Course Syllabus: Theatre Arts 10 - Theatre Appreciation

Fall 2005

MW 12:00 AM – 1:15 AM

Course Code: 42686

Instructor: Kathleen Normington

Office: HGH 234

Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday 1:30- 2:30 PM, Tuesday & Thursday 12 - 1

PM and By Appointment

Campus Phone: 924-4542

E-mail: KJObrien@aol.com_____________________________________

General Education. This course satisfies the Core General Education Requirement for Area C1Arts. Objectives for satisfying the G.E. Requirements are:

1. Students will recognize aesthetic qualities and processes that characterize works of the human intellect and imagination.

2. Students will respond to works of art both analytically (in writing) and affectively (in other forms of personal and artistic expression).

3. Students will write clearly and effectively. Writing shall be assessed for correctness, clarity and conciseness.

Purpose. Theatre Appreciation gives students the opportunity to study live performance theoretically, historically and practically to enable them to understand and enjoy this unique art form. Students will discover through a variety of experiences that live performance is a collaborative artistic process that enables both performer and spectator to value and celebrate human diversity. Students will discover that a performance is the result of many forces coming together, some tangible, some intangible, that always include the physical presence of performers and audience and the need to communicate a story. Theatre includes designs of the costumes and scenery, lighting and sound that help reveal the intentions of the playwright. Students will also compare and contrast the uniqueness of live performance with selected film performances.

Methodology. Attendance and written analysis of live performances at SJSU and elsewhere, collaborative research creative project, readings and quizzes, participation in classroom discussions and exercises, midterm and final examinations.

Student Learning Goals. Students will be able to:

1. Understand the function and the obligation of being a member of a live theatre audience.
2. Recognize the theatre as a collaboration of artistic, creative expression that is defined by a human perspective and the unique contributions of the artists involved and apply that in a creative group project.
3. Appreciate the work of the playwright in creating dramatic structure and characters.
4. Understand and critically respond to actors' performances and the contributions of the director and designers through experience of live performance.
5. Succeed in understanding the variety of historical, cultural and political contexts that have influenced and continue to inform the live performance experience.
6. Collaborate to create an original vision of a dramatic text that includes practical experience in costuming, set design, make-up design, directing or acting.
7. Identify the connections and distinctions between live performance and filmed performance.

Required Text. Theatre: Brief Edition by Robert Cohen (7 th Edition)

GRADING/EVALUATION

Assignment Points

1. Participation 15

2. Quizzes 10

3. Response Essays 10

4. Research Presentation 10

4. Performance Critiques (3) 30

5. Creative Group Projects 50

5. Midterm Exam 35

6. Final Exam 40

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TOTAL 200 points

Course Grade Scale

200-194 points = A+ 179-173 = B+ 159-153 = C+ 139-133 = D+

193-187 points = A 172-166 = B 152-146 = C 132-126 = D

186-180 points = A- 165-160 = B- 145-140 = C- 125-120 = D-

119 & below = F

Participation. In order to receive participation points you must attend class. On occasion there will be online discussions and exercises that can apply towards participation points but that is not an excuse for not being in class and prepared. In class presentations and demonstrations, such as staged readings, creative writings, and group projects are all considered as part of your participation grade. If an emergency arises, please contact the instructor as soon as possible. Documentation may be required to receive an excused absence. An online group will be set up for students as well as the instructor to engage in discussions and exchange information. Instructions for participating will be reviewed in class.

Quizzes. Will be administered in the first 10 – 15 minutes of class. There are no make-up quizzes allowed.

Written Assignments. Writing assignments are required in this course. In addition to the occasional in-class assignment, there will be:

1. 2 Critical Response Essays : These are 500 - 750 word essays related to reading assignments, video presentations or guest speakers. These will have specific guidelines and grading.

2. 3 Performance Critiques : You will be required to attend three live performances this semester and write a critical response to each. These 750 word critiques (approximately 2 ½ pages) will address various aspects of the theatre experience. The first paper is worth 8 points, the second will be worth 10 points, and the third will be worth 12 points.

The following performances are required for this class:

1. Nickel and Dimed by Joan Holden

Dates: October 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 26 at 7pm , October 12 at 11 am Tickets: $10.00 Students(may be bought on the day of performance 30 minutes before curtain time or in advance at the Event Center or online)

Place: University Theatre, San Jose State University

(in Hugh Gillis Hall, entrance by MLK library)

2. A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

Dates: November 11,12, 17,18,19 at 7pm , November 16 at 11 am

Place: University Theatre, San Jose State University

Tickets: $10.00 Students

The third performance is your choice. The instructor will offer suggestions throughout the semester. Please check with the Instructor before you see the performance to make sure the production meets course standards. High school productions are not appropriate for this assignment. You may see the third performance at any time during the semester.

You are responsible for reserving and purchasing your own tickets for all performances. See the department web site at www.tvradiofilmtheatre.com for more information about our productions. PLEASE NOTE: If the cost of the SJSU productions is a concern to you, approximately 35 free student tickets are available one week prior to the performances at the Associated Students Business Office located in the Student Union Building. It is on a “first-come, first-served” basis. Ask for a voucher for the University Theatre at this location.

Compensatory Time Off. You will be released from regular class sessions to attend the required performances. Please refer to the schedule for those dates.

Research Presentation. You must attend a research workshop at the Martin Luther King Library (see schedule) where you will learn how to access information related to Theatre Arts. You will chose a topic to research and will present that information with visual supporting material for the class. Guidelines for this will be distributed in class.

Creative Group Projects. This will be two practical, hands-on projects in which student teams assume various production responsibilities including director, actors, dramaturge, and designers in a hypothetical theatrical production. These projects will require group collaboration to create a theatrical experience from a significant work of dramatic literature assigned by the instructor. Guidelines and Grade Rubric for these projects will be reviewed in class.

Exams. A midterm will cover material in the first half of the semester. A take home final will cover material from the entire semester. NO MAKEUP EXAMS.

Midterm Exam: Wednesday, October 19

Final Exam: Thursday, December 15 9:45 AM – 12:00 PM

Extra Credit. Extra Credit may be available at the discretion of the instructor.

Plagiarism. University regulations (as explained on pages 448-9 of the 2002-04 SJSU Catalog) require that instructors report any instance of academic dishonesty to the Judicial Affairs Officer. One form of academic dishonesty is plagiarism – taking ideas, writing, or work from another person or source and representing them as one's own. Plagiarism includes both having someone else write your papers and cutting and pasting from the Internet. For advice on how to avoid plagiarism, consult the following website: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_plagiar.html.

Theatre Arts 10 Tentative Course Calendar FALL 2005

(Subject to change at the instructor's discretion)

Date Learning Units/ Classwork Assignment Objective

FINAL: Monday, May 23 9:45 – 12:00