DRAMA 101: INTRODUCTION TO THE THEATRE

INSTRUCTOR: TAMMIS DOYLE

Summer 2002

 

Please remember that this syllabus is an outline and might be changed in order to more fully and imaginatively teach you this material.  “Chapter…” readings are from the text: Wilson’s The Theatre Experience.

 

Week One                            June 24 Introduction to class & theatre                      

June 24-27                             June 25 Bring list of favorite play, musical and three films

               Read short play in class (to be handed out)           

June 26 Introduction, Chapters 1-3                       

                                                               Theatregoers Guide

                                                               Bring in a Theatre Review from a Newspaper

June 27 “The Role of the Critic” paper due

                                                             

Week Two                             July 1            Acting exercises in class                          

July 1-3                                               Discussion of plays and musicals

                                                            Chapters 4-6

                                                July 2            Acting Analysis in Class (Steel Magnolias)

Watch Death of a Salesman scene for “Video Acting Analysis”

July 3  Video Acting Analysis paper due

Have one play chosen for both acting and design projects.

Chose acting partners/scenes            

                                                July 4            NO CLASS            

 

Week Three                           July 8  In class rehearsal                              

July 8-11                                  July 9             Hamlet, Chapter  8                        

                                    Hamlet paper due

                                    Discuss Elizabethan Theatre, drama, tragedy                               

July 10Watch Branagh’s Hamlet in class

July 11            Watch Branagh’s Hamlet in class

Read scenes from Hamlet in class

Rehearse once this week outside of class

 

Week Four                             July 15            The Importance of Being Earnest, Chapters 7 and 9

July 15-18                                           Earnest paper due

Discuss comedy, satire, parody, 19th century theatre                       

July 16 Read scenes from Earnest in class           

July 17 Present Acting Scenes

             Acting paperwork due

July 18 Present Acting Scenes

             Acting paperwork due            

                       

Week Five                             July 22 First professional play review due

July 22-25                                           Fiddler on the Roof, Chapter 10               

                                                            Fiddler on the Roof paper due

Watch Fiddler in class           

                                                July 23            Discuss the history of the musical          

                                                July 24            Watch/discuss Stephen Sondheim’s work

                                                July 25 Chapters 15-18

                                                            Discuss, look at stage space and all design elements                               

 

 

Week Six                                July 29            Review chapter 8, Chapters 12-14,      

July 29-Aug. 1                                  Cyrano de Bergerac

Cyrano de Bergerac  paper due

July 30 Discuss Heroic/ Romantic Drama

                                                             Watch Cyrano in class

July 31            Read scenes from Cyrano in class

                                                             Go over Design Project questions

Aug. 1  Design Project due

                                                            Give out Group Project forms and assign groups

 

Week Seven                         Aug. 5 Group Project in class              

Aug. 5-8                                 Aug 6  The Piano Lesson,  Chapter 11   

                                                            The Piano Lesson /Multi-cultural paper due

                                                            Discuss Group Projects

                                                            Discuss Multi-cultural/ethnic theatre, 20th/21st century theatre

Aug.7            Read scenes from The Piano Lesson in class

            Give oral reports on Multi-cultural theatres

Aug. 8 2nd professional Play Review Due           

            Final class wrap up

                       

 

ACTING PROJECT

Chose a scene from the list handed out in class.  The plays are all American realistic dramas and comedies.  You must find the play, read it and copy your scene out of it and highlight your lines.  You must “score” the script as we discuss in class, including the blocking, and the objective of your character.  Write a one page paper discussing the theme and plot of the play and scene.  Include a character biography of your character, including everything you know about your character from the scene and play.  You and your acting partner must rehearse at least twice outside of class and twice in class.  You must memorize the lines and bring some rehearsal props with which to perform on your appointed day.  Your final project packet must include ALL of the above as well as three student critiques of other scenes and a self-evaluation of your own scene.

 

DESIGN PROJECT

You will use the same play chosen for the acting project.  You must write a three-five page paper discussing the theme and plot of the play, and your concept of the design elements.  You must decide to design either the sets or the costumes, and then do the paperwork for those designs.  This paperwork includes the costume or set plots,  some drawings: renderings or groundplans.

 

MULTI-CULTURAL PRESENTATION

You will do a 2 page paper and presentation about a multi-cultural or ethnic theatre company for the rest of the class.  This is part of the “The Piano Lesson paper.”

 

THE FINAL GROUP PROJECT

The class will be divided up into groups of 4-6 people.  As a group you will become a theatre and will perform a series of functions that every theatre must including choosing a play to produce, and doing all that needs be done in order to produce it.

 

THE PLAYS TO SEE

You MUST see two plays/musicals this quarter.  They must be professional plays.  You will be given ideas for low cost ways of seeing these plays but you must make the time to see them.