Theatre Arts 1P (Acting) Syllabus

Instructor: M. Jones

Email:

Phone:832-484-4954

Website:

Conference:11:39 ~ 12:32 pm

Course Description: Introduction to acting, theatre performance.

Grading: Students are graded on their participation in class activities, the mid-term exam and quizzes, and projects.

Daily grades-40%: Quizzes, projects that require 1 or 2 class periods
Major grades-50%:Tests and projects that require 3 or more class periods
Six Wks Theatre Project-10%:*Play Attendance/Critique or Alternative Assignment

*During each six weeks, students are required to do a “Six Weeks Theatre Project.” This assignment will account for 10% of the six weeks average. You can choose from the following projects:

1)Attend and report on a full-length play, ballet or opera outside of class.

2)Read a play and watch the movie, write a 2 page compare and contrast paper.

Extra Credit:

You can choose one of the following for up to 5 pts of extra credit added to your 6 wks average.

1)Read 5 current theatre events/articles and write a one page summary/critique about each

2)Participate in a theatre production

3)Attend additional productions after fulfilling the “Six Weeks Theatre Project”

Late Work: 50% deduction for Daily grades that are late, Major grades and Projects that are late will be 10 pts off the first day, 20 the second, 30 the third and 50% thereafter.

Food, Drinks, & Gum: No food, drink, or gum is permitted in our classroom or any area where you are working. Don’t do it!

Responsibility & Behavior: Theatre is a lot of work - and a lot of fun. We must work as a team to succeed. Please give 100% when you’re working in class. When I discuss topics in class, that’s your cue to be quiet. It’s important to listen to the concepts and ideas I present so that you can have a good understanding of how to accomplish your upcoming task.

Electronic Devices: Cell phones, media players, etc. are explicitly prohibited during the school day. If you use any of these or have them out where they can be seen, it is considered a level 3 offense. This is true of using your laptop inappropriately.

The following is a general overview of what is covered in this class.

1st Six Weeks

-Intro to Theatre

  • Games
  • Theatre History Overview
  • Ensemble Ethic
  • Movement
  • Pantomime
  • Voice
  • Improvisation
  • Storytelling

-Six Weeks Theatre Project

2nd Six Weeks

-Monologues-Auditions

-Memorization Techniques

-Roles of the Director and Producer

-The theatre building and Areas of the Stage

-Sophocles and Greek Theatre

-Six Weeks Theatre Project

3rd Six Weeks

-Acting

  • The Characterization Process
  • Motivation and Behavior

Subtext, Open Scenes, Improvs,

Objective Scenes

  • Creating Specific Characters
  • Blocking/Stage Movement
  • Duet Acting scenes
  • Shakespeare and Moliere

-Six Weeks Theatre Project

4th Six Weeks

-Film and TV

-Acting for the Camera

-Working with the script

-Acting Styles

-The Rehearsal Process

-The performance

-Kabuki, Chekhov, and Commedia Dell’arte

-Reader’s Theatre

-Play attendance and Critique

5th Six Weeks

-Movement Specialties (Stage Fighting)

-Voice Specialties (Accents)

-Masks

-Musical Theatre

  • History
  • Musical Cuttings

-Beckett and Wilson

-Playwriting

-Six Weeks Theatre Project

6th Six Weeks

-Rehearsal and performance of one-act plays

-Six Weeks Theatre Project

The schedule above is subject to change