Theatre Course Descriptions
1000 Level Courses
| THTR 1000 | Introduction to Theatre | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) |
An introduction to the art and practice of theatre, including acting, directing, playwriting, scenic and lighting design. Course includes required attendance at theatre productions. Approved for LAS Humanities area requirement. Approved for Compass Curriculum requirement: Explore-Arts, Humanities, and Cultures. |
2000 Level Courses
| THTR 2000 | Introduction to Technical Theatre | 4 Credits (Minimum) 4 Credits (Maximum) |
A hands-on introduction to scene construction and decoration, stage lighting and effects, basic safety, costume shop procedures, sound technology, and all the fundamentals of technical theatre. Students will attend one lecture and one lab per week. Labs may include field trips. |
| THTR 2010 | Stagecraft Laboratory | 1 Credit (Minimum) 1 Credit (Maximum) | A hands-on practicum in stagecraft. Students will be given specific responsibilities in production work. |
| THTR 2020 | Acting Workshop I | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | An introduction to stage acting, with an emphasis on theatre games designed to develop imagination and concentration. Several physical and improvisational exercises and a basic approach to character development. Approved for LAS Oral Communication requirement. Approved for Compass Curriculum requirement: Explore-Arts, Humanities, and Cultures. |
| THTR 2030 | Acting Workshop II | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | Continuation to THTR 2020, designed for those who have completed THTR 2020 or who have had previous acting experience. Increased emphasis on character development and scene work. Approved for LAS Oral Communication requirement. Prer., THTR 2020 or consent of instructor. |
| THTR 2040 | Voice and Articulation I | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | Special training of the voice. Topics include breathing techniques, voice quality, projection, articulation, and basic IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet). Prerequisite for THTR 3040-Voice and Articulation II. Approved for LAS Oral Communication requirement. |
| THTR 2050 | Improvisational Theatre | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | Improvisation covers the techniques involved in improvisatory theatre. Comedy games and dramatic long-form scenes are covered as well as historical and theoretical analysis of improvisation in the theatre. Approved for LAS Oral Communication requirement. |
| THTR 2060 | Music Theatre Performance and Practice | 1 Credit (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | Focuses on the developing musical skills and developing a historical context of the genre of musical theatre. Topics include vocal techniques, music theatre repertoire, audition and rehearsal techniques, role preparation, as well as acting and dancing basics. Meets with MUS 2450. |
| THTR 2600 | Theatre for Children | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) |
A lecture and practicum in Children’s Theatre and educational theatre techniques. Various sources examined for dramatizing: children’s stories, fairy tales, poems, and existing scripts. Recommended for actors and soon-to-be educators. Fall only. Prer., THTR 1000. |
| THTR 2700 | Fundamentals of Dance Technique | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | An introduction to dance technique. Students will focus on technique exercises, stretching, body alignment, choreography, and movement explorations. The course is a beginning dance class and the foundation for other dance classes. |
| THTR 2900 | Special Topics in Theatre | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | Topics will vary from year to year, and may be taught by guest instructors. |
3000 Level Courses
| THTR 3020 | Advanced Acting Studio I | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) |
Intensive studio work on scenes and monologues with increased attention to movement. Focus is on period styles of performance. Prer., Open only to those who have THTR 2030, or by special audition and permission of instructor prior to first day of class. May be repeated once with consent of instructor. |
| THTR 3030 | Advanced Acting Studio II | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) |
A continuation of THTR 3020, or by special permission of the instructor. Students will study, research, and perform a variety of works by one or two playwrights or a specific theatrical genre. Class will culminate with a performance. Prer., THTR 2020, or consent of instructor. May be repeated once with consent of instructor. |
| THTR 3040 | Voice and Articulation II | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | Continuation of THTR 2040. Intense study of Edith Skinner’s vocal technique and the IPA. Introduction of dialects and voice-over commercial work. Prer., THTR 2040 or permission of instructor. |
| THTR 3050 | Stage Combat | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | Introduces the advanced actor to the art of stage combat. The course culminates with a certification in at least one form of stage combat. May be repeated once with consent of instructor. |
| THTR 3060 | Advanced Musical Theatre: Performance and Practice | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) |
Continuation of beginning musical theatre course (THTR 2060 or MUS 2450). Intense scene study, vocal training and coaching lead to a final showcase. Meets with MUS 3450. Prer., THTR 2060 or MUS 2450. |
| THTR 3100 | On-Camera Performance | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | An introduction to skills necessary for communicating through a camera, to include basic acting techniques. This is a studio course which will involve on-camera experiences with commercial copy, commentary, newscopy, dramatic scenes and industrial copy. Approved for LAS Oral Communication requirement. |
| THTR 3110 | Auditions and the Business of the Theatre | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) |
A professional practice course that teaches audition technique and the ins and outs of a successful career in the theatre. Prer., THTR 2020. |
| THTR 3201 | Topics in Early Theatre History | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | Covers the development of theatre from the Greeks to the Restoration. Each semester the course is taught there will be a special focus on a specific genre or style of theatre. Approved for LAS Humanities area requirement. |
| THTR 3202 | Topics in Modern Theatre History | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | Covers the development of theatre from the 19th century to the present. Each semester that the course is taught there will be a special focus on a specific genre or style of theatre. Approved for LAS Humanities area requirement. |
| THTR 3230 | What’s Funny? The Nature and Form of Dramatic Comedy | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | An advanced survey of dramatic comedy from ancient times to the present with particular emphasis on continuity of routines, comic acting, and variety of comic forms. |
| THTR 3240 | Women in Theatre | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) |
An exploration and examination of women’s history of, participation in, and contributions to the performing arts as actresses, playwrights, directors, theorists. Combining theory and practice, each semester the students will prepare a staged reading of a female-authored text. Approved for LAS Cultural Diversity requirement. |
| THTR 3390 | Theatre Practicum: Acting | 1 Credit (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | Students will receive practical experience as an actor on a student production. Prer., Enrollment by audition and/or permission of instructor only. |
| THTR 3391 | Theatre Practicum: Technical | 1 Credit (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | Students will receive practical experience as a technician on a student production. Prer., Enrollment by audition and/or permission of instructor only. |
| THTR 3392 | Theatre Practicum: Directing/Stage Management | 1 Credit (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | Students will receive practical experience in directing/stage management on a student production. Prer., Enrollment by audition and/or permission of instructor only. |
| THTR 3400 | Shakespeare in Production | 1 Credit (Minimum) 6 Credits (Maximum) | Special production-related projects in conjunction with the Theatreworks Summer Shakespeare Festival. Enrollment by permission of instructor only. Prer., THTR 1000. |
| THTR 3510 | Stage Management | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | A practical course that examines the responsibilities of a stage manager from preproduction through rehearsal and performances. Prer., THTR 2000. |
| THTR 3520 | Costume Design | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | Introduction to design, construction, and history of costuming for theatre and film. |
| THTR 3530 | Theatre Make-up: Design | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | Emphasizes the fundamentals of theatre make-up design and application techniques. Techniques include basic corrective, character, old age, and fantasy application. |
| THTR 3540 | Properties and Set Dressing | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | An in-depth course that investigates the details that go into set creation from props to furniture to upholstery and carpentry. Prer., THTR 2000. |
| THTR 3550 | Lighting for Theatre | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | An introduction to lighting design including color theory, script analysis, light plotting, and electrics. Prer., THTR 2000. |
| THTR 3560 | Theatre Set Design | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | This course is designed to teach and immerse the student in scenic design in the theatre. Topics include script analysis, scenic preparation, sketching, and drafting. The student will learn by practical example, field, study, and hands-on activity. |
| THTR 3590 | Advanced Topics in Technical Theatre | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | Advanced course covering various technical topics of theatre production. Topics may include set design and construction, scenic artistry, costuming, make-up, sound, stage lighting, props, etc. Prer., THTR 2000. |
| THTR 3600 | The World of the Play | 1 Credit (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | Students in this course will be involved in interdisciplinary studies clustered around a Theatreworks major production. Topics considered may include visual arts, music, history, literature, science, technology and philosophy relevant to the world of the designated play. |
| THTR 3700 | Special Topics in Dance | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | Focus is on various forms of dance. Each semester the course will use technique, research, and performance to highlight a specific dance genre. Prer., THTR 2700 or DNCE 2700. Meets with DNCE 3700. |
| THTR 3900 | Special Topics in World Theater | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | Varying topics relating to theory, practice, and text of world theater. May be repeated for credit if topic is different. |
| THTR 3960 | Nationalism, Romanticism, and Melodrama | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) |
An in-depth look at theatre of the 19h century from the French Revolution to the Grand-Guignol. Emphasis on melodrama and related examples from visual art and music. Meets with VAPA 3960. |
| THTR 3970 | The Nordic Legacy | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | An in-depth look at the art of the Scandinavian countries with a specific focus on Henrik Ibsen, August Strindberg, Edvard Munch, and Ingmar Bergman. Meets with VAPA 3970. |
| THTR 3980 | The Manifestoes of the Avant-Garde | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) | An in-depth look at the history, practice, and manifestoes of the major artists of the historical Avant-Garde, from 1880-1950. Meets with VAPA 3980. |
4000 Level Courses
| THTR 4000 | Internship in Theatre | 1 Credit (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) |
Designed theatrical experiences involving specific application of relevant concepts and skills in supervised professional situations. Pass/Fail only. Prer., Permission of Program Director. |
| THTR 4060 | Directing I | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) |
An introduction to directing for the stage. Exploration of various staging techniques and the essential technical areas (lights, sound and design) as well as intense script analysis. Prer., THTR 1000 and/or THTR 2030. |
| THTR 4070 | Directing II | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) |
A seminar and practicum in directing for the stage. Students will apply learned techniques from THTR 4060 by directing one-act plays, which will be performed in the Spring Student Theatre Festival. Prer., THTR 4060. |
| THTR 4200 | Special Topics in Dramatic Literature | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) |
Varying topics related to the history of dramatic literature. May focus on a particular playwright, genre, or period. May be repeated for credit if topic is different. |
| THTR 4400 | Culminating Directing Project | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) |
A culminating experience reserved for advanced students in directing. Students selected for the class are given a slot in the Osborne Studio Theatre to produce a full-length production. Prer., THTR 4060, THTR 4070, or consent of instructor. |
| THTR 4980 | Theatre Capstone: Advanced Theatre Production | 3 Credits (Minimum) 3 Credits (Maximum) |
This course engages students in the theatre experience from conception to completion in scholarship and performance. All students will be involved in a semester-long project, a dramatic production typically lasting 30-50 minutes. Students will be asked to bring their experience and expertise to this unique collaboration. Approved for Compass Curriculum requirement: Summit. Prer., Senior standing. |
| THTR 9400 | Independent Study in Theatre | 1 Credit (Minimum) 6 Credits (Maximum) |
Independent study in theatre history, production or performance by permission of department chair. |