Department of Theatre

Nina Lenoir, Ph.D., Chair

Professor: Nehring;

Associate Professors: Bradac, Lenoir, Washington;

Assistant Professors: Benitz, Guy, Kelly;

Bachelor of Arts in Theatre

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Screen Acting

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance

Admittance to the theatre program is by audition/interview only.

The mission of the department of theatre is to provide programs that empower students to pursue appropriate career paths and value artistic collaboration, while empowering them to reach their full potential.

The theatre department offers three degree programs. The bachelor of arts program is a broad-based program encompassing not only performance but also history, production and technology. The BA requires 46 credits, which allows students to take electives in other disciplines, and makes it possible to pursue double majors or minors. The degree provides excellent preparation for those who plan to attend graduate school and/or enter the field of teaching. The bachelor of fine arts programs are designed for students who plan to enter the world of theatre or film/television performance and require 78 credits.

Students pursuing a degree in the department of theatre must maintain at least a 2.000 GPA in the major. All courses in the major must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a "C" (not a "C–") or higher.

Extracurricular Opportunities

• A three–week London theatre tour.
• Mainstage productions of various styles each semester.
• Student–produced and directed plays.
• Location film work and on–going television productions.
• Internships with Southern California professionals.
• Opportunities to crew productions and/or design lights, costumes, and sets.
• The student–governed Coalition of Artistic Students in Theatre (CAST).
• Shakespeare Orange County (a professional theatre company associated with Chapman University during the summer, which offers student scholarships and apprentice programs).

Departmental Honors

Departmental honors are given to those students that have earned a departmental GPA of 3.300 or higher, exhibited a professional demeanor, and made an outstanding contribution of their time and efforts to the theatre department.

Bachelor of Arts in Theatre

Acceptance to the BA in theatre is by audition or portfolio review. The courses required within the major afford the student a strong core of theatre knowledge and experience in the areas of acting, directing, theatre technology, and history. Students are provided with a wide variety of production opportunities to demonstrate understanding of acquired knowledge. Working with their advisor students will choose an 12–credit area of study in acting and directing, or technology.

BA candidates must enroll in TH 111 and TH 170 during their first semester.

core requirements (27 credits)

additional requirements (7 credits)

acting and directing area of study electives (12 credits)

technology area of study electives (12 credits)

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Screen Acting

Acceptance to the BFA in screen acting is by audition only and is for currently enrolled BA theatre majors or Dodge College film majors. This is a single interdisciplinary degree offered cooperatively through the Chapman University Theatre Department and Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.

The BFA in screen acting degree is offered to prepare students to work as performers in all recorded media, including film, television, and new media in addition to traditional live theatre. Students will be trained in and prepared to meet the current demands of the motion picture and television industries as well as the evolving and expanding opportunities in internet, portable media, and computer-generated digital effects which require actors to be familiar with green screen and motion capture performance techniques.

In this degree, students will study traditional acting techniques with a strong emphasis on techniques appropriate and specific to working in front of a camera. The curriculum is structured in a traditional sequence from introductory classes in film and acting basics to more advanced out-of-class film production work. The program will culminate in a 6-credit Senior Acting Workshop, in which a reel is created for students to take into the industry. All screen acting students will be required to act in film production students' films, or other projects approved by the faculty in addition to auditioning for the theatre department stage productions. In some cases, it will also be possible for screen acting students to produce their own film projects.

Students are admitted to the BFA in Screen Acting by audition at the end of the spring semester of the freshman year. For audition information, interested students should contact the Department of Theatre secretary. Candidates for the BFA in Screen Acting should enroll in TH 111, TH 170 and FTV 130, FTV 140 during their first semester.

core requirements (30 credits)

additional requirements (42 credits)

two of the following electives (6 credits)

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance

Acceptance to the BFA in theatre is by audition only and is for currently enrolled BA theatre majors who demonstrate excellence in acting techniques, artistry, and performance. The BFA in Theatre Performance degree prepares and trains students to be successful as performers in all types of theatrical productions. Students in the BFA program follow a rigorous sequential curriculum designed to assist them reach their full potential as performers within the context of a liberal arts education. In this degree, students study traditional acting techniques with a strong emphasis on techniques appropriate and specific to working in live theatre. The program will culminate in a BFA Showcase to prepare students for careers after college.

Students are provided sufficient opportunity to demonstrate their talent in campus stage, film and television productions, and are encouraged to pursue professional internships.

Students are admitted to the BFA program in theatre performance by audition at the end of the spring semester of the freshman year. For audition information, interested students should contact the department of theatre secretary. Candidates for the BFA in theatre performance should enroll in TH 111 and TH 170 during their first semester.

core requirements (27 credits)

additional requirements (42 credits)

additional electives (9 credits)

Course Descriptions – Theatre

TH 100 Introduction to Theatre Technology

This course is an overview and theoretical exploration of all non–performance aspects of theatre production. It will introduce production design and construction, including scenery, costumes, lighting, sound, theatrical production management, labor, facility, and money and time budgeting. This course carries a lab component. Fee: $75. (Offered every semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. The course is designed to provide the beginning college theatre student with an overview of Theatre Technology.
2. The course will provide an understanding of the interrelated nature of all areas involved in mounting a production.
3. In addition to developing an appreciation for all of the production related areas, the student will also be exposed to the rigor of the production calendar at Chapman University.
4. This course will underscore the importance of communication, collaboration and communication that is necessary to fully develop a production with a clear and cohesive point of view.

TH 105 Theatre Practicum

This course gives students practical experience in the technical areas of the production program. Students will be given a production assignment and will perform specific activities related to that technical area. This course must be repeated four semesters for a maximum of 2 credits. P/NP. (Offered every semester.) ½ credit.

Course Objectives:

1. The objective of this course is to provide students with the opportunity to get hands on experience in the many technical areas involved in a theatrical production.
2. Crew assignments will vary depending on production needs and student abilities.
3. Assignments may be in any one of the following areas: Scenery Construction, Scenery Running Crew, Property Acquisition/Construction, Property Running Crew, Lighting, Sound, Costume Construction, Costume Running Crew.

TH 110 Introduction to Acting

This is a beginning acting course for students not majoring in Theatre Performance. The course includes relaxation work, ensemble exercises, beginning scene work, and an introduction to character building. (Offered every semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. This course functions as an introductory course in acting.
2. The primary goals for the course include the students' ability to bring themselves to their roles, with relaxed vocal and physical instruments; basic understanding of the Stanislavski terminology, and a playing to type in modern realism.

TH 111 Introduction to Performing Techniques

Prerequisite, theatre major. This course is a study of the fundamentals of stage movement and vocal production. Course work includes ensemble–building, Alexander, Linklater exercises, Strasberg relaxation exercises, and the creation of physical and vocal warm–ups. All theatre majors are required to take this course during their freshman year. Fee: $75. (Offered fall semester.) 2 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. Improve physical abilities; enhance ability to reveal emotional and psychological life of a character based on script analysis.
2. Strengthen ability to work through individual/character conflict as they are manifested physically and vocally.
3. Further performance ability to establish rapport and build ensemble, and to react spontaneously to immediate environmental demands.

TH 112 Acting Fundamentals

Prerequisites, TH 111, theatre major. Course work includes beginning scene work, Stanislavski terminology and technique, playing to type, beginning rehearsal techniques, emotional realism, and performance analysis. (Offered spring semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objective:

1. As an introductory course in acting, the primary goals include: enabling students to bring themselves to their roles with relaxed vocal and physical instruments; understanding of basic Stanislavski terminology; playing to type in modern realism; and exploring rudimentary scene study.

TH 113 Theatre Performance

Prerequisite, audition or consent of instructor. This course is designed for those students who have been given performance responsibilities in theatre productions. P/NP. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits. (Offered every semester.) 1 credit.

Course Objectives:

1. To provide practical experience through the actual performance of plays.
2. Aside from the technical skills acquired, it is expected that the participants will continue to develop an appreciation of dramatic forms.
3. To provide students an understanding of the rigorous process involved in the rehearsal and performance of theatre productions.

TH 150 Theatre in World Cultures

This course is a study of theatre as a performing art, expression of religious faith, vehicle for social interaction, and popular entertainment. The role of theatre in world cultures, historical development of performance are explored through reading, videos, discussion, and attendance of live performances. Fee: $75. (Offered every semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to identify and distinguish the forms and trends in Theatre across world cultures including those of Japan, China, Bali, Australia, Africa, Western Europe, and the Americas.
2. They will also understand the historical and cultural influences that have shaped Theatre in various cultures.
3. Students will understand how a society's values, geography, religion, politics, aesthetics, and economics influence Theatre in each culture.
4. In addition, they will apply the knowledge of the various social, political, religious, and artistic contexts to the art of Theatre and how Theatre reflects these societies.
5. They will analyze the role of Theatre in cultures as a performing art, as an expression of religious belief, as a means to define gender, as a means of social interaction, and as a form of entertainment.
6. Analysis will address techniques and tools of performance, ideologies, cultural mores, gender roles in societies, and historical trends.
7. In addition, they will integrate the means by which the cultural and artistic elements of Theatre serve other disciplines especially that of the student's major.
8. Finally, they will evaluate how the art of Theatre reflects the similarities and differences of various cultures and how these components inform the interaction of cultures. Performance of Theatre from many cultures will be critiqued in live performances and on videotape.

TH 170 Creating Theatre: From Page to Stage - The Art of Collaboration

Prerequisite, theatre major. This course is an introduction to the study of theatre as a collaborative art form. The emphasis is on the introduction of information that will enable students to appreciate the process of creating and maintaining viable theatre, and to effectively communicate as dedicated and disciplined theatre practitioners. The student will also learn to implement specific collaborative processes involving classroom exercises and departmental productions. Fee: $75. (Offered fall semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. The course is designed to provide the student with a detailed overview of the collaborative art of theatre with a focus on the practitioners: actor, director, playwright, and designer.
2. The course also provides students with an understanding of theatrical professionalism and ethics.

TH 201 Stagecraft

Prerequisite, TH 100. This is a course in the craft and methodology of scenic production for the stage. Fee: $100. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. To provide the student with the theory, background and practical skills necessary to construct scenery for stage, film and television productions.
2. To expose the students to the creative problem solving skills necessary to safely and skillfully construct various types of scenic elements.
3. To enhance student understanding of the rigors of production, students will build upon the basic techniques learned in the scenery component of TH 100.

TH 202 Theatrical Make–Up

This is an introduction to theatrical make–up. Students study stage make–up design and artistic skills, including both painting and three dimensional make–up. Often there are special opportunities for practical experience on actual productions. Theatre majors are advised to take the course in their freshman or sophomore year. Fee: $85. (Offered every semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objective:

1. To prepare students to be responsible for the design and application of make-up as may be required in the professional world of theatre and dance.

TH 204 Costume Construction

This course is designed as an introduction to the theatrical costuming construction process. The course gives students training in costume construction techniques, fitting, maintenance, tools, and other responsibilities involved in theatrical costuming. This course carries a laboratory component where students will gain hands–on experience. Fee: $75. (Offered every semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. To provide the student with a basic understanding of the materials and techniques utilized in the construction of theatrical costumes.
2. This course exposes students to sewing technique and simple construction through the use of existing patterns.
3. This course exposes the students to the rigors of costume construction techniques for theatrical productions.

TH 207 Lighting for the Stage

Prerequisite, TH 100, or consent of instructor. This course presents students with the fundamentals of stage lighting. A detailed description of electrical theory, instrumentation, equipment, and an overview of the lighting design process are utilized. This course carries a laboratory component where students gain hands-on experience. Fee: $75. (Offered every semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. To give students a fundamental understanding of the basic electrical knowledge and theory necessary to safely and efficiently hang, focus, run, and repair stage lighting equipment.
2. Additionally, students will be introduced to the basics of lighting design and the preparation and paperwork necessary to take a lighting project from script to stage.

TH 210 Acting Shakespeare I

Prerequisites, TH 111, 112. This course provides students with a fundamental approach to playing Shakespeare. Particular emphasis will be placed on a rhetorical approach to text and punctuation utilizing Shakespeare's First Folio as the key to unlocking the text in a presentational actor/audience experience. (Offered spring semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objective:

1. To give students fundamental skills in approach to verse text, the Elizabethan world and theatrical traditions and to incorporate realistic acting techniques with heightened language.

TH 212 Tai–Chi for Theatre I

Prerequisite, theatre major. This course is a study in movement of the Yang Tai–Chi form. The first semester consists of the first twenty–two movements and the second semester consists of the remaining twenty–two movements for a total of forty–four movements. Tai–Chi I is a prerequisite for Tai–Chi II. (Offered fall semester.) ½ credit.

Course Objectives:

1. To develop and enhance the students' internal force of concentration, spirit, physical agility, and energy through the continuous and uninterrupted use of ch'i (breath).
2. Improve creative potential through mental and physical awareness and meditative techniques.

TH 213 Tai–Chi for Theatre II

Prerequisites, TH 212, theatre major. This course builds on the foundation of TH 212 and continues the art and mastery of the second twenty–two movements in Yang Tai–Chi. Students learn the movement of the Yang Tai–Chi form in order to enhance and explore their study of movement and acting. (Offered spring semester.) ½ credit.

Course Objectives:

1. To develop and enhance the students internal force of concentration, spirit, physical agility, and energy through the continuous and uninterrupted use of ch'i (breath).
2. Improve creative potential through mental and physical awareness and meditative techniques.

TH 216 Fundamentals of Character Building

Prerequisites, TH 111, 112, theatre majors. Coursework includes further application of acting techniques with focus on character development and scriptural analysis. (Offered fall semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. The purpose of the course is to enable the students to begin to explore fundamental techniques in the imaginative processes of developing characters from "the-outside-in."
2. This is accomplished through an understanding and development of the character's psychological, emotional, physical, environmental, and social conditions-past and present. All these elements combine to develop a complete character creation.
3. The techniques learned in the class will also aid in helping students bring out emotional depth, which will enrich their physical lives in stage performances.

TH 217 Introduction to Acting and Movement for Singers

Prerequisite, MUS 106. This is an introductory acting and movement course designed for singers. Course work includes relaxation work, ensemble exercises, scene work, and introduction to character building, and Stanislavski terminology and technique. (Offered every year.) 2 credits.

Course Objective:

1. The primary goals include: techniques to enable students to bring a relaxed body and voice to their roles, exploring basic scene study techniques, and a basic understanding of the Stanislavski terminology.

TH 218 Character Building for Performance

Prerequisites, TH 111, 112, BFA theatre major. Coursework includes further application of acting techniques with focus on character development and scriptural analysis. (Offered fall semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. The student concentrates on creating characters that are not like his/her emotional, psychological, vocal, and/or physical self.
2. The primary goals for this course center around all aspects of character development and will lean toward the analytical, as well as, performance demands of character development.

TH 229 Experimental Course

This course is designed to provide additional opportunities to explore experimental areas and subjects of special interest. It may be repeated for credit provided the course content is different. (Offered as needed.) 1–3 credits.

TH 230 Screen Acting I

Prerequisites, TH 111, 112. This introduction to screen acting begins by analyzing the similarities and differences between stage and screen acting. Course work continues into exercises that instruct students on basic screen techniques and will evolve into introductory scene work in front of the camera. (Offered fall semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. To begin to hone listening skills.
2. To begin to understand the differences between stage and screen acting.
3. To begin to understand what is required for successful on-camera work.
4. To deeply analyze one's own on -camera work, noting strengths and weaknesses.
5. To have a rudimentary understanding of film and television vocabulary.
6. To assess and evaluate other's work in front of the camera.
7. To refine observation skills.
8. To use script analysis for performance.
9. To begin to free oneself of the barriers which impede creative and communicative processes.
10. To emphasize the invaluable nature of collaboration.

TH 271 Theatre History I - Greeks to Realism

Prerequisite, TH 170, or equivalent. This course is an intensive study of the theatrical history and plays from the classical Greek to pre-Ibsen realism. (Offered fall semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. Students are exposed to theatre history from tribal storytelling thru early 19th century drama.
2. Primary focus is on the texts themselves, with particular emphasis on styles, genres, and theatrical developments during the period studied.

TH 272 Theatre History II - Realism to Present

Prerequisite, TH 271. This course is an intensive study of the theatrical history and plays from pre-Ibsen realism to the contemporary period. (Offered spring semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. To expose the student to modern theatre history through a study of late 19th and 20th Century plays, including American, British, and Continental drama.
2. Primary focus is on the texts themselves, with particular emphasis on styles, genres, and theatrical developments during the period studied.

TH 290 Independent Internship

Prerequisite, consent of instructor. P/NP. Maybe repeated for credit. (Offered as needed.) 1-3 credits.

TH 299 Individual Study

Prerequisite, consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit. (Offered as needed.) 1–3 credits.

TH 301 Drafting for the Stage

Prerequisite, TH 201. This course is designed to give students experience in the drafting and construction drawing techniques of theatre production. Historical discussion of the art and craft of theatrical scenic production and current trends in theatre technology will be included as well as a discussion of the use of computers and CAD. Fee: $75. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits.

Course Objective:

1. This course gives students the basic skills necessary to produce scale drawings for design and construction of theatrical scenery.

TH 309 Scene Painting

Prerequisite, TH 100. This is a course in the basic techniques, materials and methods used in painting scenery for theatre, film, and television. This course offers practical, hands–on experience such as color theory, highlight and shadow, paint mixing, grid and layout, base painting, cartooning, lay–in painting, and detail painting. Fee: $75. (Offered spring semester, alternate years.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. Designed to give students an overview and basic skills in the area of theatrical scene painting.
2. This course combines the study of color, research, creative problem solving, and execution to provide students with an arsenal of tools for work in the theatrical environment.

TH 311 Voice Production and Techniques I

Prerequisites, TH 111, 112, 210, 218 or consent of instructor. This is a course in the advanced principles of vocal production and stage usage. This course integrates a variety of production processes including Linklater, Berry, Alexander, Feldenkrais, and Fitzmaurice, to further develop alignment, respiration, phonation, resonation, and articulation for the actor. (Offered fall semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objective:

1. This class will introduce students to the theories of master voice teachers by utilizing vocal concepts that strengthen the vocal channel of sound for a professional theatrical career.
2. Students will learn a warm-up to ready the voice for various performance challenges as well as exercises to create and maintain vocal health.
3. Students will improve their vocal flexibility and centering by performing various Greek and Shakespearean texts.

TH 313 Theatre Performance

Prerequisite, audition or consent of instructor. Designed for those students who have been given increased performance responsibilities in theatre productions. P/NP. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits. (Offered every semester.) 2 credits.

Course Objective:

1. To provide practical experience through actual performance of work; aside from the technical skills acquired, it is expected that the participants will continue to develop an appreciation of dramatic forms.

TH 315 Acting Styles

Prerequisite, TH 218, 317. This course will consist of advanced work in specific acting styles including Greek, Restoration (including Jean-Baptiste Moliere), Mask, and the theatrical elements of the Theatre of Cruelty. (Offered spring semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objective:

1. To provide students with an approach to material and characterization that goes beyond contemporary time and place.

TH 317 Movement for the Performer

Prerequisites, TH 112, 218, 311. This course is an exploration of advanced stage movement based on work of masters such as Tadashi Suzuki, Frederick Mathias Alexander, Moshé Feldenkrais, and Anne Bogart. It may include physical character development, Kabuki theatre physical techniques, Noh theatre physical techniques, mask work, gestural communication, and proxemics. (Offered spring semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objective:

1. To develop the physical strength, flexibility, relaxation, and control of the actor's body and his or her relationship of the body in performance.

TH 329 Experimental Course

(Same as TH 229.)

TH 330 Screen Acting II

Prerequisite, TH 230. This course will focus on intermediate acting techniques for screen. The student will participate in various exercises and perform on camera in two scenes. Fee $75. (Offered every semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. To continue to hone and strengthen listening skills.
2. To continue to hone observation skills.
3. To have an intermediate understanding of what is required for successful on-camera work.
4. To further develop script analysis skills as they pertain to performance in front of the camera.
5. To have a deeper sense of self-assessment of one's own on -camera work, noting strengths and weaknesses.
6. To have a clear understanding of acting, film, and commercial vocabulary.
7. To deepen ones assessment and evaluation of other's on-camera work.
8. To have a solid understanding of how to work with a director.
9. To continue to emphasize the invaluable nature of collaboration.
10. To begin to think and feel like a film actor.

TH 333 Acting for Television Workshop

Prerequisite, TH 230. Students will be guided through all areas of working with television directors and the demands of production. Students will work with student directors, under the guidance of both theatre and film/television faculty, on three short projects using state of the art equipment provided by Dodge College. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. To hone essential listening skills.
2. To understand what is required for successful on-camera work.
3. To understand the demands that soap, sit-com and episodic television place on an actor and how to excel in these genres.
4. To deeply analyze one's own on -camera work, noting strengths and weaknesses.
5. To master acting and television set vocabulary.
6. To assess and evaluate other's work in front of the camera.
7. To refine observation skills.
8. To continue to free oneself of the barriers which impede creative and communicative processes.
9. To continue to emphasize the invaluable nature of collaboration.
10. To think and feel like a television actor.

TH 345 Musical Theatre

This course will introduce and train actors in the performance style necessary for acting in musical theatre. It will include an overview of various musical theatre performance styles, an exploration of the performance of solo numbers and duets, a unit on scene work as it leads to musical performance, and directed performances. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits.

Course Objective:

1. The primary objectives for the course include building the student's ability to recognize performance demands for various types of musical theatre scripts, developing skills necessary to successfully perform solo numbers and duets, and building student confidence through coached public performances within the class.

TH 350 London Theatre Tour

Prerequisite, An interest in dramatic literature and theatre. Taught concurrently with ENG 346. A concentrated study of British theatre, dramatic texts, and theatrical productions, the London Theatre Tour takes place during a three–week stay in London and Stratford, and includes several pre–trip class meetings on campus. (Offered interterm.) 3 credits.

Course Objective:

1. To foster an appreciation of the theatrical culture of regions and countries other than those found in California and the United States, providing the opportunity for comparison and discovering theatrical continuities and dependencies.

TH 370 Script Analysis for Production

Prerequisites, TH 201, 204, 307, or consent of instructor. This course is a study of the play, from page to stage, with emphasis on critical analysis of structure, genre, theme, style, character, language, dramatic event, and point of view as it relates to the production areas of design and execution. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. To introduce the student to the dramatic script as the primary source of information for theatrical performance and help the student develop a system of analyzing and evaluating a variety of scripts in terms of their theatrical requirements and their aesthetic qualities.
2. Students will explore primary and secondary research as tools for the analysis and interpretation of scripts and will discover the interdisciplinary nature of the production process, which includes research, analysis, and interpretation.
3. Students will be introduced to contemporary information resources (both electronic and print), and to the principles of evaluating and using that information effectively.
4. In addition, students will develop the abilities to write and speak clearly about dramatic literature and the requirements of production.

TH 375 Theatre Management

Prerequisite, TH 100, 170. This course will examine the business side of theatre through discussion and study of theatre management techniques, arts administration, accounting practices, box office and front–of–house procedures, marketing, publicity, and personnel. The differences and similarities of commercial theatre versus not–for–profit theatre will also be addressed. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits.

Course Objective:

1. To expose students to the business aspects of theatrical production in a wide variety of venues.

TH 377 Playwriting

Prerequisite, TH 150, or 170, or consent of instructor. This course is an introduction to the art and craft of dramatic writing for the stage in which the student will study structure, theme, and character while pursuing a completed one–act play. Students work one–on–one with their instructor, meeting every week for teaching/discussion. (Offered every semester, reading and conference only.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. The purpose of the course is go provide an atmosphere and process in which the student can learn the elements of dramatic structure, character development, thematic decisions, use of language and technical problems in production.
2. Limitation and utilization of stage space is also included.
3. The student will write a finished play in two or three drafts.

TH 379 Text Analysis and Scene Study for Performance

Prerequisites, TH 218, consent of instructor. The course explores various techniques for text analysis and scene study with a focus on the exploration of word choice and syntax found in the play script and on the analysis of scene-work to illuminate the arc of a performance in production. (Offered fall semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. The course will focus on text analysis and scene study.
2. Students will explore and demonstrate denotative analysis, connotative analysis, syntax, vocal melody, and scenic structure.

TH 388 Directing for the Theatre I

Prerequisites, TH 100, 170, and 216, or 218. This course is a close, practical examination of the craft of play direction. Production techniques are covered as an essential part of the overall subject. The student director solves specific problems through the direction of scenes. This course includes a laboratory component. (Offered fall semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. The student director seeks to acquire the interpersonal skills related to the usual activities of play production and direction, as well as technical skills.
2. He furthers his understanding of the various evaluative techniques related to casting, performance, etc.
3. The course is designed as a workshop and the performance aspect is emphasized, following a 3 week Lecture/Demonstration unit.
4. Each student director works with actors from the Theatre performance program, for the purpose of preparing three scenes, each approximately five to eight minutes in length, which are presented before the directing class for criticism.

TH 389 Directing for the Theatre II

Prerequisite, TH 388. This course continues the practical examination of the craft of play direction. It continues production techniques as an essential part of the overall subject. The student director solves specific problems through the direction of scenes. Emphasis is placed on play analysis and structure. Each student will direct a one–act play. (Offered spring semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. The student director seeks to acquire the interpersonal skills related to the usual activities of play production and direction, as well as technical skills.
2. He furthers his understanding of the various evaluative techniques related to casting, performance, play analysis and plot development through the performance of a one-act play.
3. The course is designed as a workshop and the performance aspect is emphasized, following a 3 week Lecture and Demonstration unit.

TH 399 Individual Study

Prerequisite, consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit. (Offered as needed.) 1–3 credits.

TH 406 Study in Theatrical Design

Prerequisites, TH 204, 207, 301, or consent of instructor. This is a individual study/seminar course in one or more areas of theatrical design: set, lighting, costume, and sound. This course is designed to prepare students for further study in a specific area. Students will gain an understanding of the materials and techniques used for design and presentation in the theatrical environment. Fee: $100. (Offered on a Reading and Conference basis only.) 3 credits.

Course Objective:

1. Students will receive training in the skills and techniques necessary to present design materials in the production meeting environment.

TH 409 Stage Management

Prerequisites, TH 201, 204, 207, or consent of instructor. This course is an overview and investigation of the skills and techniques needed to stage manage a theatrical production. This course offers theoretical and practical discussion about the rigors of theatrical stage management and production. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits.

Course Objective:

1. Provide students with an understanding of the duties and responsibilities of the stage manager in theatrical production.

TH 410 Acting Shakespeare II

Prerequisite, TH 210. This course is a continuation of the first semester approach to the Fundamentals of Acting Shakespeare. Continued emphasis will be placed on a rhetorical approach to text and punctuation utilizing Shakespeare's First Folio as the key to unlocking Shakespeare's clues for actors. An examination of "words into phrases" and figures of speech will be added as well as an approach to utilizing technique acquired in the first semester to sonnets and scene work. (Offered fall semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objective:

1. Students will continue Shakespeare training, including performance.
2. Emphasis placed in rehearsal techniques and analysis skills.

TH 411 Voice and Production Techniques II

Prerequisite, TH 311. This is a course in the principles of American stage speech as designated by the International Phonetic Alphabet (International Phonetic Association). It integrates a variety of speech and vocal processes including Linklater, Machlin, Skinner, and Fitzmaurice to further develop phonation, resonation, and articulation for the actor. (Offered spring semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. Students will utilize the theories of master voice teachers to prepare and strengthen the skills and techniques associated with the sounds of spoken English during performance.
2. Students will learn how to ready the voice for various performance challenges by subjectively analyzing the physiology of the vocal mechanisms of speech.
3. Students will improve their stage speech and articulation by applying the International Phonetic sounds for American stage speech to lines from Greek, Restoration, Shakespearean, and Shavian texts.

TH 415 Advanced Acting Styles

Prerequisites, TH 218, 315. This course includes advanced work in specific acting styles including work from Bernard Shaw, Bertolt Brecht, Noel Coward, Harold Pinter, Anton Chekov, and Samuel Beckett. All periods and styles will be utilized in this investigation of problems and techniques particular to each period and style. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits.

Course Objective:

1. To induce acting students to the research demands, rehearsal techniques and performance skills encountered in style work.

TH 417 The Business of Acting

Prerequisite, TH 379. This course, the capstone course for BFA majors, will offer preparation and practical experience in auditioning for professional theatre, film/television, and related media. (Offered fall semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objective:

1. To provide students with business marketing skills for film, television, and the professional theatre.

TH 419 The Actor Process: From Rehearsal to Performance

Prerequisite, TH 379. This course provides Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance candidates with the opportunity to research professional level rehearsal and performance techniques. A theatrical project is created, cast, rehearsed, and performed to allow students the opportunity to test their research in a lab experience while building and maintaining a performance. (Offered spring semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. The course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to study the rehearsal and performance process through research and experimentation.
2. The course is designed to offer a seminar style experience for the BFA students.
3. Students will research aspects of the rehearsal/performance process documented by theatrical professionals and discuss their findings in class.
4. Students will also create a laboratory performance experience in which to test their research. The class will culminate in an adjudicated performance.

TH 429 Experimental Course

This course is designed to provide additional opportunities to explore experimental areas and subjects of interest. It may be repeated for credit provided the course content is different. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits.

TH 430 Screen Acting III

Prerequisite, TH 330. This course will focus on advanced screen acting techniques for film and television performance. The student will create roles and perform on camera in three scenes shot on location. Fee: $75. (Offered spring semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. Realities of rehearsing and shooting scenes on location.
2. Advanced, often highly emotional scene study for camera.
3. Advanced character building for screen.
4. Working with a director.
5. Understanding the editing process.
6. Understanding of "on set" terminology and practice.

TH 455 Topics in Theatre

Prerequisites, TH 170, 319, or equivalent. This is a special topics course. Each topic will have a specific syllabi and bibliography. This course includes the study of specific time periods, styles of works of directors, actors, or writers of theatre. Research and analysis of key themes, theatrical movements, and presentational styles relating to specific topics will be emphasized. Sample topics might include Shepard, Williams, The Group Theatre, and musical theatre. May be repeated for a total of 6 credits. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. The student will be exposed to an intensive study of a particular style, author, director and/or time period.
2. The specific forms, techniques, plays and content are to be chosen from the vast expanse of theatrical history, from ritualized theatre of the primitives to contemporary styles.

TH 472 Dramatic Literature Survey

Prerequisites, TH 170, 271, 272. This course is an intensive study of select plays through various periods starting with the Greeks to contemporary realism, pre-Ibsen realism following through to the contemporary period. (Offered fall semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objective:

1. To expose the student to modern dramatic literature through the study of Western Drama beginning with the classical Greek period and extending beyond late 19th and 20th Century plays, including American, British, and Continental drama.

TH 476 The History of Acting in American Film from 1890-1970

The course examines the history of acting in American Film from the invention of cinema to 1970. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. The course will introduce students to the evolution of acting styles in American films from the late nineteenth century to 1970.
2. Students will view landmark performances as examples of significant developments in American film performance and learn to identify qualities of performance that are consistent within a given period.

TH 489 One Act Play Production Workshop

Prerequisite, TH 389. Students in the workshop will produce, direct, or act a bill of one–act plays during the fall semester only. Student responsibilities cover all aspects of production as well as acting, crewing, stage managing or directing. Fee: $100. (Offered spring semester.) 1–3 credits.

Course Objectives:

For Directors:

1. To further the directing/producing experience provided in TH 389.
2. To take the theoretical principles provided in that course, and to put them into a production format, while providing a guided experience in play selection, casting, rehearsal planning, design elements and running rehearsals-- specifically as it relates to working with actors.

For Stage Managers

1. To develop a rehearsal/production book for performance.
2. Students will learn to professionally run a rehearsal and then to call a show.

For Actors:

1. To explore development of characterization guided by student directors in a structured environment while experimenting with a variety of rehearsal approaches and techniques will the goal of a performance before an audience.

TH 477 Advanced Playwriting

Prerequisite, TH 377, or consent of instructor. This is an advanced course in the techniques of dramatic writing. It is expected that the student will have already written a play. Special problems and modern approaches to writing for theatre will be covered as the student writes a full–length play in a one–to–one situation with the instructor. (Offered every semester, reading and conference only.) 3 credits.

Course Objective:

1. To provide the student demonstrated dramatic theory and structure through the play writing process, which emphasizes plotting, character development, use and purpose of thematic material, language decisions, technical problems, and limitations/utilization of the stage space in dramatic considerations.

TH 490 Independent Internship

Prerequisite, consent of instructor.P/NP. May be repeated for credit. (Offered as needed.) ½ -3 credits.

TH 497 BFA Showcase

Prerequisite, TH 417. This course, along with TH 417, is the capstone for all BFA Theatre Performance majors. This course consists primarily of scene work that will culminate in a showcase before industry professionals in Los Angeles. P/NP. Fee: $150 (Offered spring semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. To seek appropriate scene material for the showcase.
2. To rehearse scenes and get scenes performance ready.
3. If appropriate to the student's ambitions, build an actor's reel for possible viewing in the showcase.
4. To continue the networking and invitation process for the showcase.
5. To build a professional portfolio that can be given to industry professionals at the showcase.
6. To further prepare students to meet the professional world of acting.

TH 498 Senior Seminar

Prerequisites, TH 100, 105, 111, 112, 170, 207, 271, 272, 388. This course represents a capstone of study in the theatre major and each student will complete an individually designed project. Students will complete a research, acting, or production project subject to departmental approval. (Offered spring semester.) 3 credits.

Course Objectives:

1. The primary goal is to empower students to complete a culminating experience in their undergraduate study.
2. The Senior Seminar is designed to allow students to work in an area of specialty that will enhance the knowledge, skills, techniques, and experience of his/her chosen theatre discipline.
3. The Senior Project is also intended to test the students' ability in their chosen field of study.
4. Faculty advisement of the senior seminar will be devoted to the exploration, development, and criticism of each student's project. The professor will act as a facilitator of individual projects.

TH 499 Individual Study

Prerequisite, consent of instructor. Individual research and projects. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits. (Offered every semester.) 1–3 credits.