Course Schedule and Catalog

Department: *Visual Arts*

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture/Laboratory

Credit Hours: 3

Description: THEATRE TECHNOLOGY: SCENIC, LIGHTING, AND SOUND ***** Introduction to materials, tools, and standard theatre production techniques. Theory and practice of lighting equipment and controls, scenic building and painting techniques, creation of props, sound support requirements, and running crew during performance. Lab hours required. ***** Limited enrollment. ***** Instructor(s): Staff.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: THEATRE TECHNOLOGY: COSTUME CONSTRUCTION ***** Introduction to the materials, tools, and standard techniques of costume/clothing construction. Lab hours required. ***** Enrollment limited to 8.

Long Title: INTRODUCTION OF ACTING

Department: *Visual and Dramatic Arts*

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture/Laboratory

Credit Hours: 3

Description: This is a class in the basic terminology and craft of acting. It will encompass voice and movement training, as well as basic technical theatre terminology and vocabulary for the actor. The course work will progress from ensemble/group work and individual exercises/ monologues to scenes. Space in classes is limited. Registration does not guaratee a place in class. The class roster is formulated on the first day of class by the individual instructor.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN ***** Examination of the basic principles of scenic, lighting, and costume design with emphasis on reading and analyzing a variety of plays in different styles, collaboration with directors and other theatre artists, research, written and visual presentation of ideas including concept statements, sketching, technical drawings, and/or models. ***** Enrollment limited to 12.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Distribution Group: Distribution Group I

Credit Hours: 3

Description: HISTORY OF THEATRE ***** Chronological survey of theatre as a sociocultural institution from its origin to the 20th century with a primary emphasis on Western theatre in America and Europe and a secondary emphasis on Asia encompassing the characteristic practices of theatrical architecture, playwriting, texts, directing, acting, technical production aspects, audiences and criticism.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: STAGECRAFT III ***** Advanced costume/clothing construction.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Distribution Group: Distribution Group I

Credit Hours: 3

Description: INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE DESIGN ***** Introduction to the theory and practice of theatre design through exploration of the principles and elements of design as they apply to scenery, lighting, and costumes with an emphasis on text analysis and research. Students will complete and present a variety of projects. Required to taking other design courses.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: ACTING I ***** Introduction to the fundamentals of acting through the exploration of actor training techniques based on the theories of Stanislasvky,Strasburg, Adler, Meisner, and Hagen, emphasizing the actor's primary tools- voice, body, emotional life, and imagination.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisite(s): THEA 301

Description: ACTING II ***** Text analysis and scene study for the actor with a particular emphasis on a thorough investigation of given circumstances and dramatic action. ***** Enrollment limited to 12. ***** Prerequisite(s): THEA 301 or permission.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Distribution Group: Distribution Group I

Credit Hours: 3

Description: INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE ***** A survey course of the art and theory of the theatre through an examination of dramatic literature from the Greeks through the modern era. The course will also explore the craft of the theatre as it is practiced today. ***** Also offered as ENGL 390. ***** Instructor(s): Rigdon.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisite(s): THEA 300

Description: COSTUME DESIGN ***** Advanced examination of the principles of costume design through the analysis of character and relationships. Students will read and analyze a variety of plays in different periods and styles and then, based on text analysis and research, complete and present design projects using different rendering techniques. The role of the costume designer in collaboration with directors, actors, and other designers will also be explored. ***** Prerequisite(s): THEA 300. ***** Enrollment limited to 12. ***** Instructor(s): Staff

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture/Laboratory

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisite(s): THEA 300

Description: LIGHTING DESIGN ***** Study of the role that lighting plays in a production and the lighting designer's place as an artist in the collaboration process with emphasis on the practical application of the controllable properties of light as they apply to theatre. Students will be required to complete a variety of projects including unrealized designs based on reading and analyzing plays, light labs responding to music, and collaboration with Rice Dance Theatre on the Spring production. ***** Enrollment limited to 12. ***** Prerequisite(s): THEA 300. ***** Instructor(s): Staff.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisite(s): THEA 300

Description: SCENIC DESIGN ***** Advanced examination of the principles of scenic design including research, rendering, technical drawing, model construction, text analysis and the role of the scenic designer in collaboration with directors, actors, and other designers. Students will read and analyze a variety of plays in different periods and styles, and then, based on text analysis and research, complete and present design projects. ***** Prerequisite(s): THEA 300.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE, INTERIORS, AND CLOTHING FOR THEATRE DESIGNERS ***** Survey of the major period styles of buildings, homes, furnishings, and clothing from ancient Egypt through the 20th century including a critical analysis of the interdependent nature of the evolution of design and the relationship to the cultures in which they were created. Repeatable for Credit.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Distribution Group: Distribution Group I

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisite(s): THEA 301

Description: ACTING III: THE SPOKEN TEXT ***** An exploration of language as one of the actor's primary means of communication and expression. The student will analyze, rehearse and perform sonnets, soliloquies and scenes from the work of William Shakespeare. ***** Enrollment limited to 12. ***** Prerequisite(s): THEA 301 or permission.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Distribution Group: Distribution Group I

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisite(s): THEA 301 AND THEA 302 AND THEA 310

Description: ACTING IV ***** A scene study course designed to expose the advanced acting student to the challenges of tackling the master playwrights. Students will rehearse and perform scenes from the works of the Greeks, Ibsen, O'Neill, and others. ***** Prerequisite(s): THEA 301, 302, and 310 or permission.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisite(s): THEA 303

Description: DIRECTING I ***** An introductory course exploring the tools and craft of the stage director. Students will learn how to analyze dramatic text and will gain a fundamental knowledge of the director's basic skills, including composition, picturization, movement, rhythm, and pantomimic dramatization. ***** Enrollment limited to 10. ***** Prerequisites(s): THEA 303 or permission.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Distribution Group: Distribution Group I

Credit Hours: 3

Description: HISTORY OF THEATRE ***** Chronological survey and comprehensive exploration of theatre as a socio-cultural institution from a historical perspective. Students will research the characteristic practices of theatre and the philosophical, cultural, political, and social forces that changed those practices from its origin as ancient tribal ritual to the 21st century multimedia production.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: DIRECTING SHAKESPEARE ***** Stafing Shakespeare's plays for modern audiences learning to speak the lines "trippingly off the tongue", analyzing textual clues, and researching the period to find correlations to contemporary society in the process of active rehearsal. Students will work with ENGL 321 to stage a final scence. ***** Enrollment limited to 10. ***** Instructor(s): Rigdon

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: VOICE AND SPEECH FOR THEATRE ***** Development of an expressive speaking voice through awareness and overcoming physical and vocal habits and limitations, including alignment, relaxation, breath support, resonance, tone and projection. This course will also introduce students to dialects. ***** Enrollment limited to 15. ***** Course offered Spring 2005. ***** Instructor(s): Johnson.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Credit Hours: 3

Description: MOVEMENT AND STAGE COMBAT FOR THEATRE ***** Introduction to body dynamics and coordination through partner exercises, physical stretching and conditioning, ensemble movement, full body awareness, focus, centering, breath support, action and counter-action, precision, and economy of effort. Introduction to sage and dramatically effective techniques of staged violence with a focus on spatial awareness, concentration, and timing. ***** Enrollment limited to 12. ***** Course offered Spring 2005. ***** Instructor(s): Byrnes.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Independent Study

Credit Hours: 1 TO 6

Description: SPECIAL PROBLEMS: TECHNICAL, PRODUCTION ***** Independent study. Repeatable for Credit.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Lecture

Distribution Group: Distribution Group I

Credit Hours: 3

Description: CONTEMPORARY DRAMATIC LITERATURE ***** In this course we will examine contemporary American plays that have had a significant impact on theatrical form or that are highly reflective of contemporary society. Playwrights whose work will be studied will include Mamet, Guare, Lucas, Wilson and many others. ***** Also offered as ENGL 392.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Independent Study

Credit Hours: 3

Description: SPECIAL PROBLEMS: HISTORY, LITERATURE ***** Independent study. Repeatable for Credit.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Independent Study

Credit Hours: 1 TO 3

Description: SPECIAL PROBLEMS: DESIGN, DIRECTING ***** Independent study. Repeatable for Credit.

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Independent Study

Credit Hours: 3

Description: SPECIAL PROBLEMS: ADVANCED TOPICS ***** Independent study. Repeatable for Credit.