THEATRE 1101

The Theatre Experience: An Introduction

Th 1101

Fall 2002

M, W, F 11:45-12:50

Practicum – 2 hours per week – M-F 2:15-5:30

Contents

1. Syllabus

2. Practicum contract

3. General Theatre Policies

4. Safety Guide

THEATRE 1101

THE THEATRE EXPERIENCE: AN INTRODUCTION

Fall 2002

Instructors: Siobhan Bremer Office: HFA 105D; Phone: 589-6245; e-mail: bremers

Office M,T, W 3 p.m.; or by appointment

Tap Payne (in charge of all practicum issues)

Office: HFA M105A; Phone: 589-6266; e-mail: paynetr

Class Hours: MWF 11:45-12:50 HFA 120

Practicum Hours: 2 hours a week for entire semester, arranged in the afternoon 2:15-5:30 p.m. M-F.

This course introduces the student to the study and the art of theatre. The focus of this course is on the student’s discovery of the aesthetic, communicative, collaborative, and performative elements of the theatrical process. The objectives of this course are to provide information about the historical and critical influence of theatre as a social force, to supply the analytical skills necessary to explore dramatic texts, to experience a wide variety of performance and artistic theatrical styles, to discover the values of active participation in a theatrical event and to develop a foundation for further study and appreciation of the arts and crafts of theatre. Teaching methods include, but are not limited to, lecture, large / small group discussion and activities, video viewing, and practical experience and application of ideas.

Texts: Cohen. Theatre: Brief Edition, 5th ed.
Klaus/Gilbert. Stages of Drama: Classical to Contemporary Theatre, 4^th ed.

Requirements:

1. Class activities/assignments, discussion and active participation
2. Theatre practicum
3. Quizzes and final exam
                4. Production attendance and review
                5. Acting/directing project
                6. Assigned text and play readings
7. Class attendance

Grading:

1. Class attendance, discussion, and participation 110 pts

*2. Practicum 200 pts

3. Quizzes 100 pts

*4. Final 100 pts

5. Acting/Directing project 100 pts

*6. Production attendance and review 100 pts

7. Script 50 pts

8. Oral Report 10 pts

9. Blocking Exercise 5 pts

10. Play in History presentation 25 pts

Grading Scale:

800 - 700pts = A

699 - 600pts = B

599 - 500pts = C

499 - 400pts = D

399 – 0 pts = F

S-N Grading:

Student must receive a final grade of at least a "C" to receive credit.

Attendance:

Attendance in this class is mandatory. Roll will be taken. Official UMM class excuses IN WRITING are recognized. These official excuses, issued by the Chancellor's Office, do not excuse the student from the material covered in the class meetings on days missed. Absent students are expected to get proper notes, information, announcements, etc., from class members who were in attendance. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange for any make-up work. See Carrie Grussing in Behmler 309 for activity participation excuses and Melody Veenendaal in 309 Behmler for family emergency excuses.

Class activities, discussion and participation:

Participation is an essential part of this course. Students are required to be prepared for and be an active participant in class. Much of this class relies on student involvement. If you are not volunteering, you will be volunteered. Students who are late to class disrupt participation. If you miss on a group presentation day you CANNOT make it up.

Practicum:

The purpose of this practicum requirement is to acquaint students with the theatrical experience in a more intimate manner. The requirement is for 30 HOURS OF PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE over the full semester. Think of this as the lab requirement for The Theatre Experience. To receive a grade for this course, students must complete at least 23 of the 30 practicum hours. This requirement may be met in one of 3 ways:

Option #1 Students may work in the scene shop, costume shop, lighting crew or publicity on a regular basis throughout the semester. This generally translates into one afternoon (two hours) per week. Shop hours are from 2:15 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. One hour does not properly allow us to give you instructions, permit you to clean up the mess you make and still have time to get anything done. Students must schedule at least a two hour block. NOTE: Please try to avoid scheduling work on Friday afternoons in the scene shop. We try to use Fridays for make-up days and for scheduling things that require all of the staff, leaving no one to supervise.

It will not be possible to cram all 30 hours of work into the last week of the semester. We will have 3 times during the semester when your total hours are due,

Option #2: Alternative number 2 is to work on the running crew of one of the Fall shows. One show is Dancing at Luhnassa, running Oct. 31-Nov. , 2002; the other is The Christmas Carol Concert, This will mean working EVERY EVENING from the Friday before the show opens until it closes AND all day Saturday and Sunday for two weekends throughout technical rehearsal, dress rehearsal, and performances. There are a limited number of crew positions available; after they are filled, no other class members will have this option.

If you make this commitment, you must sign the enclosed contract and honor it completely. If you do not, you will receive no credit for the practicum. See Professor Payne soon if you wish to exercise this option.

Option #3 The final alternative is to be a member of the cast in the Fall theatre production of Dancing at Lunhnassa. Some parts may not be sufficient to entirely satisfy the practicum requirement, in which case some scene shop hours may still be required. Students will certainly spend more than 30 hours with this option. Auditions for the production will be in Sept. in the Proscenium Theatre.

If you exercise this option, you may not receive additional credit for Th 1060, Theatre Practicum or Th 1070 Theatre Performance. You cannot be guaranteed either option #2 or option #3.

Being an ONSTAGE PARTICIPANT of the Carol Concert will not satisfy the practicum for this course.

Examinations/Quizzes:

You can find the date when the quizzes will be given on the daily schedule. If you are absent on the day of a quiz, you will receive a "0" for that test. THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS OR QUIZZES GIVEN without a sufficient written excuse. The final exam will only be given on the date and time mandated by the university.

Production Attendance/Review:

Students are required to attend to University Theatre Production Medea. Discount tickets, as well as group discounts, are available for students in advance. Production dates are Oct. 25-27 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. Performances are in the Proscenium Theatre. A one page critical response to the production will be required. Additional information will be provided.

Acting/Directing Project:

Students will be assigned in groups to prepare a short scene from a play. This project includes a written analysis of the play and directoral choices, a scene and costume design summery and a memorized performance in front of the class. Additional information will be provided.

Assigned/Written Work:

All written work must be TYPED or it will not be accepted. No late assigned or written work will be accepted. All papers should be free of spelling, grammatical and typographical errors. The grade of the paper will suffer if it is not properly proofread. For your own protection, make copies of everything you turn in.

Academic Honesty:

The University of Minnesota and UMM operate under an academic integrity system whereby it is assumed that students understand the rules and agree to abide by them. (See current UMM Catalog.) There are penalties for various kinds of academic dishonesty. Cheating on exams and quizzes and plagiarism are the most obvious forms of academic dishonesty. Any actions that are intended to subvert the grading process are also included under this heading. Misrepresenting your own attendance record or practicum time card hours (or assisting someone else to misrepresent theirs), for example, would be considered a form of academic dishonesty and therefore subject to disciplinary action and penalty. All incidents of academic dishonesty will be reported and acted upon.

Extra Credit:

There is no provision for extra credit in this course.

Incompletes:

There will be no incompletes given for this course.

Policy:

No eating, chewing gum, or drinking in Black Box Theatre. Keep your feet off of the seats. Do not write on the seats. Please protect the theatre space.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

subject to change

Aug. 27 M Intro to course

29 W class notes Chpt 1-3, Theatre staff

31 F Resume, Auditions (Assign Groups), Rehearsal & line memory

Sept. 3 M Labor Day NO CLASS

5 W Playwright Assignment Chpt 4

7 F *Quiz Chpt 1-3 Give assigned group play oral report

10 M Romeo & Juliet

12 W Romeo & Juliet

14 F Romeo & Juliet Chpt 5-6

17 M *Three page / Three Character Script DJE, Group Read

19 W Practice with group

21 F Perform Scripts

24 M Perform Scripts, Vote on Best

26 W Director & Blocking Exercise, Class sample

28 F *Quiz 4-6, Blocking continued, East & West Chpt 7

Oct. 1 M Video on Easier Theatre

3 W Modern Theatre Assigned Group Play Chpt 8

5 F Work Day

8 M Oral Reports on Assigned play (character plot)

10 W Continue Oral Reports

12 F Continue Oral Report

15 M No class

17 W Musical Theatre, Chpt 9 (Recordings)

19 F The Today, Chpt 10, Critique Chpt 11

22 M *Quiz 7-9

24 W View On The Town video

26 F View On The Town video

29 M Tour Day

31 W *QUIZ CHPT 10 THEATRE HISTORY (G.R.R.R.M.C.) (set up Research)

Nov. 2 F Work Day

5 M Present Plot & Theatre History and how significant

7 W Present

9 F Present

12 M Childrens Theatre, Voice & Body Work

14 W Explain Final Project Written Work Rehearsals

16 F Script selection

19 M Rehearsal (read play, develop scenic needs, discuss characters)

21 W Rehearsal (Block & rehearse scene, develop characters)

23 F NO CLASS

26 M Rehearsal (work scene, character emotion, business, develop pace)

28 W Rehearsal (Run scene, work on building to climax, dynamic tension)

30 F Rehearsal (Run scene, work on building to climax, dynamic tension)

Dec. 3 M Rehearsal (Run scene, work on building to climax, dynamic tension)

5 W Rehearsal (Final Dress rehearsals)

7 F Group presentation

10 M Group

12 W Group presentation

14 F NO CLASS STUDY DAY

18 T Final Exam Time 8:30 a.m.