Theater

The theater program integrates classroom study with practical experience in productions. Students in the program develop familiarity with a body of representative plays, examine the theoretical and historical foundations of drama, and build skills which they test and refine in the rigors of performance.

The program is designed to serve both those who plan to pursue theater as a career—whether as professional actors, directors, designers, technicians, and writers, or as scholars and professors—and those simply interested in learning more about theater as part of their liberal arts education. To that end, the program offers the college and local community opportunities to experience unusual and adventurous live productions.

Work in the program begins with introductory courses which offer students the opportunity to explore aspects of performances and production. As they progress in the program, students are encouraged to continue to take courses which expand their familiarity with the entire field of theater, from writing and history of drama to lighting, set design, and costume.

Students may arrange independent studies, tutorials, internships, and extended campus projects with theater faculty members; these may include play readings and workshops with professional actors.

Acting Courses

Improvisation and Imagination The ability to play is the heart of all performance, yet most performers believe it to be the frivolous activity of children. Because imagination can be perceived as the enemy of analysis, improvisation often strikes terror in the hearts of even the most experienced performers. Through a carefully crafted sequence of exercises, this course challenges these concepts and rekindles the performer’s ability to play, imagine, and improvise. These qualities are introduced and developed as techniques for performance and analysis. Habitual responses, cultural influences, and status are examined with exercises in self-awareness, observation, and personal reflection. An excellent fundamental course for students from all backgrounds. No prerequisite. This course is a prerequisite for most upper level theater courses.

Text: Personalization Personalization technique is the performer’s ability to recreate the character’s experience and convey that experience to the audience. Much contemporary theater theory is based on this approach. Exercises in sense memory, affective memory, relaxation, and voice aid each individual in their personalization of the text. The complex questions which arise from the individual’s experience of these exercises is addressed in the classroom. Emotional truth in playing is emphasized, culminating in a monologue performed at the conclusion of the course. Prerequisite: Theater 100 or 117 or permission of the instructor.

Introduction to Acting Theory This module is recommended for all students of theater. It is a prerequisite and serves as a theoretical base for all subsequent acting courses. You may receive the permission of the instructor to go on to the next level if you have substantial previous experience in the theater. The basics of theater history, characterization, and acting theory are the core of this course. Using a variety of theater exercises, readings in acting theory, and text work, each student will be introduced to the techniques of imaginative response, spontaniety, text analysis, and self-awareness as the fundamental skills of an actor. No prerequisite.

Viewpoints This course introduces the “Viewpoints” (a performing technique developed from Modern Dance theory by director Anne Bogart) to actors of all levels. The Viewpoints are tools which allow the actor to become an active collaborator in the artistic process, empowering him/her to open his/her awareness during performance to the innumerable possibilities of each moment. Through a series of group and individual exercises actors will learn this technique and apply it to text. No prerequisite. This course is a prerequisite for most upper level theater courses.

Theater Through the Ages Did you know that “Directors” never even existed in the theater until the 20th century? Or that early theater was performed in the open air or had open roofs using sunlight for lighting? Or that our modern “Mardi Gras” is related to the Medieval Mystery Plays? Designed for theater majors and non majors—anyone interested in theater—this course traces the development of Western theater from Dionysian festivals to modern day Broadway. Beginning with the Greek theater we will explore the theatrical impulse through the ages. No prerequisite.

Listening, Analysis, and Characterization Text is the medium of the actor’s art and must be thorougly understood by the performer. A clear understanding is the result of careful analysis of the play as a whole: finding clues to the character (the point of view), realizing the state of the character before and after the scene, and an understanding of how each character contributes to the overall meaning of the play. Such analysis along with the examination of acting theory developed after the turn of the century are the focus of this course. Prerequisite: Theater 100 or Theater 117, or permission of the instructor.

Voice: Resonating with Words Vocal exercises condition both mind and body, enabling the actor to express the visceral and intellectual potential of any text, whether classical or modern. In this course students learn actors’ vocal warm-up techniques and the concept underlying each exercise in the progression. All contribute to breath control, since breath is germane to speaking and carries the impulse of thought and feeling into each word. Learning to understand the impact of character and the function of figures of speech in dramatic form are other aspects of the course; students build their skills by presenting poetry and prose to the class, and finally by preparing and performing two contrasting monologues (one classical and one modern) in a setting designed to mimic that of a professional audition. Prerequisite: Theater 100 or Theater 117, or permission of the instructor.

Viewpoints II & Composition Work: Composing for the Stage This course builds on the Viewpoints tools introduced in Theater 117. Over the course of the semester, we will further develop our understanding and mastery of the physical viewpoints of time and space: tempo, duration, kinesthetic response, rrepetition, shape, gesture, architecture, spatial relationship, and topography and the vocal viewpoints. As we progress through the Viewpoints work, we will also learn compositional tools. During the course of the semester, students will compose original pieces for the stage using the Viewpoints and Compositional tools both individually and in groups to be presented in a final showing. Prerequisite: Theater 117.

Acting for the Camera I The training an actor receives as preparation for working in the theater, and the accumulated experience of rehearsals and performance on stage, are invaluable background as preparation for working in film. In this course we will examine the ways in which film acting presents its own unique challenges to the actor. We will look at film scripts and learn how to see a film in the image its writer has created as well as develop characterization from the bare bones of a script. From the actor’s point of view we gain a basic understanding of how a film is shot and will work with acting techniques that support the demands of working in front of the camera, on location, and sometimes with a computer generated partner that will be added to the film months later. Lee Strasberg’s relaxation and sensory exercises will be taught in order to develop the skill to create and sustain concentration and a sense of emotional vocabulary, beliefs, and personal truths. Each student will choose a scene and partner to work with. This scene will be developed and put on film early giving the students an opportunity to see both the unedited and edited footage of their scenes. Prerequisite: One 200-level theater course or permission of the instructor.

An Actor Prepares: The Sense Memory The exploration of sense memory and emotional memory was first written about and developed by Russian actor and director Constantin Stanislavski. Lee Strasberg continued this work further with the Group Theater in New York and at the Actor’s Studio. Although it is sometimes referred to as “the method,” in this class we will specifically explore sense memory exercises and their application as a skill for the preparation of work on text, character, and relationship. These exercises will also aid in development of concentration, relaxation, and creative choice in monologue, song, and scene work. Prerequisite: Theater 201 or permission of the instructor.

Activism in Performance Activism is a necessary voice in society; a voice against the chorus. This course invites students from all disciplines to examine current events and explore writing through the arts. Effective activism will be selectively studied through the documentation of groups and individuals protesting current events since 1960. Students will write and perform their own work and/or research and create material for others to enact and/or create a statement through the visual arts. The course will culminate in a show created in form and content by the participants. The show will be rooted in a theme decided upon by the class. No prerequisite.

Shakespearean Scene Study William Shakespeare is undoubtedly the most well-known and masterful playwright in the Western Canon. His characters and texts present exciting challenges to students of the theater, both actors and directors. Over the course of the semester, we will analyze scenes from several of Shakespeare’s plays, taking them from the page to the stage. We will explore tools for working on Shakespearean scenes both for the actor and for the director—both by working on our feet and by observing how other actors and directors have addressed and resolved the acting and directing challenges these great plays present.

Advanced Acting Studio This course allows intermediate and advanced students to benefit from each other’s contributions in improvisations and text work and culminates with the in-depth exploration of a scene from Shakespeare. The focus is on expanding the actor’s range and building demonstrated proficiency in a variety of styles. An audience is invited to view a performance prepared by course participants. Students have opportunities to work on college productions if they choose to do so. Minimal fee required for theater tickets. Prerequisite: Theater 204 or permission of the instructor.

Theater Through the Ages Did you know that “Directors” never even existed in the theater until the 20th century? Or that early theater was performed in the open air or had open roofs using sunlight for lighting? Or that our modern “Mardi Gras” is related to the Medieval Mystery Plays? Designed for theater majors and non-majors—-anyone interested in theater—this course traces the development of western theater from Dionysian festivals to modern day Broadway. Beginning with the Greek theater we will explore the theatrical impulse through the ages. No prerequisites.

Clown and Comic Acting The theory and technique explored in this course are designed to give the actor comic performance skills. The clown’s ability to believe anything and perform from a point of view that challenges putative reality strengthens imagination and concentration. Texts and improvisation are the basis for each participant to explore the humor and also, the tragedy, that is often at the center of the “laugh.” Each actor uses clown, mask, and acting exercises to create comic characters and explore the humanity that is the basic element of comedy. Prerequisite: Theater 305 or permission of the instructor.

Movement Courses

Movement: Analysis of Expression This course, an introduction to movement as language, enables the performer to understand relationships among thought, feeling, and gesture. Students learn a series of exercises, analyze individual and group movement dynamics, keep journals, and participate in a final project with a practical and a written component. A text serves as a springboard for practical and philosophical investigation. Prerequisite: Two 100-level Dance or Theater courses or permission of the instructor. This course is a prerequisite for Theater 305.

Functional/Experiential Anatomy In this course, students work with developmental movement sequences involved in maturation, and study the ways in which these sequences affect human relationships in order to understand the structure and function of human anatomy. Students interested in preventing injury, recuperation techniques, and efficient human movement will benefit from this course. Prerequisite: Two 100-level Dance or Theater courses or permission of the instructor.

Mask and Movement This course examines personal experience in the creation of roles through the use of mask and movement. The class studies the difference between social and theatrical masks and examines the history of mask. The class explores premask exercises that integrate skills with instincts and allow the body to reflect the emotional life of a character. The course culminates in each student’s creation of two masks, a full personal mask and a half character mask, one of which is used in a final performance. Prerequisite: Theater 204 or permission of the instructor.

Production Courses

Production Workshop In this module, each student develops one or more roles, culminating in a black box production of a one-act play or a series of multiple short plays. By going through the production process from start to finish, students learn how to research, develop, rehearse, and perform a role in a play, balancing each individual’s needs with those of the group. Through limited participation in technical and managerial aspects of the production, students gain a deeper awareness of the teamwork necessary for any theatrical endeavor. This module is intended for students who have not yet taken the 200-level Production Course. Previous theater experience is recommended but not required.

Scene Design A study of the aesthetic and mechanical elements of design, the course will concentrate on the processes of developing a scenic design for the stage. Analysis, conceptualization, drafting, drawing, rendering, and model building will be explored.

Studies in Production: Performance This module is concerned with the faculty-supervised, student- generated, dramatic endeavor. This project is realized with limited technical support and is intended to be an intensive interface between the student director, the student performers, and the faculty supervisor. The student actors and stage managers involved are introduced to the principles and elements of performance without the rigors of the faculty-directed, semester-long project. Generally, the content of the performance is equivalent to a one-act play. This course includes some basic research and readings pertaining to acting/ directing theory and texts related to the performance material(s) themselves. A paper is due at the end of the module and all students are expected to fulfill their assigned duties and adhere to the rehearsal schedule. Almost all rehearsal occurs during class time, with the direct supervision of the faculty instructor. This module is intended as an introductory course in the theater program. It has no prerequisites for any participating student, except for the student director. The student director must have the instructor’s permission.

Costume and Prop Design and Execution This is a hands-on course where students will learn the process and general skills needed for theatrical costume and prop execution from inception to finished product. They will learn to assess a play for its needs, research time periods and places, and adapt them to a play. Strong emphasis will be placed on planning effectively in order to produce real costumes and props for a given play, as envisioned by a director, within a budget and a proscribed period of time. Some time will be spent on getting input from a director, actors, and other designers, using that information in a design concept and getting final approval before starting. Along with methods of effective research and planning, students will be exposed to the rudimentary skills needed to find, purchase, adapt and/or construct costumes and props.

Stage Management Stage management is the organization and implementation of a theater production from its very conception to the culmination of the project. The development of skills in scheduling, communicating, problem solving, and organization of a production will be an integral part of the course. Emphasis will be placed on implementing auditions, reading draftings of the finished production, running rehearsals as well as running any performance onstage. Equal emphasis will be placed on the documentation necessary for a production including developing rehearsal and performance reports, the prompt book, properties charts, shift charts, sound cues, and lighting cues.

Stagecraft I The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to the fundamentals of technical theater: the “backstage” work that goes into a theatrical production. This hands-on course looks at the general and specific skills necessary to help create the staging that, when combined with the work of actors, designers, and directors, results in the audience being transported by the play. The material presented supports individual interests, and should give students a basic working knowledge of the craft. Because it is important that actors, technicians, and designers understand all elements of theater this course is a prerequisite for production.

Lighting Fundamentals This course will introduce the student to the fundamentals of theatrical lighting technology. Lighting is a vital part of the production process and the technology is getting more and more complex. We will cover the basics of lighting instruments, control consoles, dimmer systems, control software, and dimming technology as well as introduce the basics of intelligent lighting instruments and tools.

Production Students of different experience and abilities learn about all aspects of theater by participating in the college’s productions as actors, directors, technicians, carpenters, designers, costumers, and stage managers, as well as doing publicity and front-of-house management. Prerequisite: Theater 115, a 200-level Theater course, and an audition.

The American Musical The musical is one of America’s greatest contributions to world theater. In this course, students study the American musical through performance experience, listening activities, and textual work on musical theater history. The primary performance event is a book musical or revue, which will vary from year to year. Smaller-scale concert performances of solos and ensembles selected by the students may supplement the larger show. Written assignments incorporate dramatic, musical, and dramaturgical research and analysis. Prerequisite: Theater 115, a 200-level Theater course, and an audition.

Performance Practicum This course is designed for students of the theater who have completed the introductory courses. The technique of text analysis, physical and vocal characterization, ensemble playing, and emotional truth in playing will be synthesized in the performance of a faculty-directed play. This play will be performed in the middle of the semester. The latter half of the semester will be the study of the Shakespeare & Company acting approach to Shakespeare’s text—how to embody and personalize the verse. Prerequisites: Production for the 300-level course; Performance Practicum for the 400-level course.

Other Theater Courses

Topics in Theater The subject of this course changes every semester depending on student interests. Some possible topics are voice, scene design, mime, movement for actors, clown, Shakespeare, and junior/senior seminar in dramatic literature. Prerequisite: none for 100-level; above 100-level, permission of the instructor.

Theater Tutorial Under these course numbers, juniors and seniors design tutorials to meet their particular interests and programmatic needs. A student should see the prospective tutor to define an area of mutual interest to pursue either individually or in a small group. A student may register for no more than one tutorial in any semester.