THTR - Theatre

This course provides students the opportunity to study concepts in theatre arts. Subject matter will vary.

A study of basic movement, ballet, and theatre dance aids students in developing sufficient agility necessary for role preparation.

This continuation of THTR 12000 emphasizes individual progress in the creation of physical characterization for use in productions.  Individual movement styles are analyzed and expanded.  Students are introduced to mask work.

This course provides a study of the process of play production, from script to finished stage presentation. Basic theatre history is also covered. Attendance at three plays and a critical evaluation of each are required. This course fulfills the fine arts requirement.

A study of script analysis for actors, designers and directors is presented. Major historical periods and genres are examined.

Students look at the development of the voice as an instrument of communication. The International Phonetic Alphabet is studied as a tool for analyzing and reproducing career speech.

The focus of this course is the creation of a script for stage presentation. Elements of the craft are explored and culminate in finished texts.

This course offers a study of the technical process of theatre, set construction, basic design, technical terminology and stage lighting. Class work is supplemented with active crew participation in departmental productions.

This course provides further practical training in and theoretical knowledge of lighting programs, special effects devices, sound equipment, carpentry, computer set design, design concept, research methods, and safety issues affecting all aspects of stage technology.  Class work is supplemented with active crew participation in departmental productions.

Straight and character make-up for the stage is studied, along with special problems in period and stylized make-up.

This course will familiarize students with theatrical costuming in all aspects: costume history, costume design and production technologies, and application of principles to specific scripts and characters.

Students study the basic steps an actor follows in the preparation of a role, including exercises, preparation of short scenes and systematic approach to the creation of a role.

This intensive course focuses on scene preparation, monologue study and cold reading, with particular emphasis on the audition process. The workshop is intended for the experienced actor.

An exploration of the basics of stage combat, this course teaches the techniques of unarmed (western brawling, flips, throws, martial-arts) and single rapier.

A continuation of the basic course, this course adds the dagger, broadsword and student choreography for stage combat.

Students study the process of preparing and presenting solo, duets, chorus numbers and scenes from Broadway musicals. Basic musical theatre history and the study of the many diverse elements of the musical are also covered.

This performance class studies and applies the techniques of improvisation as begun at Chicago's Second City.

As a continuation of Improvisation 1, this course reviews and enhances basic skills of improvisation, focuses on transforming short episodes into sustained scenes, and provides for creative possibilities and the development of a personal style.

This course provides a study of representative plays of the major playwrights and movements in modern drama, from Ibsen to the present. The course fulfills the fine arts requirement.

Students gain the skills necessary to execute scenic and lighting designs for the stage. They investigate the theories and concepts of various styles of scenic and lighting design. They also execute several design projects.

A series of practical projects provides advanced, working knowledge of contemporary sound and lighting systems in the theatre and entertainment industry.

Styles of acting are studied through preparation of short scenes, each representing a different acting style.

Students study the specialized acting techniques and technical terminology essential for the actor working in television. Monologues, commercials and scenes are taped and critiqued.

Periodically, a specific course is offered in one of the specialized areas of theatre that is not part of the general departmental curriculum.

This practicum is designated for specific production work that is not included in the practicums listed below.

This practicum may be used for a major role in a department production.  The director of the production is the person who determines what is required to achieve the one-hour credit and also decides the grade.  The director must be informed that the student is taking an acting practicum before rehearsals begin.

Students in this practicum assist the costumer, who is responsible for all the clothing used in the performance.  Duties include matters relating to design, acquisition (creation and rental), fitting, altering, maintaining, and storing all costumes.

This practicum usually consists of the direction of a production, short play, fringe festival, or showcase.  Specific responsibilities are determined in consultation with an advisor.

Students taking this practicum must expect to take on the following duties:  recruitment and training of ushers, assistance in seating and audience management, determining a house count, and opening and closing the theatre house.

Emphasized in this practicum are learning computer ticketing programs, working with the public, creating box office reports and cash drawer audits, and collaborating with the House Manager.

The student serving as properties manager is responsible for all props and furniture used on the stage and all personal props used by the actors, as well as acquisition and stage positioning of all such properties. Required of all Theatre majors.

This practicum is designed to introduce the student to marketing a theatrical production. Students develop skills relating to time and database management, are given an introduction to show logographic design, are expected to practice good writing skills, and must engage in strategic planning and marketing for theatrical productions.

The sound designer is responsible for all sound used in the performance. This includes the acquisition of and organization of all sound effects, pre/post-show, intermission music, and lobby music.  Required of all Theatre majors.

Students enrolled in this practicum are responsible for one or more of these aspects of play production:  set construction, painting, running crew, atmosphere and stage effects.  Because of the varied nature of the possible assignments, responsibilities also vary significantly and will be determined on a per-production basis with the technical director.

The stage manager's responsibilities are to assist the production director, organize all production staff, assist the director during the rehearsals, and coordinate all backstage activities, including actors, for the performance.  During performances, the stage director is accountable for all aspects of the performance.  Required for Theatre majors. Props and Sound Practicums should be taken first.

The lighting student's responsibilities include the testing, hanging, and focusing of all lighting equipment.  The lighting practicum may involve the following positions:  lighting designer (courses in design are required prerequisites), lighting student, master electrician, light board operator, and/or lighting crew.

In this practicum, the student works on a creative writing project developing original scripts from outline to final play.  Plays may vary, but may include writing a realistic one-act, a nonrealistic one-act, a one-act documentary, a dramatization of fiction, or a full-length play.

The credit for this practicum is usually awarded retroactively.  The student must have either been cast for or must have run crew for an AlphaBet Soup Children's Theatre production for a complete semester.  This professional company has its home base at the Philip Lynch Theatre. 

Students enrolled in this course will work on production functioning as a dramaturge.  A dramaturge researches the play, the playwright, and the social, cultural, and political issues that influenced the playwright's creation.

This practicum prepares the student for employment after graduation.  The requirements differ according to the career goal of the student.  Technicians and designers will prepare a portfolio.  Actors will assemble headshots, résumé, audition pieces, and practical knowledge of theatre business.  All students will prepare a regular employment résumé.  Required for Theatre majors during their second to last semester.

This course reviews the major periods of the theatre, from the Greeks to the Restoration, including historical background, dramatic form, playwrights and the physical theatre. The course partially fulfills the advanced writing requirement.

This continuation of THTR 43100 covers plays of the Restoration period to those of the present day. This course partially fulfills the advanced writing requirement.

Basic concepts of play direction are studied as they apply to the preparation of scenes and short plays.

Students are placed in theatre companies arranged with an advisor to provide them with on-the-job experience.

Students conduct independent research projects directed by a departmental instructor. The projects are an area of theatre not covered by other courses. Students must present a brief outline of the project and obtain the instructor's approval before registration.