JCU Logo
JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "DR 101-1"
COURSE NAME: "Introduction to Theatrical Performance"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2014
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Daniel Connelly
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 10:00 AM 11:15 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS: TBA
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
During this course students will learn to: collaborate creatively; employ basic acting techniques such as sensory work, the principles of action, objectives, status, etc.; develop an expressive speaking voice; engage with a variety of stage props; analyse the process of placing a dramatic text on stage; critique and enact a variety of theatrical techniques; define specific terms relating to the study of drama and theatre; develop an appreciation for theatre as an art form and a reflection of society; understand the responsibility of an actor’s work ethic, especially to one's fellow actors; initiate and upkeep a gradable class-by-class journal (either blog or v-log) of their personal growth throughout the course.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

This class will teach students the basic terminology and craft of acting.

As a means of facilitating the students’ knowledge of and comfort with the craft of acting, this course will include improvisation, sound and movement exercises, the actor’s exploration of stage space and text work. This will take place both in the classroom and on the streets of Rome. Weekly homework assignments will call for written reflection and analysis, and rehearsal of scenes. Weekly reading assignments will augment the students’ theoretical knowledge of the craft.

The course will commence with an intensive introduction to the craft of acting, which will focus on teamwork, discipline, physicality, memory, desire, voice and movement training, and intention. Thereafter, students will study two four-week units which will conjoin textual analysis with performance. The units will cover a specific era and area of theatrical representation, for example Shakespeare and Pinter.

The first two weeks of a unit will be given over to formal reading of the texts, with accompanying critical selections, and to discussions of text and context. The second two-week block will then work to transfer the selected material from the page to the stage. This practical work will involve acting and directing skills.

Students will then work towards a final, public performance - in exam week – of either a monologue or an ensemble scene. Throughout, students will develop a personal journal which will chart their growth and their understanding of the discipline of acting.

N.B.  Your final grade will be lowered if you use mobiles, tablets or computers in class without permission
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

On completion of this course, students will have learnt how to: facilitate communication, memory, presentation, confidence, self-awareness, self-reliance, and team work, through practice, textual analysis, interpretation, and the written response; develop an expressive speaking voice through awareness and overcoming physical and vocal habits and limitations, including alignment, relaxation, breath support, resonance, tone and projection; recognize a variety of acting techniques, languages, and modes of theatrical representation; become confident independent learners as well as effective and responsive group members.

TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
One 5-minute MonologueYou will rehearse and perform for the class a 5-minute dramatic monologue. 15%
Participation in a group sceneYou will rehearse and perform for the class a 10-minute scene involving a number of your fellow actors. 15%
Take-home paperYou will write one paper, 4-5 pages, as a response to one of our two set texts, Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' and Pinter's 'The Homecoming'. This will involve both academic and practical research. 20%
Discovery JournalThe Discovery Journal is a key component of the course. You will chart in a weekly journal the discoveries you are making about the dramatic self. You will also respond online to the class blog which I will write on a weekly basis. 25%
Final PerformanceThe class will culminate in an examined performance, which will demand high-quality individual and group work.25%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the cours
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Attendance is mandatory.  Students are expected to be in class before the reading of the roster.

More than 4 absences may result in a lowering of the final grade and 7 absences may result in a failing grade. Tardiness is equally unacceptable as it disturbs the lesson. If you enter the class after attendance has been taken you late arrival will be registered and 4 late arrivals will count as equivalent to one absence. Silent attendance is not sufficient: students are required to actively participate in class, to have their text books with them and to turn off electrical devices (computers, mobiles etc.). Students are also expected to remain in the class for the duration of the period.

Students are expected to wear comfortable clothes for class, and to have long hair tied back.

Your grade will be lowered if you use mobile telephones, computers or tablets without permission in class.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

Week 1: Introduction.  Inhibition-breaking games, physical stretching and conditioning, ensemble movement, full body awareness, focus, centring, breath support, action and counter-action, precision, and economy of effort.

RESERVE READING: 

Grotowski, Jerzy. Towards a Poor Theatre (London: Methuen Drama, 1969), pp. 211-218 (‘Statement of Principles’).

Oida, Yoshi. The Invisible Actor (London: Methuen, 1997). ALL.

Week 2: Mask Work (Jacques Le Coq); mime; props; creating a performance space; teamwork on stage. 

RESERVE READING: 

Brook, Peter.  The Shifting Point: 40 years of theatrical exploration 1946-1987 (London: Methuen Drama, 1987), pp. 217-231 (‘The Mask – Coming out of our Shell’).

Lecoq, Jacques.  The Moving Body: Teaching Creative Theatre (London: Routledge, 2002), pp. 25-90.

Week 3: Introduction to monologues.  Working with stimuli.  Select and rehearse a monologue from one of the collections on reserve in the Frohring Library.

Week 4:  Monologue Presentation

RESERVE READING:  NIL

Week 5 - 6:  Unit 1.  Tradition #1:  The Shakespearean Stage + Hamlet, William Shakespeare.  Textual and Contextual Analysis.  Hamlet: Stage History. 

RESERVE READING: 

Dawson, Anthony B. Shakespeare in Performance: ‘Hamlet’ (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1995), pp. 1-22; 119-169.  

Edwards, Philip, ed. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (Cambridge: CUP, 2003), pp. 1-82.

Week 7 - 8:  Unit 1.  Tradition #1:  Hamlet, William Shakespeare; building a role; the soliloquy; acting and directing the set-piece spectacle; physical violence on stage.

Take-Home Paper 1 due.

RESERVE READING: 

Barton, John.  Playing Shakespeare (London: Methuen Drama, 1984), pp. 24-67; 86-102; 134-168.

N.B. The above text is available on a Royal Shakespeare DVD in the Frohring Library:  http://jculibrary.johncabot.edu:8080/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=E346356BO7779.24205&profile=jcu--2&uri=link=3100006~!56516~!3100001~!3100002&aspect=subtab106&menu=search&ri=4&source=~!horizon_test&term=Playing+Shakespeare&index=PALLTI

Gielgud, John.  Acting Shakespeare (London:  Pan Books, 1991), pp. 131-174. 

Week 9: Introduction to Post-1945 British Drama; theatre and society; the beat, the pause, the silence; theatre and politics; Brechtian alienation.

RESERVE READING: 

Handke, Peter. ‘Offending the Audience’, in Plays 1 (London: Methuen Drama, 1997).   

Week 10 – 11: Introduction to ensemble work.  Harold Pinter, The Homecoming; acting and directing minimalism; emotional violence on stage.  Select and rehearse a group scene from one of the collections on reserve in the Frohring Library

Week 12: Group Scene Presentation

RESERVE READING:

Mamet, David.  True and false: heresy and common sense for the actor (New York: Vintage, 1999), as marked in the list of contents.

Week 13 - 14: Rehearsals for Performances

Exam Week: Public Performances

Books on Reserve available at: 

http://jculibrary.johncabot.edu:8080/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=E346356BO7779.24205&profile=jcu--2&uri=link=3100003~!255~!3100046~!3100011&aspect=subtab116&menu=search&ri=6&source=~!horizon_test&term=Connelly%2C+Daniel&index=INST