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Undergraduate
Courses
BASIC
COURSES
INTERMEDIATE
COURSES
UPPERLEVEL COURSES
SPECIAL
AND INDIVIDUAL STUDIES COURSES
BASIC
COURSES
THEA
101 Introduction to Theatre 3crs., 3hrs. Study of elements
of theatre arts—acting, directing, playwriting, design—from
standpoints of both viewer and participant.
THEA
151 Introduction to Theatre Production 2crs., 5hrs.
Lectures and practical backstage work in all aspects of production.
Work on studio and major productions required.
THEA 160 Workshop in Acting 3crs., 3hrs. For
nonmajors. Exploration of student’s creative potential
in relation to theatre arts. Cannot be taken if THEA 161 has
been taken.
THEA 161 Acting I: Basic Acting Techniques 3crs. 3hrs.
For intended majors. Exploration of the fundamentals of acting
technique through improvisation and scene work.
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INTERMEDIATE
COURSES
THEA
211 World Theatre I 3crs., 3hrs. Prereq.: THEA 101.
Survey of international theatre from its preGreek origins to
the Spanish Golden Age.
THEA 212 World Theatre II 3crs., 3hrs. Prereq.: THEA
101. Survey of international theatre from the Elizabethan
period to Wagner.
THEA 213 World Theatre III 3crs., 3hrs. Survey
of international theatre from 19th century Naturalism to the
present day.
THEA 214 Multicultural Perspectives in Theatrical Performance
3crs., 3hrs. Prereq.: THEA 10.1. Study of a selected
minoritarian theatre tradition in the United States: original
roots, development, and influence on the cultural life of the
group to be studied and on American culture in general. May
be repeated for credit with a different topic.
THEA 215 Black Theatre 3cr., 3hrs Prereq.: THEA 101.
Background and development, present practice, and future possibilities
of Black theatre in American.
THEA
241 Creative Dramatics: Special Topics 3crs., 4hrs. Prereqs:
THEA 101 or 160 or 161. Selected topics in dramatic
literature for children and youth: games, exercises, and story
making. Topics will vary with focus on different cultural traditions.
May be repeated for credit with a different cultural focus.
THEA 242 Theatre for Children 3crs., 3hrs. Prereq: THEA
101. Study of means, materials, and effects of theatre
for child audiences.
THEA 243 Theatre for Children:Laboratory 3crs., 5hrs.
Prereq.: audition or permissiion of instructor. Casting,
rehearsal, and production of plays for children.
THEA 244 Drama and Disability 3crs., 3hrs.
Examines the many myths of disabilities and uses those myths
to create dramatic material to educate and help others to understand
these misconceptions.
THEA 251 Theatre Production 3crs., 5hrs. Prereq: THEA
101 or permission of Instructor. Practical and academic
work on the departmental production.
THEA 261 Acting II: Contemporary Drama 3crs., 4hrs.
Prereq: THEA 161 or permission of Instructor. Work
from written text and learning techniques such as emotional
recall, concentration, responding to imaginary stimuli.
THEA 262 Acting III: Contemporary Drama 3crs., 4hrs.
Prereq: THEA 261; coreq: THEA 263. Continued work on
problems and techniques of creating internal and physical life
of stage character from written text.
THEA 263 Basic Voice and Movement for Performers 2crs.,
3hrs. Coreq: THEA 262. Freeing the natural voice; resonance
and range; movement systems and skills.
THEA 281 Visual Elements of Theatre 3crs., 3hrs. Prereq:
THEA 101. Theory and practice of various design elements
that constitute complete theatrical production. Course for actors,,
directors, playwrights, and others not concentrating in design.
Practical work on productions included.
THEA 282 Theatrical Design Techniques 3crs., 5hrs. Prereq:
THEA 101. Practical training in skills of drawing,
painting, and modelmaking necessary for designing of scenery,
costumes, and lights. Studio design work included. Prerequisite
for all advanced design courses.
THEA 283 Stagecraft 3crs., 5hrs. Prereq: THEA 101.
Technical problems of production: construction, rigging, and
handling of scenery. Practical work included.
THEA 284 Makeup for the Stage 3crs., 5hrs. Prereq: THEA
101. Practical instruction in use of stage makeup.
THEA 285 Design Concepts for Theatre, Film, and Television
3crs., 3hrs. Prereq: THEA 101 or Film 101. Theoretical
and practical elements of design in theatre, film, and television.
THEA 298 Special Topics in Theatre 13crs., 13hrs. Prereq:
Permission from department. A specific topic will be
listed in the Schedule of Classes for a given semester.
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UPPERLEVEL
COURSES
THEA
321 PLAY ANALYSIS 3crs., 3hrs. Prereq: THEA 211 or 212 or 213.
Principles of play analysis; examination of play structure,
theatrical form, and historical period.
THEA
322 THEATRE THEORY AND CRITICISM 3crs., 3hrs. THEA 211 or 212
or 213. Major theatrical theories, with emphasis on
modern, as applied to acting, design, directing, and playwriting.
THEA
323 20thcentury Aesthetics in Theatre and Film 3crs., 3hrs.
Prereq: THEA 213, or FILM 211 or 212. Points of interacting,
mutual influence, and crossfertilization between theatre and
film in theory and praxis.
THEA
324 Adaptation in Theatre and Film 3crs., 4hrs. Prereq: THEA
321 or Film 211 or 212. Examination of examples of
works adapted to the stage or screen from another medium.
THEA
331 AvantGarde Theatre of the 20th Century 3crs., 3hrs. Prereq:
or coreq: THEA 211 or 212 or 213. Departures from realismExpressionism,
Artaud, Brecht, Grotowski – from Alfred Jarry to the present.
THEA
332 Theatre of Realism and Naturalism 3crs., 3hrs. Prereq: or
coreq: THEA 211 or 212 or 213. Plays theory, and stagecraft
of realism and naturalism movements from the late 19th century
to the present.
THEA
333 Alternative Performance 3crs., 3hrs. Prereq: THEA 213 or
THEA 323. Study of performance styles and practices
using theatre and/or film in nontraditional modes.
THEA
341 Creative Drama Leadership Techniques: Special Groups 3crs.,
3hrs. Prereq: THEA 241. Creative drama for groups such
as handicapped, emotionally disturbed, geriatric, and the institutionalized.
THEA 342 Creative Drama in the Community 3crs., 3hrs.
Prereq: THEA 241. Practical application of techniques
and processes of creative drama in communitycentered groups.
THEA
351 Theatre Workshop 2crs., 5hrs. Prereq: THEA 252.
Individual assignments to backstage positions in production
and management of departmental presentations.
THEA
361 Acting: Departures from Realism 3crs., 4hrs. Prereq: THEA
211 or 212 or 213; THEA 262, 263 or permission from instructor;
coreq: THEA 263. Scene study as it applies to nonrealistic
works such as absurdist plays, epic theatre, and expressionist
works.
THEA
362 Acting: Period Drama 3crs., 4hrs. Prereq: THEA 211 or 212
or 213; THEA 262, 263, or permission of instructor.
Scene study from such periods as Greek, Elizabethan, and Restoration.
THEA
363 Advanced Voice and Movement for Performers 2crs., 3hrs.
Prereq: THEA 263; coreq: THEA 361. Continuation of
voice and movement exercises; integration into systematic approach
for actors.
THEA
364 Mime and Masks 3crs., 4hrs. Prereq: THEA 363. Practical
course in mime and mask exercises for actors, designed to open
new avenues for emotional expression.
THEA
371 Directing I 3crs., 5hrs. Prereq: THEA 211 or 212 or 213,
261, 321 or permission of instructor. Principles of
play production; directorial concepts; focusing audience attention
on dramatic values.
THEA
372 Directing II 3crs., 5hrs. Prereq: THEA 371 or permission
of instructor. Continued study of principles; incorporation
of design elements; full laboratory production of oneact play
by each student.
THEA
376 Playwriting I 3crs., 3hrs. Prereq: THEA 101 or permission
of instructor. Study of problems in playwriting based
on the student’s own work.
THEA
377 Playwriting II 3crs., 3hrs. Prereq: THEA 371 or permission
of instructor. Continued study of playwriting techniques,
with emphasis on the structure and form of the fulllength play.
THEA
378 Scriptwriting for Young Audiences: Theatre, Film, and Television.
3crs., 3hrs. THEA 101 or Film 101 or permission of instructors.
Fundamentals of scriptwriting for young audiences for stage,
film, and television; critique of original students scripts.
THEA
381 Scene Design I 3crs., 5hrs. Prereq or coreq: THEA 283.
Fundamentals of design for theatre, film, and television
THEA
382 Scene Design II 3crs., 5hrs. Prereq: THEA 381.
Problems of set design for plays, musicals, ballet, opera, film,
and television; scene painting.
THEA
383 Costuming for the Stage 3crs., 5hrs. Prereq: THEA 281.
Study and practice in stage costuming, historical periods and
styles; fabrics, patterns, and construction.
THEA
384 Stage Lighting 3crs.; 5hrs. Prereq: THEA 281 or Film 251.
Principles and practice of lighting for theatre, film, and television,
emphasizing its contribution to dramatic interpretation.
THEA
385 Production Design I for Theatre, Film, and Television 3crs.;
4hrs. Prereq: THEA 101 or Film 101 and THEA 285. Theory
and practice in scenic design for theatre, film, and television.
THEA
386 Production Design II for Theatre, Film, and Television 3crs.,
4hrs. Prereq: THEA 101 or Film 101 and THEA 285. Theory
and practice in costume design for theatre, film, and television.
THEA
387 Concepts of Light in Theatre, Film, and Television 3crs.,
3hrs. Prereq: THEA 281 or THEA 285. The aesthetics,
styles, conventions, and vocabulary of lighting in theatre,
film, and television; how light establishes style, mood, rhythm,
and atmosphere as interpretive elements of performance.
THEA
388 Theatres and Movie Palaces: Contemporary Culture 3crs.,
3hrs. Prereq: THEA 213 or FILM 211. Exploration of
the architecture and evolution of selected 20thcentury theatre
and movie palaces.
THEA
391 Theatre Projects 3crs., 3hrs. Prereq or coreq: THEA 372,
381, and permission of Chairperson. Experimental work
in design or directing for advanced theatre students.
THEA
398 Studies in Theatre and Film 3crs., 3hrs. Prereq: variable.
Specialized topics for majors will be listed in the Schedule
of Classes for a given semester.
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SPECIAL
AND INDIVIDUAL STUDIES COURSES
THEA
297 Special Topics in Theatre 13crs., 13hrs. Prereq: permission
from department. Not offered at all times. A specific
topic will be listed in Schedule of Classes for a given semester.
THEA
397 Studies in Theatre 3crs., 3hrs. Prereq: variable.
Not offered at all times. A specific topic will be
listed in Schedule of Classes for a given semester.
THEA
401 Seminar 3crs., 3hrs. Permission of department.
Not offered at all times. Readings, discussion, and
papers on significant problems in theatre and film.
THEA
402 Independent Research 13crs., 13hrs. Permission of chairperson.
Majors only. Directed program of reading, research,
or creative presentation, arranged on an individual basis.
THEA
498 Internship 16crs., 16hrs. Permissions of department.
Placement in appropriate offcampus locations on an individual
basis.
THEA 499 Honors Project 3crs., 3hrs. Prereq: 2.7 GPA
and 3.5 major GPA, majors only, permission of chairperson.
Individual work under faculty supervision, qualifies student
for departmental honors at graduation.
In
addition to the above catalogue listings, during most semesters
the department offers special topics courses. Recent offerings
include:
