This course will apply theatrical performance training to the art of public speaking or rhetoric. One of the three original Liberal Arts, the art of discourse has long been recognized as fundamental to the creation of knowledge, and the development of thought. Employing dramatic and nondramatic texts, original student-written work, and an occasional Saturday Night Live sketch, students will discover the power of words. The course is intended to develop communicative and expressive skills in students who might not be drawn to the fine arts, but who might benefit from theatrical training to become more effective thinkers, writers, and speakers.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 14
Prerequisites: None.
Instructor: Arciniegas
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Summer
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered
Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course. Summer Session enrollment is open to all students.
Exposing students to the live theatre in the Boston area and encouraging lively discussion of the productions is the focus of this introductory course. Scripts will be read and rigorously analyzed in the classroom. Women's presence in the arts, contemporary issues as seen on stage and the history of theatre in society will all be addressed by the group.The syllabus will be fluid and drawn from classical, musical and contemporary offerings each year. Visiting artists in all the disciplines will augment discussions. Attendance at productions will be arranged for Thursday evenings and paid for by the Theatre Program. This is an opportunity to have a hands on, up close and personal interaction with those who write, design, direct and act in the theatre.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 12
Prerequisites:
Instructor: Staff
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Spring
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring
Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit.
This course will introduce students to the art of developing personal narrative. From full speeches crafted for their presentations to the improv of saluting a wedding, birth or graduation, students gain the confidence to rise to the occasion as needed. Through guided writing exercises and exposure to the works of Nora Ephron, Billie Holiday, and others, students will listen, write and support each other weekly, all while attending select on campus sessions in the Ruth Nagel Jones Theater. Finally, while preparing for a final afternoon of speeches to be offered to the public at the end of the semester, students learn to speak for others, placing their words in context with authenticity and research.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 12
Prerequisites: None.
Instructor: Roach
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Fall
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring
Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit.
This course will introduce students to the art of developing personal narrative as a means to creating a viable piece of theatre. Through guided writing exercises and exposure to the works of Nora Ephron, Billie Holiday, and Susanna Kaysen, and others, students will explore the intricacies of their own and their family histories. Based on the techniques that have produced numerous original plays here at Wellesley, the weekly exercises will be centered around various aspects of life such as race, gender, class, body image, and personal history. Students will hear and critique each other weekly while preparing for a final evening of “stories” to be offered to the public at the end of the semester. The class will also focus on the final composition of the evening, and the journey each student makes to bring it to fruition. Emphasis is on the development and refinement of the dramatic content while building confidence for even the least experienced student.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 16
Prerequisites: None. Open to First-Years only.
Instructor: Roach
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Other Categories: FYS - First Year Seminar
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered
Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit
Imagine you are the designer for an immersive visual production that takes place in Harlem, New York in the 1920's. The buildings, art, clothing, lighting and sounds of the neighborhood must be recreated to transport the audience to another time and place. In this course you will work individually or in groups to create complete environments representing periods and cultures such as the Harlem Renaissance or the French Art Nouveau. Students will be introduced to a range of major artistic styles throughout history and interpret those in to a set, lighting, costume and sound design. This is a project based course that culminates in an immersive digital exhibit.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 12
Prerequisites: None.
Instructor: Howland
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Summer
Notes:
This course outlines and examines the role of costume and fashion design in media, from the movies of the Golden Age of Hollywood to high-tech motion pictures to recent cable miniseries. Analyze the history and social contexts of clothing in media, as well as the critical role of fashion in relation to the narrative, i.e., how it enhances the mood and propels the dramatic action of the production. Using illustrated lectures, critical thinking and writing, and research and presentation skills, students will focus on how/why clothing is worn, how fashion design and costume design intersect, and how we can understand the economic and cultural realities of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries through the shifting trends of fashion.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 20
Prerequisites: None.
Instructor: Kerl
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Every other year
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Winter
Notes:
A survey of American Drama that takes a journey through America’s history from the early 20th century to the present. Issues explored will include: family trauma; the American Dream; evolving ideas of race, class, gender and sexuality; and identity. Works will include: Eugene O'Neill’s classic, Long Day's Journey into Night; Edward Albee’s absurdist satire, The American Dream; Lorraine Hansberry’s story of a Black family’s struggle, A Raisin in the Sun; Sam Shepard’s dark story about secrets, Buried Child; Tony Kushner’s meditation on the AIDS era, Angels in America; Melinda Lopez’s story of Cuban emigrés, Sonia Flew; Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer winner about class, race and social inequality, Sweat; the filmed version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton; and the playwright Celine Song’s film about transcultural romance, Past Lives.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 5
Crosslisted Courses: THST 132
Prerequisites: None
Instructor: Ko
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Every other year
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring
Notes:
Theatre-making - like much of life - involves moment to moment evaluation and problem-solving. Improvisational theatre is a performance tradition which joyfully embraces this challenge head-on! In this course, we will immerse ourselves in the practice of this art form. We will create characters, stories and new worlds through tapping our intuition, embracing the unknown, and letting the focus of a theatre game lead us to collective discovery, Guided by the teachings of Viola Spolin, students will seek the bold and the spontaneous in themselves through group agreement. Everybody can improvise!
Units: 0.5
Max Enrollment: 12
Prerequisites: None.
Instructor: Rainer
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Summer
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Winter
Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit
Theatre-making - like much of life - involves moment to moment evaluation and problem-solving. Improvisational theatre is a performance tradition which joyfully embraces this challenge head-on! In this course, we will immerse ourselves in the practice of this art form. We will create characters, stories and new worlds through tapping our intuition, embracing the unknown, and letting the focus of a theatre game lead us to collective discovery, Guided by the teachings of Viola Spolin, students will seek the bold and the spontaneous in themselves through group agreement. Everybody can improvise!
Units: 0.5
Max Enrollment: 12
Prerequisites: None.
Instructor: Rainer
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Summer
Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit
This course invites students to take funny women seriously. Through their legacy of work as well as oral histories, we will investigate the evolving challenges and triumphs of women whose comedic voices influenced American expectations over the last century. Elaine May, Joan Rivers, Carol Burnett, Gilda Radner, Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Cho, Wellesley's own Nora Ephron and more will make us laugh. Forms to be explored include writing, improvisation, stand-up, comic acting on stage and screen, cartooning, plus new media. Creating belly laughs changed the culture on which these women were commenting — ultimately, through deepening our understanding of the purposefulness and craft of comedy, our collective goal will be the creation of several forms of original comedy works. Students will have the opportunity to participate in the Theatre Studies Showcase at the end of the semester.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 15
Prerequisites: None
Instructor: Rainer
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall
Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit.
Students are introduced to the fundamentals of contemporary acting, as devised by such stage theoreticians as Constantine Stanislavsky, Lee Strasberg, and Sanford Meisner. Instruction focuses on the proper methods for breaking scenes down into component units or "beats," and achieving a measure of authenticity discernible in person or through the camera lens. Students perform with a rotating roster of partners, emphasizing group learning and mutual support in the pursuit of an individual acting aesthetic. It is intended for any and all levels of experience.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 16
Prerequisites: None
Instructor: Arciniegas
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring
Notes:
This course studies the creative skills of the director in conjunction with the analytical skills of the dramaturge. Particular emphasis will be placed on communicating with actors. Students will be encouraged to develop their own unique directorial vision. Students will be expected to provide probing intellectual questions to each other while collaborating. Dramatic material will be drawn from a variety of world literature with emphasis placed on women playwrights. Students will be given opportunities to work with professional actors in a guest-artist "lab" format.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 10
Prerequisites: None.
Instructor: Roach
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Spring
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered
Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit.
This course studies the craft and theory of the production arts in the theatre. We will cover the practice of intent creation and explore how that intent is interpreted - from the designer's process to how that process is implemented by various craftspeople and specialists.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 10
Prerequisites:
Instructor: Towlun
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Fall
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall
Notes:
Think outside the box! Learn the abstract art of scenic design for the theatre and beyond. Students will learn basic drafting, sketching, script analysis and visual research to create a scenic environment for scripts written by THST playwriting students. Students will be taught the artistic and technical skills needed in order to facilitate communication and collaboration with directing and stagecraft students. Students will participate as designers in the Theatre Showcase at the end of the semester.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 10
Prerequisites: None
Instructor: Howland
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Fall
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall
Notes:
This course will focus on plays where the voices of women are at the center of the story. This class will read, discuss and write about the powerful female protagonists, playwrights and practitioners who captivate us as they speak from their different cultural landscapes. From Shakespeare’s Desdemona to Lorraine Hansberry’s “Les Blancs,” we will explore what it means to investigate the stories of playwrights like Josefina Lopez, Young Jean Lee, Larissa FastHorse and Dominique Morisseau. What are the expectations of a society and an audience? How do female playwrights craft their stories? How will you write your own? Students will also explore their voice thru the writing of their own 10 min. play!
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 15
Prerequisites: None
Instructor: Staff
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Every other year
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered
Notes:
This course will give students the tools and skills to develop a character either from the outside in, using movement, or from the inside out, using the voice. Utilizing a dynamic survey of vocal and physical techniques developed by influential theatre practitioners of the last five decades, students will move towards 'freeing their natural voice' and developing range, color, and texture for effective stage use. Concurrently, students will work on 'freeing their bodies' and using physicality to flesh out a character. Class work will focus on both individual and group work with particular attention given to layering voice and movement with text to create vivid, fully developed characters in devised contexts. Not offered every year.
Units: 0.5
Max Enrollment: 15
Prerequisites: None
Instructor: Arciniegas
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring
Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit.
A survey of contemporary American plays, Pulitzer Prize winners as well as investigating inventive new companies that break down the boundaries between performance and audience. We'll read texts ripped from the headlines as well as what might be the "new classics." We'll also attend or stream productions and discuss the journey from page to stage. This is not your parents' theatre class. No Plays Over 20 Years Old. Students will use critical thinking to analyze trends in contemporary theatre, and contrast and compare contemporary events with the events in dramatic texts. We will incorporate our knowledge into class projects, such as adaptations, research papers, or original plays. Guest artists from the theatre world occasionally visit to illuminate other perspectives.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 15
Prerequisites: None
Instructor: Staff
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Every other year
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered
Notes:
This course will give students the tools and skills to develop a character either from the outside in, using movement, or from the inside out, using the voice. Basing vocal and physical techniques from Kristin Linklater's "Freeing the Natural Voice" and Constantine Stanislavsky's "Building a Character", students will discover the use of their voice and body as instruments for story telling. Class work will focus on both individual and group work, with particular attention given to layering voice and movement with text to create vivid fully developed characters.
Units: 0.5
Max Enrollment: 20
Prerequisites: None
Instructor: Arciniegas
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Every other year
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring
Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit.
This course will teach basic playwriting skills implemented through in-class exercises and at-home writing assignments. This hands-on, practical approach will require writing one short play each week. Emphasis is on experimentation, innovation, risk taking, and process. A spirit of fun, innovation, and creativity will dominate this workshop format. Each class meeting will incorporate reading student work aloud with commentary from the instructor and the class. Students will listen, critique, and develop the vocabulary to discuss plays, structure, story, and content. Each student will begin to connect her dramatic voice and theatrical passion. Students will ultimately write a one-act play as the capstone experience for this class. Students will have the opportunity to participate in the Theatre Studies Showcase at the end of the semester.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 10
Prerequisites: None
Instructor: Roach
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Fall
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall
Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit. This course may be taken as THST 321 upon completion of THST 221. See the description for THST 321.
Have you ever considered what goes into creating the costumes for your favorite characters? This is your chance to try it yourself! Over the course of the term you will read scripts, do visual research, design for different characters, and learn drawing and hand sewing techniques. The main focus is on developing design ideas for different circumstances and enhancing how to communicate them. This is an immersive production class, taught by a professional costume designer.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 12
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.
Instructor: Kerl
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Summer; Spring
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring
Notes:
Circus is not simply spectacle; it is a reflection of society. This course is an exploration of the Western circus as a performance form that can construct, affirm, and even change cultural values and norms. Beginning with a foundation in Western circus history, we will look at circus acts from the eighteenth century to the modern day as spectacles that have the power to resist the status quo. Considerations of gender, race, sexuality, and nationality, will guide readings, viewings, and discussions of freak shows, animal acts, aerial and acrobatic performance in theatre, film, popular culture, and on the national stage. Through the lens of the circus, this course seeks to explore the larger impact of popular, performing arts on society.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 15
Prerequisites: None.
Instructor: Meyer
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Every three years
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered
Notes:
Critics occupy a place of exciting responsibility in the evolving global conversation about theatre. Come amplify your own voice! Students will immerse themselves in the craft of criticism during an intensive excursion to the biggest arts and culture festival in the world. This summer session course timing coincides with the festival timing, and so will run for two weeks in mid-August. Daily theatre productions in myriad genres (and languages!) will be selected from hundreds of festival venues, be they castles, pubs, conference rooms, observatories, volcanic playgrounds, or even in the cobbled alleys of historic Edinburgh. Daily critical discussion in print and audio will be offered, evaluated, and published online. Reviews, profiles and more will employ succinct analysis, vivid description, informed perspective and provocative questions. Collectively, students will create a vibrant snapshot of the state of theatre in today’s world!
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 8
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.
Instructor: Rainer
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Summer
Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 25
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 10
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.
Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall
Units: 0.5
Max Enrollment: 25
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.
Instructor:
Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring
Notes:
This course explores Japanese literature from the seventh to the nineteenth centuries––including myths, poetry, narrative romances, diaries, essays, military tales, Noh drama, haiku, puppet plays, kabuki, and ghost stories––then traces its modern afterlife to film, television, and manga. Students will develop a critical and historically grounded appreciation of Japan's rich and varied literary tradition by analyzing it in light of such topics as religious practice, aesthetic ideals, dreams, desire, subjectivity, Chinese influence, the supernatural, war, gender, and sexuality.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 30
Crosslisted Courses: JPN 251
Prerequisites: None.
Instructor: Goree
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered
Notes:
This course invites the developing student of acting to approach the solo interpretation and performance of song as a powerful storytelling medium. In addition to reading, viewing, listening and evaluative assignments, visits by working professional actors in the musical field will enhance our exploration throughout the course. In-class/synchronous master classes rehearsing songs-in-progress should be expected weekly. It is strongly encouraged that students have been exposed to singing technique, which will benefit their work in this course. Students will learn to apply acting philosophies and performance techniques to disentangle the voice from the body and expand their avenues of physical expression, while preparing the imagination through lyrical interpretation and even character development. Students will get the in-joke "do you have an uptempo?" as they learn the constitutive elements of the cabaret genre. Students will propose multi-song plot narratives for an imagined one-person cabaret show, while considering how this underground art provides a liberating space for representation and expression. Each student will ultimately prepare a selection chosen from that envisioned show for public performance.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 8
Prerequisites:
Instructor: Rainer
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Every other year
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring
Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit.
The purpose of this course is to explore and understand stage lighting design and how it plays a crucial role in modern theatrical storytelling. Through the use of a scaled light lab students will investigate how the functions and qualities of light affect an audience’s perception of actors and the stage picture. This course will also provide an introduction to the Vectorworks CAD software as well as the ETC EOS programming environment. The course culminates in a final presentation demonstrating the student’s mastery of the elements of lighting design.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 10
Prerequisites: THST 207 or permission of the instructor.
Instructor: Stetson
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Every other year
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered
Notes:
Building upon the work of its prerequisite, Acting I, this advanced scene study course broadens the scope of plays, styles, and periods. Students will examine plays written prior to the advent of modern psychology for acting techniques that do not rely exclusively on intention and motivation. They may also examine modern plays written in alternative styles, (ex. Expressionism, Absurdism, Surrealism). Students will focus on a particular playwright, period, or style to explore performance approaches beyond realism. Students may also explore non-English texts in their original, relying upon their particular language or languages of study.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 16
Prerequisites: THST 204
Instructor: Arciniegas
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Every other year
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered
Notes:
From stage to screen! This class continues to build on the skills learned in playwriting and/or intro to directing classes. Students become part of an ensemble in complete collaboration where all students write, direct and act in each others plays (The 306 Rep). The plays will be staged and presented as part of a midterm festival; then adapted, videotaped and edited for an end of semester screening. Tangible work products include a 10 min. play, a directors book of sketches and blocking notes plus a 10 min. video.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 10
Prerequisites: THST 206 or permission of the instructor.
Instructor: Roach
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Spring
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered
Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit.
This course builds upon the basic techniques taught in Acting 1 for achieving authenticity on stage, and reframes them in the context of the subtler, electronically sensitive environment of the small screen. Acting students will learn to maintain emotional stakes and dramatic tension, while conveying them in stillness, simplicity, and with breath control for the nuanced and electronically magnified environment of a camera recording. Students will learn various techniques to calibrate performance for wide and medium shots, as well as what to do in "close-up". Through classroom film sessions and independent recording assignments, students will develop a personal performance aesthetic for film and television production.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 10
Prerequisites: THST 204 or permission of the instructor.
Instructor: Arciniegas
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Every other year
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring
Notes:
This course focuses on the study and practice of skills and techniques for the performance of scenes and monologues and the realization of theatrical characters from Shakespeare's texts. Speeches and scenes will be performed for class criticism. The class will be subdivided by instructor according to skill levels. Students are expected to rehearse and prepare scenes outside of class time.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 16
Prerequisites: Any THST course and any Shakespeare course in the English Department or permission of the instructor.
Instructor: Arciniegas
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Spring
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered
Notes:
THST 321 is an opportunity for former students of THST 221 to build on skills developed during that course. Students will work in an intensive process with the goal of completing a two act play with related analysis material. Similar to THST 221, there will be opportunities to hear the material during table reads as part of class participation. Interested students should discuss their interest with the professor prior to registration. Students will have the opportunity to participate in the Theatre Studies Showcase at the end of the semester.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 12
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.
Instructor: Roach
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Fall
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall
Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit. This course is also offered at the 200-level as THST 221.
This course offers the advanced students of the theatre arts an opportunity to incorporate the performance, stage management, set design, lighting design, costume design, sound design, and directing disciplines available within the department into one focused and fully-produced project through an immersive investigation of a full-length script. Students will conduct dramaturgical research to contextualize the world of a play, establishing connections among the text, actors, and production elements, and creating a platform for conversation in the Wellesley community. Concurrently, students will implement performance and production techniques, engaging every aspect of the collaborative process of theatre-making. Actors and stage management will commit to 3+ scheduled rehearsals weekly. Students interested in participating as a designer or stage manager should contact the instructors significantly prior to registration. Students interested in performance must audition in the first week of each semester - invitations will be issued by the instructors within the add/drop period. The course will culminate with a fully supported public production, to be directed, managed, and advised by Theatre Studies faculty, serving as a capstone of integrated learning in the department.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 20
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor required.
Instructor: Rainer, Towlun
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall
Notes: This course may be repeated once for credit. THST 345 meets MTW 6.30-9.30 + tech/dress/performances.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 10
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.
Instructor:
Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 10
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.
Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring
Units: 0.5
Max Enrollment: 15
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.
Instructor:
Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring
Notes:
This course is for the advanced theatre student who aspires to put into practice the collaborative creative and research responsibilities of devising and producing a one-act performance as an ensemble. Enthusiasm and curiosity (but no course prerequisites) required. In '24-'25, we will focus on creating a piece centered around the theme of climate change. The live performance will be intended for young audiences, and shared in partnership with local organizations. Students will take inspiration from the examples of renowned devised contemporary global theatre companies, whose work we will investigate. Students will learn how to build a production from physical impulse and observation, game, improvisation, research, sound and image collage, group gesture, collaborative writing, and more - and to learn to engage consistently with a scenographic team as co-creators. To prepare our students to become autonomous artists in the world, this course uniquely provides the opportunity to explore the creation of a performance event outside of text-driven modalities. To support this goal, students will receive the technical & training tools, ensemble rehearsal and individual assignments, concurrent critique, and an intensive structure within which to immerse themselves in the exciting devising process.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 12
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Strong consideration will be given to students who have completed THST 204, THST 214H, THST 221, THST 306, THST 345, or equivalent.
Instructor: Rainer
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
Typical Periods Offered: Every other year
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring
Notes: This course is for the advanced theatre student with previous acting/dance/production training. The expectation is that they will take on the collaborative creative and research responsibilities of devising a one-act performance as an ensemble by bringing their individual strengths to the process.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 10
Prerequisites: Permission of the department.
Instructor:
Typical Periods Offered: Fall
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall
Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.
Units: 1
Max Enrollment: 10
Prerequisites: THST 360 and permission of the department.
Instructor:
Typical Periods Offered: Spring
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring
Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.