Practical experience in production dramaturgy, which will include a combination of research, text analysis and educational outreach. This is a project course related to specific theatrical productions and therefore each semester’s assignments will be determined by the instructor in consultation with the student and the director of each production.
1. To help students better understand the role of script
analysis and research in the theatre production process
2. To help students improve their skills in textual analysis and historical
research, and their abilities to express their ideas in both written and oral
form
3. To encourage students to make interdisciplinary connections to theatre productions
and to find ways to relate productions to the larger community
4. To provide students with practical experience in production dramaturgy
Students may take the course for anywhere from 1 to 3 credits. The number of credits will be determined in consultation with the instructor based upon a selection of tasks from the following:
Script Analysis
Analyze the action, characters, imagery and ideas in the play
Provide play development work on a new script
Report and recommendation of an appropriate translation of a play
Assist the artistic team in adapting a classic text
Compile analytical work in a casebook or on a web site
Research
Report on events and ideas related to the world of the play
Define terms and describe specific activities in the play
Find critical analysis of the play and playwright
Compile production history of the play
Prepare research packet for cast
Collect research in a casebook or on a web site
Outreach and Education
Develop projects such as
Educational web sites
Lobby displays
Educational packets for high school matinee
Program notes
Post-show discussion
Interdisciplinary symposia for productions
Lectures for school or community groups
The course is repeatable for up to 9 credits. Students taking the course for the first time will work under the guidance of a faculty dramaturg, alone or with other students. A student who is repeating the course may work independently as a production dramaturg with a faculty director or on other projects on or off campus. Independent projects are subject to the approval of the instructor.
Student work will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
Depth and precision of thought in script analysis
Appropriateness and accuracy of research
Proper use and documentation of sources in research
Organization, clarity and style in written and oral expression
Creativity and sensitivity in applying research and analysis to production needs
Professional conduct and collaborative abilities
Students taking the course for undergraduate credit will receive one credit for each major project assigned. For example, a student who takes the course for one credit might compile a production history of the play and present that research in a casebook and a short lecture for the cast. In this case, the entire grade would be based upon that single project. A student who takes the course for three credits will be expected to complete one major project from each of the three categories: analysis, research and outreach project. A typical assignment load for three credits might include an extensive action analysis of the play, research into the period in which the play was set and an educational packet for high school students. In this case, each project would be worth one-third of the final course grade.
A 92 points or higher
A- 90 - 91 points
B+ 87 - 89 points
B 82 - 86 points
B- 80 - 81 points
C+ 77 - 79 points
C 70 - 76 points [lowest grade to pass course in student's major]
D+ 67 - 69 points
D 62 - 66 points [lowest grade to pass a course outside student's major]
F 61 points or lower
1. All written work must meet the standards of basic expository writing
and must follow the style outlined in the MLA Handbook. Grammar, clarity,
style,
and documentation
count and will affect your grade.
2. While students will work independently to produce many of the assignments
in this class, dramaturgical work also requires collaboration with
other members of the artistic team. Therefore students enrolled in
this course
may be expected
to attend meetings, rehearsals and performances. The specific expectations
will depend upon each student’s designated responsibilities and will
be indicated at the beginning of each semester. If a student is scheduled to
attend a meeting,
rehearsal or performance, attendance is mandatory. Failure to attend one of
these events may result in failure of the course.
3. Promptness is an essential component of the theatrical work ethic.
Therefore lateness to any scheduled meetings, rehearsals or performances
is unacceptable.
A lateness that prevents the student from completing his or her assigned
work will be treated as an absence.
4. Assignments must be completed on time. Any work that is not completed
when it is needed by the rest of the production team will receive a
grade of zero.
5. Plagiarism violates the expectation of honesty among scholars without
which there can be no intellectual inquiry. The Theatre Department
will not tolerate
plagiarism. According to the Student Academic Integrity Policy, any
student found guilty of such an offense may be failed for the course.
The incident
will also
be reported to the Office of Judicial Affairs.
6. Students may not repeat a course more than once without prior permission
from the Academic Standards Committee.
7. Students with disabilities are given every opportunity to participate
in theatre classes even if such participation requires adjustment to
the means
by which
course requirements are met. Students must notify the instructor at
the beginning of the semester if they require special consideration.
8. The learning environment in this class is based upon an atmosphere
of mutual respect, which will be maintained at all times. Students
are expected
to adhere
to the code of student conduct as outlined in the university catalog.