Voice and Speech IV continues to focus on gaining an intellectual and experiential knowledge of the physical anatomy involved in breathing and vocal production, the identification and elimination of habitual tensions in the body that impede a free use of breath and sound, the use of the breath and the voice as an open channel for expression, knowledge and application of the International Phonetic Alphabet, the ability to speak with Non-Regional Standard American speech, identification and elimination of habitual tensions that impede the use of Non-Regional Standard American speech.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 223, THTR 321 and THTR 326; and THTR 322 and THTR 331 may be taken as prerequisites or corequisites. Restriction(s): BFA in Theatre, Acting concentration majors only. This course is the fifth course in a six-semester progression of acquiring voice and speech skills for the actor applicable to stage and film. Voice and Speech V continues to focus on gaining an intellectual and experiential knowledge of the physical anatomy involved in breathing and vocal production, the identification and elimination of habitual tensions in the body that impede a free use of breath and sound, the use of the breath and the voice as an open channel for expression, resonance, vocal variety, knowledge and application of the International Phonetic Alphabet, the ability to speak with Non-Regional Standard American speech, identification and elimination of habitual tensions that impede the use of Non-Regional Standard American speech, the ability to speak in Standard British dialect, the ability to identify, score and apply text work to heightened language including Shakespeare.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 322, THTR 327, THTR 331; and THTR 323 and THTR 332 may be taken as prerequisite or corequisite. Restriction(s): BFA in Theatre, Acting concentration majors only. This course is the sixth course in a six-semester progression of acquiring voice and speech skills for the actor applicable to stage and film. This course continues to focus on gaining an intellectual and experiential knowledge of the physical anatomy involved in breathing and vocal production, the identification and elimination of habitual tensions in the body that impede a free use of breath and sound, the use of the breath and the voice as an open channel for expression, resonance, vocal variety, knowledge and application of the International Phonetic Alphabet, the ability to speak with Non-Regional Standard American speech, identification and elimination of habitual tensions that impede the use of Non-Regional Standard American speech, the ability to speak in Standard British dialect, the ability to identify, score and apply text work to heightened language including Shakespeare.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 208 or MTTH 231. Introduces student performers and scholars to "the dramaturg's way." As a collaborative member of the theatrical team, the dramaturg serves as literary and historical advisor, script interpreter, journalist and context-provider for director, cast and production crew. Effective dramaturgy draws upon skills in text analysis and writing, and requires a deep appreciation for cultural traditions and current events. Developing fresh and imaginative approaches to six hypothetical theatrical productions, students will come away with a vivid conception of how it feels to be a practitioner of this integral and important craft.
Prerequisite(s): All 100 and 200-level major requirements. Restriction(s): BFA or BA Theatre majors only. Principles of direction; selection and casting; exercises in composition and movement; scenes directed for class criticism; preparation of prompt book.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 120, THTR 220, THTR 320, THTR 321. Continued study and mastery of the movement skills necessary for the professional actor with a focus on giving and taking energy in a variety of theatrical styles, advancing emotional availability and expression, and furthering student alignment.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 120, THTR 220, THTR 320, THTR 321, THTR 331. Continued study and mastery of the movement skills necessary for the professional actor with a focus on the integration of movement, sound, and text, placement of heightened text in the body, and period movement.
Corequisite(s): THTR 324. Prerequisite(s): THTR 323, THTR 328 and THTR 332. Restriction(s): BFA Acting seniors. In this course, students will build on the skills they have developed in the acting course progression and begin to apply them towards auditions for the theatre. They will learn how to select and prepare monologues that are representative of who they are as actors. Students will begin to identify their unique types, find material to support those types, and polish at least two “contrasting” monologues appropriate for agent/casting director meetings and open calls.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 208. An intellectual knowledge-base in theory and theatre --reading and writing about plays, going to them, being in them – are all important requirements for a theatre artist discussed in Introduction to Dramaturgy: The Questioning Spirit. However, before being called upon to actually advise a director in the rehearsal room, write an actors’ packet, design a lobby display, or conduct a talk-back, the ideal dramaturg needs to cultivate, develop and strengthen her/his sensorium, faculties of perception and awareness. How do we truly, deeply see the play evolving before us as an embodied work of art made by human beings; and how does the dramaturg then translate that heightened seeing into pro-active, constructive, useful, collegial collaboration? Learning how to acquire, modulate and apply these essential, affect-based disciplines is the mission of Dramaturgy II.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 115 and THTR 130 and THTR 222 and THTR 223. Restriction(s): Musical Theatre majors only. This course explores the role of the singing actor, including characterization and performance skills. It examines the functions of music, lyrics, and script, and how they are integrated into one dramatic effort. It addresses the differences in styles between older presentational musicals and newer musical dramas.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 252. A continuation of Stage Design I with emphasis upon specific forms of drama as well as opera and musical comedy. Includes the use of color with ink, acrylic and pastel.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 254. Continues the theories and skills introduced in Costume Design I. Advanced rendering techniques are explored as well as specific design problems related to opera, ballet, and other non-naturalistic theatrical forms.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 258. Advanced lighting skills in theatre and the related areas of dance, opera and the musical comedy.
Corequisite(s): THTR 205. Prerequisite(s): THTR 253. Advanced course in the application of sound design and reinforcement techniques in live performance. Course is a continuation of Theatrical Sound Design and includes an extensive lab component.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 262. Advanced study of visual media design and technology media for live performance events such as theatre, dance, and concerts.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 150 or THTR 151. An in-depth study of technical direction production and direction. Areas of study include production budgeting, planning and scheduling, and production studio design. The course will include laboratory and production experience.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 252. Practical study of aspects of technical theatre including repair and maintenance of theatre equipment, welding techniques, rigging, prop design and construction. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 258. This course will provide advanced study in lighting design and technology for this rapidly changing field. Topics will vary each semester dependent on changes in the industry. This course may be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 248. A lecture and lab course that expands on the elements of being a Props Head, including organization and acquisition techniques, prop construction, and research.
Prerequisite(s): All 100 and 200-level major requirements. Restriction(s): BA Theatre Studies majors only. Principles and techniques of children's theatre as applied in classroom, theater and speech therapy programs paralleling the mental, physical and emotional levels of children. Student participation in planning and presenting demonstrations with children.
Prerequisite(s): Any 200-level THTR course. Focused on presenting new short works written, performed and produced entirely by students. Material may be drawn from Playwriting I and II courses. Focus will be on play development for public presentation in collaboration with a teams of student writers, performers, directors, dramaturgs, designers, and technicians. Participants will engage in all aspects associated with creating a public event, possibly in a festival format, including but not limited to activities ranging from rehearsing, promotion, and producing. This course supports student playwriting and emphasizes new play development and self-producing.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 223. Restriction(s): Theatre, or Dance majors only. Lecture and laboratory demonstration on sound substitutions, rhythms, and inflectional patterns used in creating effective stage dialects. Performance in standard British, Cockney, Irish, Scottish, French, Italian, German, and Spanish dialects.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 284 and DNCE 285 for Dance majors; or THTR 223, THTR 321 and THTR 326 for Theatre majors; departmental approval required. In this course, acting and dance students will learn performance skills in order to negotiate moving and speaking in experimental and non-text based performance genres. Emphasis is placed on naturalistic and abstract ways of being and partnering to carry forward story narration. Physical Theatre Perspectives through devised scene work unites vocal, theatrical, and movement techniques into one borderless expression that can apply to the current fields of performance art, immersive, and physical theatre standards in Europe and the United States.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 105 or THTR 115. Stage use of sword-play, hand-to-hand combat and combat choreography with broadsword, epee, cudgel and staff among others.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 105 or THTR 115. Fundamentals of the art of classic mime including basic body controls and movements.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 256. Stage use of sword-play, hand-to-hand combat and combat choreography. Applicable industry combat standards as it relates to those who manage them.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 256. The initiation, development and continuing operation of the theatrical enterprise including methods of finance, budget and contract and methods of audience research and development.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 256. A study of the legal aspects of work in theatre including contracts and unions.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 100 or THTR 180 or THTR 208. Restriction(s): Permission of instructor; interview required. This course explores, through the integration of theory and practice, theater as a catalyst for social change and provides a structure for making community connections. Coursework will consist of readings and performance viewings drawn from this genre. Students will work directly with specific community populations to translate the experience and stories of others into devised community performance. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits. Equivalent course THTR 235 effective through Summer 2022.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 256. Study and compare aspects related to the management of theatrical productions in professional and educational theatre. The course will cover resource management, budget planning and tracking, labor union rules and regulations.
Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor and interview required. In this course students create performances outside of traditional theater spaces through the integration of interdisciplinary research and theatrical practice. Coursework consists of readings and viewings drawn from historical and contemporary approaches to and conceptions of site‐specific performance, such as: performance studies, Medieval pageant plays, political street theater, and performance art. Students will work at a site‐specific location and engage in research related to that location to develop a culminating performance project. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits. Equivalent course THTR 286 effective through Spring 2023.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 208 or departmental approval. The creation of an original script suitable for production. The cause to effect play will be investigated as well as newer trends in theatre. Investigation of marketing possibilities and the preparation of scripts for submission. Students should have a background in the technique and artistic aspects of the theatre.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 391. This course is a continued exploration of writing for the stage with the study of dramaturgical elements in the work of contemporary and classic playwrights. Students will examine and continue study of story development, structure, and the use of dialogue. They will hone their craft; through creating multiple narrative strategies as well as generating short scripts and a completed one act. This course will also focus on professional training and development to learn about the business and how to producing one's own work, agents, graduate schools, and submitting to new play festivals.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 381. This course presents the principles and methods of raising funds for nonprofit arts organizations from individuals, businesses, government agencies and foundations. These methods could include grant writing, direct marketing, special events, researching and soliciting major donors and identifying potential board member. Students will study how to cultivate and maintain a governing body that promotes a legally sound, effective, and successful nonprofit organization. The course will culminate in the development of a fundraising action plan for a nonprofit or a case study organization.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 381. Designed especially for those who are unfamiliar with financial concepts, this course will introduce students to developing a budget and reading and interpreting financial statements. Through discussion and hands-on exercises, students will explore ways of developing and sustaining fiscal responsibility throughout an organization, including the understanding of roles and responsibilities of the board of directors, management and staff. The course will culminate in the preparation of a financial plan for your own nonprofit or a case study of an organization.
Restriction(s): BFA or BA Theatre majors only and departmental approval. Proposals must be submitted for departmental approval prior to registration for the course. May be repeated without limit as long as the topic is different.
Corequisite(s): THTR 361. Prerequisite(s): THTR 105, THTR 110, THTR 120, THTR 215 and THTR 361. Restriction(s): Theatre Studies majors only. An advanced scene study class for junior and senior Theatre Studies majors, focusing on the plays of Ibsen, Strindberg and Chekhov. Coursework is grounded in the theories and techniques of Stanislavky, and includes textual analysis, improvisional exercises and scenework.
Prerequisite(s): Any 300-level THTR course. Students will learn approaches, problems, resources and techniques for teaching and developing theatre programs geared to grades 7‐12 and various adult levels. Includes curriculum, unit and lesson planning as well as practical application of methodology.
Restriction(s): BFA or BA Theatre majors only and departmental approval. Practical experience as a member of a professional, semi-professional, or educational theater on- or off- campus. The student works as an actor, or as an assistant to the director, designer or producer. An advanced scene study class for junior and senior Theatre Studies majors, focusing on the plays of Ibsen, Strindberg and Chekhov. Coursework is grounded in the theories and techniques of Stanislavky, and includes textual analysis, improvisional exercises and scenework.
Corequisite(s): THTR 411 or permission. Prerequisite(s): THTR 361. This course is the capstone for the BA in Theatre Studies Program. Final project with a written and practical/performance component will be devised by the students in collaboration with a faculty playwright and/or director.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 208 and THTR 361. Dramatic principles of theme, content, and characterization as they relate to production and performance; evaluation and analysis of the basic ingredients of dramatic criticism as related to the critic, the director, the scenic artist and the performer.
Restriction(s): Senior Level Theatre and Musical Theatre majors only; and by invitation only. Special fee. Preparation and performance of showcases for industry representatives to introduce students to the professional theatre.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 330; all 100 and 200-level major requirements. Restriction(s): BA Theatre Studies majors, BFA Theatre, Acting concentration majors, or BFA Theatre, Production/Design majors only. Advanced play direction with emphasis on the director's analysis of the script and working with performers; participants will direct a scene and a one act play.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 430. Exploration of significant styles of production. Each participant will direct scenes in various period styles. A final stylistic project performed for an audience.
Restriction(s): BA or BFA Theatre majors only and departmental approval. A selected aspect of theatrical theory and/or practice not included in the regular departmental offerings will be explored in depth. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 322 or departmental approval. Analysis and performance of scenes from Shakespearean histories, comedies, and tragedies.
Restriction(s): BA Theatre Studies majors, or BFA Theatre, Acting concentration majors, or BFA Theatre, Design, Technology and Management concentration majors only; and junior or senior standing and departmental approval. An advanced course combining students as actors or directors engaged in research and performance of classical and contemporary styles of theatre in a "works-in-progress" atmosphere. Material will be drawn from the full spectrum of theatre.
Restriction(s): BA Theatre Studies major, or BFA Theatre, Acting concentration or BFA Theatre, Design, Technology and Management concentration students only; and junior or senior standing and departmental approval. A continuation of dramatic workshop providing advanced research, exploration and performance for acting-directing experimentation with various modes such as readers' theater, story theater and environmental theater. Problems of adaptation of plays of one period into other periods and of non-theatrical material into a theatrical form.
Prerequisite(s): One 300-level course. Restriction(s): BFA Theatre w/conc in Design, Technology and Management majors only, with senior standing. Capstone course for Production and Design majors focused on resume, website and portfolio development.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 345 or THTR 346 or THTR 347 or THTR 348 or departmental approval. Advanced instruction and mentorship of realized design work assigned through department productions and/or through paper projects to further develop essential competencies and knowledge of process. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 360. Acting and directing creative abilities in students; assisting other teachers in applying dramatics, music, art and dance in presentation of various subjects.
Prerequisite(s): THTR 330 or THTR 345 or THTR 346 or THTR 347 or THTR 348. Development of the collaborative skills needed between director and designer for stage and screen production. Student teams will develop directorial and design approaches to scripts through substantial analysis, research, and conversation.
Restriction(s): BA Theatre Studies and BFA Theatre, Acting, Musical Theatre, and Production/Design concentration majors only; and senior standing and departmental approval. Upper-class undergraduate students may pursue a major portion of a semesters work under the supervision of an experienced professional practitioner as an assistant in an active, successful theatre, dance, speech or media center program. Departmental eligibility and approval must be secured by the mid-point of the semester preceding registration. Credit by arrangement.
Foundations in research and research methodologies. A survey of resources and methods (including critical, historical and textual) in theatre to assist students in assessing and designing research. Course must be completed in first two semesters of matriculation.
The theory and practice in today's professional theatre: writing, acting, directing and producing problems and trends of current theatrical fare. Open to all graduate students.
Introduction and overview of dramaturgy as a component of the creative team. Includes units on production dramaturgy, collaboration with directors, new play development, working with playwrights and adaptation.
Students pursue projects in one of the following areas: acting, directing, scenic design, lighting design, technical theatre or management. May be repeated for a maximum of six credits.
Prerequisite(s): Departmental approval. Practical experience in theatre under supervision of staff member of professional, semi-professional or educational theatre, on- or off-campus.
A selected topic in the history, literature, criticism of theory of theatre and drama not included in the regular departmental offerings will be examined in depth. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits.
A study of selected dramatic texts from world drama spanning a wide range of times and traditions. Emphasis on genres such as comedy, tragedy, farce, melodrama, history plays, and documentary drama; movements such as neoclassicism, naturalism, and avantgarde(s); and structural conventions such as mimesis; crisis, climax, and resolution; and stylistic modes such as satire, pastoral, and grotesque; and topics and themes such as postcolonialism, eco-theater, and site-specific performance.
An examination of early world theater and performance traditions. Emphasis on relationship to ritual and social and political context. Course may be taught as a survey or may focus in depth on one or more early world performance style(s).
Theatrical history associated with Western culture from 1890 to the present; the contemporary theatrical scene and its direct heritage. Major emphasis on British and continental developments with some attention to American theatre.
The course explores movements in theater of the African Diaspora, examining historical theater movements within specific social, political, and cultural contexts. Possible specific traditions include African traditional, colonial, and postcolonial performance; African American theater; and AfroCaribbean drama. The course will explore the significance of theater as part of a movement, how "community" is defined and created, and the role of race in American or global theater history. Readings will include manifestos, plays, critical analyses, and historical and contextual documents. Artists covered might include August Wilson, Adrienne Kennedy, SuzanLori Parks, Anna Deveare Smith, Amiri Baraka, Derek Wallcott, Terrell Alvin McCraney, Brian JacobsJenkins, Aime Cesaire, Wole Soyinka, Ngugi wa Thiongo.
This course explores theatre as a catalyst for social change through a hybrid face‐to‐face, online, and offsite interface. Coursework consists of readings and performance viewings spanning artists including Bertolt Brecht, Augusto Boal, and Anna Deveare Smith. Coursework may also include transdisciplinary research into art and performance for social change in related genres. Students will engage both intellectually and experientially with historical and contemporary strategies for creating theatre for social change. Assignments include research papers and presentations as well as the application of theatrical and community‐building techniques in a workshop setting.
The course offers an introduction to the field of drama therapy. We will look at what role drama therapy plays in our schools and institutions and how, with adequate training, drama therapy techniques can be used responsibly by therapists, teachers, recreational workers, child life specialists, and theater professionals, among others. Several theories and approaches to drama therapy will be examined including Robert Landy’s role theory, David Read Johnson’s developmental transformations, Moreno’s psychodrama, and Jonathan Fox’s Playback Theater. We will also touch upon drama therapy as rooted in the more traditional forms of therapy and clinical approaches. Throughout the class, we will address how to achieve comfortable aesthetic distance through use of metaphor and other distancing techniques (i.e. masks and puppets) and when to use less distanced techniques. The use of drama therapy techniques with various clinical and non‐clinical populations will be discussed, and students will learn how to write a proposal and treatment curriculum for use of drama therapy with clinical populations. Students will be introduced to the techniques experientially, in addition to theoretically, while having the opportunity to role play the client and the practitioner. Students will be asked to explore a personal issue(s) through the drama therapy framework in order to experience the techniques firsthand before taking on the responsibility of the practitioner/facilitator. Students will analyze their experiences through journaling and by creating a self‐revelatory performance based in role theory.
Historical review of the principles involved in theatre criticism from a literary perspective. While attention is given to selected historical periods, dramatic theorists and theatre critics, the focus of class is on contemporary critical methodologies that augment playscript interpretation and production.
An inquiry into the innovations, traditions, and conventions made by Latinx artists. Time period ranging from the 20th Century to contemporary theatre, this course will look at plays and productions created by Latinx artists and how they have influenced culture. The course will also examine theories and histories arising from the formation of multicultural (Latinx, Chicano, Puerto Rican, Nuyrican, Caribbean, Afro‐Latinx, Etc, Etc) identities in the Americas.
A workshop of acting styles from the classical to the modern, highlighting traditional periods, including Greek, Elizabethan, Restoration, and realistic acting. The basic assignments of the course are scene study and class presentations, individual and partner work in assignments and exercises.
Reading and assessment of important texts in the theory, history, criticism and practice of theatre.
A workshop in play directing, including analysis and direction of scenes from realistic and period style plays. Final project includes a director's analysis and prompt script or the equivalent work in a term report on a particular approach to directing.
This playwriting course employs a series of exercises to develop characters, settings, scenes, plot, and eventually a full length play. Students read and discuss their plays in class during the writing and revising process; they also analyze a variety of dramatic texts and other sources to discover individual voice and understand narrative structure.
Scene design as related to the play, director and audience. Theatrical styles, genres, multiple, unit and simultaneous settings discussed. Includes script analysis and design work with an emphasis on visualization of design concepts, perspective sketch and modeling techniques.
Design problems inherent in musical comedy, opera and dance. Emphasis on planning, design and execution of scenery.
The theory and practice of lighting design from both pragmatic and esthetic points of view. The student will focus on the function and qualities of lighting as a design medium and its application to various styles of theatrical production. Student will develop several lighting plots and schedules.
Physical resources available to technician. Exploration of new materials and techniques as well as extensive work in standard techniques. Knowledge of drafting techniques helpful.
Costume as one visual element of design in the theatre. Research procedure, design theory, construction techniques, use of materials.
The theatre as a business enterprise: production units; box office procedures; standard contractual arrangements; unions and their regulations; subscription management. Manager as a community relations specialist; publicity; the theatre as a community resource. Open to graduate students with a background in performing arts.
Experiential study of stage management including: pre-production script analysis, organizing a prompt script, function in production meetings, implementing rehearsal schedule and company rules, rehearsal duties, technical rehearsals, and running/closing the show. Student will participate in all productions.
Experiential study of season scheduling; space scheduling; rehearsal scheduling; budgeting and pricing out costs for sets, costumes, lighting and props; management of backstage personnel; union contracts; and safety issues in the theatre and backstage. Course work supplemented by hands-on work on theatre/dance projects and spaces.
Prerequisite(s): Departmental approval. Individual projects in theatre that result in significant research. May be repeated without limited as long as the topic is different.
Student will create a specific culminating project under the direction of a faculty member. This project may be research or experiential, but it will result in a substantial written component. Students will share their work and received feedback from their peers and the instructor as a group cohort. Seminar Style Course.