This is an advanced scene study course that builds upon the skills gained in Acting II and III, and trains students to handle specific acting challenges. Special attention is given to listening and connecting, and playing to win using action-based objectives. Scenes are taken from American post-war classics, the 1960s-70s avant-garde, and contemporary dramatic literature. This course may be repeated once for credit.
Prerequisite(s): THTRE 002 Script Analysis, THTRE 007 Acting I, THTRE 107 Acting II, and THTRE 157 Acting III or permission of instructor.
(Normally offered on odd spring semesters.)
THTRE 002 Script Analysis (3 hours)
This is a fundamental course in the systematic analysis of dramatic texts. It is designed to equip theatre arts majors and minors with the textual expertise and vocabulary needed for academic discussion and artistic collaboration. Students will read and research a series of scripts in order to investigate the process in which a play develops from page to performance. Emphasis will also be given to how directors, designers, performers, and spectators individually and collaboratively engage with and utilize a dramatic text during each phase of the pre-rehearsal, rehearsal, and performance process.
(Normally offered each fall semester.)
THTRE 007 Acting I (3 hours)
This introductory acting course focuses on building physical, vocal, intellectual, and intuitive foundations for actors. Through discovery exercises, students increase their awareness of the fundamentals of contemporary acting and apply these concepts to monologue and scene work.
(Normally offered each fall semester.)
THTRE 107 Acting II (3 hours)
This intermediate acting course reinforces the fundamental skills acquired in Script Analysis and Acting I, and builds upon them in order to emphasize technique and truth in acting. Using elements from contemporary acting theorists (Meisner, LeCoq, Alder, etc.) students investigate contemporary dramatic texts. The process focuses on freeing the performer's instrument while concentrating on the actor's intent.
Prerequisite(s): THTRE 002 Script Analysis and THTRE 007 Acting I.
THTRE 157 Acting III (3 hours)
This is an advanced course in acting that incorporates the technique and truth in acting skills from Acting II and aims to provide an intensive study of character analysis and presentation skills. Performance texts for class activities and exercises will be drawn primarily from turn-of-the-century playwrights such as Ibsen, Shaw, and Chekhov. Attention is also to be given to the process of preparing professional auditions. This course may be repeated once for credit.
Prerequisite(s): THTRE 002 Script Analysis, THTRE 007 Acting I, and THTRE 107 Acting II.
(Normally offered on even fall semesters.)
