This class explores certain essential histories, elements, and methodologies of theatrical expression. Special attention is paid to the dynamic between script construction, theatrical enactment, and audience response. Close examination of six seminal works for the stage aims to unlock their performative potential, moving the student readers beyond the experience of words on the page and in to actual artistic interpretation. An in-depth exploration of character, language, thematic, staging, and conceptual possibilities is conducted through script reading, textbook interaction, class discussion, performance projects, and attendance of live performances.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: INTERCULTURAL • FINE ARTS
Theater
Overview | Requirements | Courses | Faculty
Overview
Students in the Department of Theater explore the art of theater through theory, performance, and production. Each student experiences the essentially collaborative nature of theater through participation in theater productions. Our curriculum enables students to develop a rich understanding of both the enactment of the written word and the essence of theatrical expression. In addition to preparing our students for further study and related careers in theater or film, we encourage each student to explore ideas of self and community and to express these discoveries through one or more aspects of theater.
Because the development of a theater artist is enhanced by time as well as training, we encourage students considering a Theater major or minor to consult with department faculty and begin taking courses in the first year. (The curriculum, however, is structured to enable an industrious student to begin at a later time and complete the major by the end of the fourth year.)
Students are encouraged to broaden their self-discovery through opportunities for Community Based Learning and through internships. The Department has rich, ongoing relationships with Los Angeles theater companies, providing opportunities for internships and independent study. Artists from these companies are frequent and regular guest artists for productions and as guest instructors.
While the major is designed to prepare students for successful careers in theater and film, it provides also, in conjunction with study in other areas of the liberal arts, unique and effective preparation for success in such diverse fields as business, law, communications, arts administration, education, and social service.
Requirements
MAJOR: The major consists of 44 units. A minimum of 2 units must consist of two semesters of Production Lab (Theater 121 or 122) in two different areas (one must be a running crew.) The 121/122 requirement must be completed by the end of the junior year. Another 2 units may consist of two semesters of Performance Lab (211). The Department has established standards of excellence in theoretical analysis, performance, and production that our students meet by completing a comprehensive project in the senior year. Information concerning all phases of the senior project can be obtained from the Department Chair.
The Department welcomes interdisciplinary programs and double majors, and will work carefully with students interested in such programs. Up to 8 units of select courses from Film, Music, Studio Art, Art History, and Dramatic Literature may be applied to the Theater Major in consultation with the department chair.Students who major in the Department of Theater pursue the following program of study: Theater 101; Theater 110; Theater 120; two semesters of Theater 121 and/or 122; Theater 175; Theater 210; Theater 301; four units of coursework in design or technical theater selected from Theater 225, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 250, 275, 320, 325, 330, 335, 346, 370 and 375; and at least 16 units from other Theater or approved interdisciplinary courses.
WRITING REQUIREMENT: Students majoring in Theater will fulfill Occidental College's 3rd year writing requirement by completing a significant research and analytical paper as part of Theater 301 or 302. Students should familiarize themselves with the departmental requirement at the time of declaring the major. See the Writing Program and consult the department chair for additional information.
MINOR: The minor consists of a minimum of 20 units: Theater 101, 110, 120, either 175 or 210, two semesters of 121 (one of which must be a running crew), and four additional units from the Theater curriculum.
COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION: The department accomplishes the college objectives for the Senior Comprehensive by having each candidate, having completed the 121/122 requirement, (1) propose a creative or research project; (2) submit a paper of research and/or preparation during the comprehensive process, to be discussed with the faculty; and (3) execute the project. Projects may include but are not limited to acting, directing, design, playwriting, stage management, technical direction, theater management, and scholarly research. See the department for details.
HONORS: To receive College Honors in the department of Theater, the student must be a major and achieve a 3.50 grade point average in departmental courses. In addition the student must achieve a 3.25 grade point average overall, and receive a grade of Pass with Distinction on the senior comprehensive project. See the Honors Program for additional information.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS: In the summer, Occidental College hosts the annual Occidental Children's Theater at the Remsen Bird Hillside Amphitheater. Academic credit is available for this program through Theater 197 or 397. Off-campus internships in professional theater and film may be arranged during the academic year or summer through the Department of Theater and the Career Development Center. Support for undergraduate research and travel are available both during the academic year and during the summer. Contact the Department Chair and the Undergraduate Research Center for more information. We encourage Theater students to participate in study abroad. Information on approved programs is available through the International Programs Office. Credit toward the major may be available.
Courses
101 - Theater Forum: The Art of Reading Scripts
110 - Introduction to Performance
This course is the foundation of the Department's acting program. In it, the student explores how an actor gives life to words and moves them from the script to performance. Students work with Shakespeare's sonnets in addition to contemporary dramatic literature. Ticket Fee: $50. Intended for first-year and second-year students. Not available to juniors and seniors without permission of instructor. Enrollment is limited.
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
120 - Introduction to Technical Theater
An introduction to many of the different areas of theater production, this class will include such topics as rigging practices, drafting, lighting equipment, and special effects; but its primary focus is in the area of scenic construction. This course includes a laboratory during which the techniques taught in lecture/demo are applied. The laboratory will average 40 hours over the course of the semester. Lab schedule is to be arranged. Some materials must be purchased by the student for this course. Enrollment is limited.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: FINE ARTS
121 - Production Laboratory
This is an applied course for technicians, designers, and managers who are on production crews directed, designed, or directly supervised by the theater faculty. In order to complete a theater major, a student must complete production laboratories in two separate areas, at least one of which must be a running crew. Prerequisite: Theater 120 or permission of instructor. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only. The course may be repeated for credit.
1 unit
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
122 - Intensive Production Lab
This is an applied course for technicians, designers, and managers who are given primary responsibility on production crews directly supervised by the theater faculty. Students are required to do additional research and practical application beyond that of Theater 121. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only.
2 units
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
130 - Modern Dance
A comprehensive study of the theory and methodology of the Jose Limon Technique. Founded on the principles of fall and recovery, the Limon Technique is built upon motion through succession, suspension, alignment and opposition. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only. May be repeated for credit.
1 unit
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
130 - Modern Dance
A comprehensive study of the theory and methodology of the Jose Limon Technique. Founded on the principles of fall and recovery, the Limon Technique is built upon motion through succession, suspension, alignment and opposition. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only. May be repeated for credit.
1 unit
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
131 - Beginning Jazz Dance
Students will learn the fundamentals of jazz dance technique with an emphasis on body alignment, strength, flexibility and coordination. The class will include a warm-up and a series of lyrical and contemporary jazz combinations designed to develop musicality, self-expression and performance skills. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only. May be repeated for credit.
1 unit
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
133 - Beginning Tai Chi
Tai Chi Chuan is the study of slow controlled movement, breathing and realignment of the body. Sometimes referred to as standing yoga, Tai Chi Chuan has been practiced for centuries for its many benefits, including stress management, disease prevention and increase in energy. The focus of this class is on relaxation, gentle movement and meditation. Course fee: $85. May be repeated for credit.
1 unit
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
134 - Beginning Ballet
A study of the principles of ballet based on the Vaganova method. Students will learn the fundamentals and elementary vocabulary of ballet through "barre", center and traveling combinations and exercises. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only. May be repeated for credit.
1 unit
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
136 - AfroContemporary Movement
Developed by Brazilian national, Rosangela Silvestre in the late nineties, the Silvestre Technique is a dance training discipline that prepares dancers for stage performances. The technique incorporates a series of fundamental training exercises infusing principles from Ballet and Jazz with sacred Orixa dance and Capoeira. Students will gain knowledge of the cultural origins of the dances and be expected to interpret these folkloric concepts into contemporary contexts. This multidimensional and encompassing approach integrates the balance between expression and technique allowing students at all skill levels to benefit in the learning process.
1 unit
137 - Choreography I
A comprehensive study of the tools of choreography based on the Nikolais/Mettler methods of creating dances, including the manipulation of motion through space, time, shape, and energy volumes within the context of the body and its surroundings. Course culminates in a studio performance of each student's choreography. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: two semesters of any dance course or permission of instructor.
2 units
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
139 - African Dance
This course will explore the richness of African Dance traditions from West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa and South Africa. Beginning with warm-up exercises to condition the body for the rigors of these dance forms (developing strength, aerobic stamina, coordination, flexibility, and rhythmic awareness), the course will be devoted to the study of authentic dances and songs from Africa, as well as their historical and cultural contexts.
1 Unit
140 - Afro-Caribbean Dance Workshop
This course is designed to teach fundamental Afro-Caribbean dance techniques and complex body isolations. The dances learned will reflect the various African influences to the Caribbean ─ particularly Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad and Tobago. Participants will gain cultural, historical, and social content of the dances and learn the relationship between the music and the dance. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only. May be repeated for credit.
1 unit
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
141 - Movement for Actors: Social Dance for the Theater
Students will be introduced to important social and period dance forms as a means of creating character as well as enriching the historical or period flavor of a theatrical performance. While studying such dances as the waltz, the Charleston, and the Jitterbug, students will learn to confront their bodies moving alone and in concert with others. May be repeated once for credit. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis.
1 unit
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
142 - Folk and Historical Dance
This course teaches folk and historical dances (Renaissance through the 20th century) drawn from Eastern and Western Europe (including the Balkans), as well as folk and social dances of the United States derived from those traditions. Performance opportunities may include: Viennese waltz and possibly dance-based children's theater. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only.
1 unit
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
175 - Design Forum
This course introduces the student to the theory and application of the elements of design and principels of composition as they apply to theater and film. Through an investigation of two-dimensional and three-dimensional design the student will begin to understand and gain the skills to express the visual meaning of the play/filmscript. The course will include script analysis, presentation and research techniques and a series of design projects in both individual and group formats. The general student will sharpen their critical eye, the actor/director will learn to engage with the design elements developed for them and the designer will receive a broad introduction to the design process. Ticket Fee: $50. Intended for first-year and second-year students. Not available to juniors or seniors without permission of instructor.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: FINE ARTS
190 - Theater Now: Los Angeles
Through readings, guest speakers and theater attendance, students will explore theater throughout Los Angeles. Students will critically examine the centrality of the collaborative role of theater artists and the active role of the audience in live theater. Through interaction with the creative team for selected productions, both on campus and at theater venues, students will explore the aesthetic culmination of the production process. Ticket fee: $50.
2 units
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: PARTIAL FINE ARTS
197 - Independent Study in Theater
Prerequisites: Theater 101 and permission of instructor. Open only to second year students.
2 or 4 units
201 - Alternative Voices in American Theater
This course surveys the theater artistry of contemporary American writers from divergent cultural and aesthetic backgrounds. Special emphasis is placed on women and people of color, including Suzan-Lori Parks, Reza Abdoh, Luis Alfaro, and Naomi Iizuka. By examining each artist against within his/her social-political-economic context, students will explore a variety of creative approaches to cultural problem-solving and gain a greater understanding of current movements in American playwriting. Recommended: Theater 101.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: FINE ARTS ● UNITED STATES
202 - Shakespeare's Scripts
Designed to look at a number of Shakespeare's scripts from the vantage of actor, director, or playwright, this course examines the unique and complex relationship between Shakespeare's literary constructions and their possible performances. With four plays from different periods of Shakespeare's career, we attend to elements of immediate interest and concern to those who wish to understand how Shakespeare as playwright shaped his scripts for performance: how through language and structure he develops characters of psychological complexity; how he develops stories from extra-theatrical material; how his scripts, over time, reveal his development and changing interests as a playwright; and how, in style and subject matter, the scripts relate to one another. The course offers a bridge between literary study and theatrical enactment: looking closely at Shakespeare's designs from the perspective of the theater practitioner--from, in most ways, Shakespeare's own perspective. Prerequisite: THEA101, THEA210, ECLS 186, ECLS 187, ECLS 205, or ECLS 220.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: FINE ARTS ● PRE-1800
203 - Productions in Times of Crisis
In this course, students will investigate a variety of 20th and 21st century theatrical productions – both in the US and abroad – staged during times of conflict and crisis. From the amateur stages in restaurant back rooms, in workers clubs and cafes to professional and Broadway theaters, we will look at how access to resources and government support influences strategies of production. From the 1920’s agitation trials (Agitsudy), mass spectacles, and agitprop theater during the Russian Revolution to contemporary theatrical responses to disease, war, racism, and social oppression, the course will examine how artists and activists use theater to respond to social and political unrest, as a tool to fight oppression (or a tool to encourage obedience and propagate national political ideals), and as an escape from the realities of everyday life. We will look at the performance theories and strategies that emerged during these theatrical moments, and we will read seminal plays that were written and staged during these periods. In addition to the historical and theoretical work, students will develop projects that respond to a contemporary crisis, taking into consideration how access to resources influences the methods and products of theatrical production, and how restrictions can often open doors to new and inventive performance technologies. Prerequisite: Recommended: THEA101 or any 100 level SOC, POLS, UEP, or CTSJ course.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: FINE ARTS ● INTERCULTURAL
210 - Acting I: Stage
This course introduces a student to the techniques and theories of acting. Course work begins with an exploration of the self in performance using partnered scenes from American realist scripts. At mid-semester, the class presents The Zoo Exercise, a project in sustained characterization inspired by work at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. The course then culminates with a presentation of scene-work selected from the plays of Henrik Ibsen. Ticket Fee: $60. Intended for first-year and second-year students. Prerequisites: Theater 110. Recommended: Theater 101. Enrollment is limited.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: FINE ARTS
211 - Performance Laboratory
This is an applied acting course connected to a role or roles in Theater Mainstage productions. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Recommended: Theater 101 and 210. May be repeated for credit.
1 unit
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
212 - Audition Workshop
This is an applied workshop available to students who have completed Theater 210. Student actors will polish techniques for solo auditions learned in Introduction to Performance and Acting I, and apply them to the standard "general audition" format. Intended for second and third-year students. Prerequisites: THEA 101 and 210 OR permission of the instructor. Enrollment is limited. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only. May be repeated as an audit.
1 unit
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
213 - Performing HIstory
In this intensive workshop, students will develop short solo performance pieces based on their own historical research. No prior performance experience is necessary. To enroll, students will apply to participate in the workshop which is limited in enrollment. During the week of January 30, 2011, students will work with Roger Guenveur Smith, Hume Fellow in Theater for Spring 2011, to develop their idea and preliminary research into a short piece to be performed in a rehearsal setting for an open audience. The conjunction of critical thinking and civic engagement with storytelling will be at the core of this workshop. To augment their own work, students will be expected to attend the two performances by Smith during that week. Student pieces will be reprised for the Spring Arts Festival in April, 2011. Prerequisites: application process / permission of instructor
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: PARTIAL FINE ARTS
1 unit CR/NC Grade
215 - Acting for the Camera
An intensive course in character work, scene work and camera technique using selected scripts from some of the greatest recent and contemporary screenplays. Materials fee: $60. Prerequisite: Theater 210 with a grade of "B-" or better or permission of instructor. Recommended: Theater 310. Enrollment is limited.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: FINE ARTS
216 - Narrative Workshop for the Moving Image
This film production course emphasizes directing the actor and storytelling with the camera with a secondary emphasis in collaboration and script writing. Working in collaborative teams, students will make three short narrative projects on digital video, and one longer final project. Meant for intermediate students in theater and film. Materials fee: $70. Prerequisites: Theater 210 or AHVA Media/Film F140, and permission of instructor. Enrollment is limited. Prerequisite: Theater 210 or AHVA Media/Film F140, and permission of instructor.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: FINE ARTS
225 - Scene Painting
In this course, the student will be introduced to a variety of scenic techniques and materials. Mastery of basic skills will be expected for completion of the course. Period styles and aesthetic theories will provide a foundation for the skills learned. Special materials will be purchased for the students of this course. A separate lab will provide individualized supervision of techniques and projects demonstrated during the regular class time. Includes one two-hour laboratory session per week. Materials fee: $65. Prerequisites: Theater 120 or 175, or permission of the instructor. Enrollment is limited.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: FINE ARTS
Not given in 2010-11
231 - Intermediate Jazz and Tap
Students will learn intermediate and advanced techniques of jazz and tap dancing. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: two semesters of Theater 131 or permission of instructor.
1 unit
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
233 - Advanced Tai Chi
This course incorporates more advanced techniques of Tai Chi Chuan, the study of slow controlled movement, breathing, and realignment of the body. Course fee: $85. Prerequisite: Two semesters of Theater 133 or permission of instructor. May be repeated for credit.
1 unit
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
234 - Intermediate Ballet
Intensive study that develops and refines ballet technique based on the Vaganova Method. Prerequisite: Two semesters of Theater 134 or permission of instructor. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only. May be repeated for credit.
1 unit
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
236 - Dunham Techinque
Developed by Katherine Dunham, a pioneer of modern dance and the first African American to lead a major dance company, the Dunham technique includes elements of African, Afro-Caribbean, ballet, modern, and yoga. Class sessions include barre and floor work as well as isolations. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: two semesters of any dance course or permission of instructor.
1 unit
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
237 - Intermediate Choreograpphy
This course is a continuation of the material introduced in Choreography with an emphasis on group choreography, including site-specific work and studio performances. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Theater 137 or permission of instructor.
2 units
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
240 - Intermediate Afro-Caribbean Dance Workshop
Building on material introduced in THEA140, this course examines African-diasporic movement covering the diverse Caribbean region from Cuba, to Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Throughout the term, students will build a body of choreographic work and will be expected to memorize, retain, and execute complex combinations. Students will learn improvisational techniques for soloing, requiring both an in-depth knowledge of the Yoruba-based pantheon of deities and the ability to match the specific dance steps to the corresponding drum rhythms. Students will also learn songs written in the Yoruba language and will be expected to simultaneously sing and dance. Prerequisite: 2 semesters of THEA140 or permission of instructor
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: PARTIAL FINE ARTS
241 - Designing Movement for Stage and Screen
This course introduces a student to the developing theories and practices of designing movement for performance. Although movement exercises and exploration are involved, the focus is using the body as a design element and not on performance. This course provides both the audience member and the stage/screen artist a framework for critical analysis of movement as a tool for visual storytelling. Prerequisite: Theater 101, Theater 125, or permission of instructor.
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
244 - Stage Management
This course will introduce the student to the art and techniques of stage management. Students acquire the skills to stage manage productions from casting through performance.
2 units
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
245 - Stage Makeup
This course will introduce the student to the basics of make-up design for the theater including basic, three-dimensional, corrective, glamour, character, old age make-ups as well as the creation of special effect make-ups. The student will put theory into practice by creating practical make-up designs. Materials fee: $50.
2 units
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
246 - Costume Construction
This course will provide the student with the skills necessary to construct a basic garment. These skills will be used to build a basic costume piece. Materials fee: $50.
2 units
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
Not given in 2010-11
247 - Properties for the Stage
This course is an introduction to the process of designing and constructing props for stage. The elements of production style, period authenticity, actor needs, budget and time will all be considered. A combination of theoretical and practical projects will be required. Prerequisite: Theater 120 or permission of instructor.
2 units
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
248 - Sound Design for the Theater, Dance, and Multimedia
This is an introduction to the theory and application of sound and music as an element of design for theater, dance and other collaborative multimedia dramatic art forms. This class addresses all areas of sound design: including script analysis, conceptual approaches to sound, music underscoring, audio equipment, show control, and sound editing. The class also covers the process of working in a creative team of designers coordinating the various design elements of dramatic works including dramas, musicals, and immersive multimedia dramatic works.
2 units
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
Not given in 2010-11
250 - Period Styles for Stage and Screen
This course will explore the connections between the shifting power structures of European and American culture from the 15th through the 20th centuries and the corresponding social behaviors, etiquette, deportment, fashions, public and private spaces, furniture and art that supported and reflected that power structure. Although movement exercises and exploration are involved, the focus is analyzing the connections between movement and social environment, not on performance. Prerequisite: Theater 101 or permission of instructor.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: INTERCULTURAL • FINE ARTS
260 - Children's Theater, 3rd Grade
These separate applied workshops in children's theater focus on work with elementary school children. We study age-appropriate methods of integrating theater into the elementary school curriculum. In four intensive sessions, students learn five workshops geared to the third grade, after which, under the instructor's supervision, they guide local elementary school classes through the curriculum. Prerequisite: Theater 110 or permission of instructor. Enrollment is limited. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only.
2 units
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
261 - Children's Theater, 5th Grade
These separate applied workshops in children's theater focus on work with elementary school children. We study age-appropriate methods of integrating theater into the elementary school curriculum. In four intensive sessions, students learn five workshops geared to the fifth grade, after which, under the instructor's supervision, they guide local elementary school classes through the curriculum. Prerequisite: Theater 110 or permission of instructor. Enrollment is limited. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only.
2 units
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
275 - Scenic Design
This course provides an intermediate level of theory and technique specifically for scenic design for theater. The student will learn several methods to develop and communicate their design ideas including basic drawing and drafting concepts, CAD drafting using VectorWorks, and both digital and physical model making. The course will expand upon concepts and techniques introduced in THEA175. Materials fee: $60. Prerequisites: Recommend Theater 120, or 175 or permission of instructor. Enrollment is limited.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: FINE ARTS
301 - Topics in Theater Study
This course approaches the study of theater within a series of different cultural contexts. Theater literature, performance practices, and theater architecture will be studied within the larger context of the cultures from which the various types of theatrical expression are derived. The course will investigate in a comparative format such topics as masked theater, populist and elitist theaters, and literary and non-literary theater traditions. Ticket Fee: $50. Prerequisites: Theater 101 and at least second-year status or permission of instructor.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: INTERCULTURAL • PRE-1800
302 - Topics in Theater Literature
This course will investigate the work of three 20th century playwrights, selected on a rotating basis. Different years will have a different emphasis, e.g.: Masters of Farce, Political Pioneers, European Iconoclasts. Students will read several works by each group, in addition to attending live performance, preparing research projects and creating performance projects in response to the artists surveyed. Students may use this course to fulfill the Junior Writing Requirement for the Theater Major. Prerequisites: Theater 101 and at least second-year status or permission of instructor. Ticket fee $50.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: INTERCULTURAL
310 - Acting II
By exploring the psychology of performance, this course introduces acting students to an alternative to Stanislavski-based acting systems or methods. Developing an understanding of impulse, desire and action in everyday life along with an understanding of the heightened consciousness of artists at play, students learn how to act with increased freedom and to create characters with genuine psychological complexity while developing a technique equally adaptable to theater and film. Students follow a path from improvisation through play with language to develop roles from Chekhov and various classical and contemporary playwrights. Enrollment in this course may be based on an audition/interview process. Ticket fee: $50. Prerequisites: Theater 101, 110, 210, and permission of instructor. Recommended: Theater 212. Enrollment is limited.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: FINE ARTS
310A - Scene Workshop
This is an applied workshop required for students enrolled in Theater 310 (Acting II). During the semester, students prepare and perform up to three scenes from classical and contemporary drama. Every two weeks, scene partners will present their work for fellow students and for faculty (who will guide the work's further development). Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only.
1 unit
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
311 - Intensive Performance Lab
This is an intensive applied acting course connected to a significant role or roles in Theater Mainstage Productions. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis only. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. May be repeated for credit.
2 units
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
315 - Narrative Workshop for the Moving Image
Production course in linear storytelling for advanced theater and film students. Working in collaborative teams, students will shoot several projects, write a script, and make one short narrative project on video. The course emphasis will be on script writing, directing the actor, and visual storytelling. Materials fee: $60. Prerequisites: Theater 210 or Art Film 140, and permission of instructor. Enrollment is limited.
Not given in 2010-11
316 - Performing Shakespeare
This course explores through practice the demands Shakespeare's scripts make upon actors. During a semester, students work with five to six scripts from various genres to develop facility with both Shakespeare's verse and prose in performance. Ticket fee: $50. Prerequisite: Theater 310 and permission of instructor. Enrollment is limited.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: EUROPE • FINE ARTS • PRE-1800
320 - Advanced Technical Theater
This lab course extends the topics covered in Theater 120. Topics include advanced building techniques, metal working theory and welding, and furniture construction and repair. Students will also act as crew chiefs for Theater Department productions. Students will be required to purchase some materials for this course. Prerequisites: Theater 120 and permission of instructor. Enrollment is limited.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: FINE ARTS
321 - Portfolio Workshop
In this course students develop the skills to analyze, archive, and document their creative and technical work. They also learn various techniques for public presentation. Prerequisite: Theater 120 or permission of instructor.
1 unit
325 - Lighting Design
Focusing on the specific theories, psychological power, and techniques of lighting design, this course will provide students with an intellectual and practical foundation in this significant yet accessible area of design for theater. Practical training and execution of projects are undertaken in both group and individual formats under faculty supervision. Includes one two-hour laboratory session per week. Materials/ticket fee: $60. Prerequisite: Theater 101, 120, or 175, or permission of instructor.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: FINE ARTS
330 - Producing the Live Event
In this intensive course students will analyze the requirements for live events. As the students develop solutions for these requirements, there will be an emphasis on the artistic, legal and financial responsibilities of the producer. Through projects, case studies and research, the students will learn the creative and practical aspects of live presentations. Students will understand the myriad considerations required to successfully produce live performances for theater, music and other cultural events. Prerequisites: Theater 120 and at least second year standing or permission of instructor.
Not given in 2010-11
335 - Theater Engineering and Architecture
In this course, students will investigate solutions to demanding design problems. This might include linear motion control, pneumatic and hydraulic systems, and the drive or rigging systems for scenery. Theater architecture will also be covered, culminating in the design of a theater. Outside research is required. Prerequisites: Theater 120 and permission of instructor.
Not given in 2010-11
346 - Period Costume Construction and Pattern Making
This is an advanced costume construction class that will introduce the student to the specialized skills involved in translating a design sketch of a period costume into an actual costume. Creating and altering patterns for specific bodies, tailoring, corsetry, and underpinnings will all be included. Materials Fee: $40. Prerequisite: Theater 246 or permission of instructor.
2 units
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
Not given in 2010-11
370 - Costume Design
This course is an introduction to the goals, processes and techniques of costume design. The student will become familiar with the basic components of the discipline. The focus of the projects will be on conceptualizing, researching and designing costumes for a variety of plays. Although an introduction to and practice with differing sketching/rendering approaches will be elements of the class, no specific prior drawing experience is required. Prerequisite: Theater 175, Art S106, or permission of instructor.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: FINE ARTS
375 - Advanced Design for Theater
This course continues the study of theater through an investigation of specific visual concepts and techniques used to present the design of scenery. The close relationships of these elements with the script, the actors, and the director are treated as essential elements of the development of designs. This is primarily a project-oriented class. Special materials will be purchased by the student for this course. Ticket/Materials Fee: $60. Prerequisites: Theater 175 or 275 or permission of instructor. Theater 101 and 120 recommended.
Not given in 2010-11
380 - Playwriting
This course introduces students to the art of writing for theater. Through a series of weekly writing assignments, students develop skills in crafting the dialogue and structure of playscripts. Class work culminates in the development of a one-act play. Ticket Fee: $50. Prerequisites: Theater 101 and 210 or permission of instructor.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: FINE ARTS
390 - Advanced Project in Threater
This is an applied course for significant work undertaken in performance, design, technical, or management areas for mainstage or other faculty-supervised projects. The student will work directly with faculty supervision in the creative process. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. May be repeated once for credit.
Section 1: On-campus Projects
Section 2: Theater Projects in Community Based Learning
2 units
CORE REQUIREMENT PARTIAL: FINE ARTS
397 - Independent Study in Theater
Independent study in theater at an advanced level. Prerequisites: Theater 101 and permission of instructor. Open to students with junior or senior standing only.
2 or 4 units
410 - Directing
This course is an introduction to the art of directing. Students explore the directing processes of script analysis, casting, working with actors, manipulation of space, use of sound and images, developing designs, and mounting productions for the theater. Requirements include staging two performance sequences. Ticket Fee: $50. Prerequisites: Theater 101, 120, 310 and permission of instructor. Recommended: Theater 316. Enrollment is limited. May be repeated for credit.
CORE REQUIREMENT MET: FINE ARTS
490 - Senior Seminar in Theater
This course is for students engaged in senior comprehensive projects. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.
Faculty
Regular Faculty
Assistant Professor of the Practice of Theater
B.A., Dartmouth College; M.F.A., California Institute of the Arts
Professor Emeritus, Theater
A.B., M.A., Occidental College; M.F.A., American Film Institute
On Special Appointment
Adjunct Instructor, Theater
B.A. University of Texas, Austin, M.A. San Francisco State University
Adjunct Instructor, Theater
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Theater
B.G.S., University of Michigan; M.F.A., California Institute of the Arts