| TA 101/361 Theater Appreciation (4) |
This course is intended as a general introduction to the art of the theater: acting; directing; playwriting; scenic, costume, and lighting design. Emphasis is placed on theater as a performing art today rather than upon the history or origins of the theater. The class, in part, involved attendance at live performances and events in the Portland area.
| TA 102 Introduction To Acting (4) |
Introduction to the art form of acting seeks to give the beginning student: a basic understanding of the building blocks that lead to good acting, aesthetic appreciation for the art of theatre, and critical thinking as it applies to the examination of the world in which we live.
TA 104/304 Dance Appreciation (4)
This course is an introduction to the art of dance including technique, choreography, production and aesthetics. The focus is on dance as a performing art today rather than on its history or origins. Students will be expected to attend dance concerts and events outside of class time.
| TA 111, 112 Technical Theater I, II (3, 3) |
First term of sequence concerns the planning and building of sets and stage properties, and the production of organization skills needed to mount theatrical productions. Second term adds elements of stage lighting, scene painting, and theater sound. Both terms require a three-hour lab period per week and participation in departmental productions presented that term. Must be taken in sequence.
| TA 114, 115 Technical Theater Production (1, 1) |
Attached lab to TA 111, 112 will combine skills in practical construction of stage sets with actual production experience on departmental productions.
| TA 131/331U Understanding Movies (4) |
An introductory course in film appreciation with special emphasis on cinema as a dramatic art. Elements to be considered will include cinematography, performance, edited image, and sound. Selected films will be shown.
| TA 135/365 Classic Movies (4) |
Study and analysis of representative films with special emphasis on the importance of directorial concept and the screenplay. Relationships between film and theater will be examined.
| TA 144 Voice For The Actor I (3) |
An introductory course in basic principles and techniques of voice production specifically for stage performance including physiology, breath support and resonance, articulation and projection. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing, TA 102 or permission of instructor.
| TA 147 Movement for the Actor (3) |
Introduction to concepts and techniques of theatrical movement and physical theater. Will utilize a variety of relaxation, centering, stylization, and imagery exercises designed to increase body awareness and expressiveness. Skills in ensemble, mime, mask, and light acrobatics will be developed.
| TA 193 Dance: Modern (2) |
Beginning modern dance technique, emphasis on body alignment, strength, flexibility and development of basic technical skills. Maximum: 12 credits.
| TA 196 Dance: Ballet (2) |
Beginning ballet technique, emphasis on body alignment, development of basic technical skills, and understanding basic ballet vocabulary. Maximum: 12 credits
| TA 197 Dance: Jazz (2) |
Beginning laboratory in jazz dance technique emphasizing body alignment, contraction, and isolation technique of Latin, West Indian, African and American rhythms. Maximum: 12 credits.
| *TA 195 Dance: Topics (2) |
Beginning dance technique in topics to be names, for example musical theatre, tap, hip hop, etc. Maximum: 12 credits.
| TA 248 Acting I: Process (4) |
The first acting class for the major. Emphasis on the building blocks of actor technique leading into scene work: text analysis for the actor, preparation, commitment, character arc, boldness, rhythm, living a life onstage, and collaboration. This course is rigorous and demands outside time commitment for rehearsal. Prerequisites: TA Major; TA 111,112; Sophomore standing.
| TA 252 Stage Makeup (2) |
A study of the basic principles of the art and technique of stage makeup.
| TA 253 Workshop Theater I (1-4) |
Training in theater production though the intensive study and rehearsal of scenes and plays. Maximum 12 credits.
| TA 301 Script Analysis (4) |
Examination and analysis of fundamental principles of dramatic structure, form, and style though study and analysis of representative plays selected from major periods. Emphasis on the production implications of selected texts.
TA 304 Dance Appreciation (4)
Develop an awareness and appreciation of dance in its artistic, social and cultural contexts through a variety of experiences, viewing and participating in dance. Will cover the basic roles involved in dance along with concepts and principals of dance such as space, time and effort as well as expression, form, style and period.
| TA 305 Understanding Theater (4) |
An investigation of theater designed to develop a heightened awareness of how the theater arts express and communicate ideas and experiences. To expand critical awareness of the process by which theater creates meaning and communicates through performance to contemporary audiences. Course will examine the dynamic relationship between theater and the society it both mirrors and influences.
| TA 306U Understanding Dance (4) |
This course is designed to develop awareness and appreciation of dance in its artistic, social and cultural context. The course will offer a variety of experiences, including the viewing of dance in live and video formats, reading about dance, discussing dance, hearing from guest experts and experiencing selected dance movements form various dance genres. We will consider aspects of dance as cultural, spiritual and aesthetic expression, exploring origins and the related roles of the dancer, choreographer and spectator. The class will cover the basic concepts and principals of dance such as space, time and effort as well as expression, form, style and period. Students will gain experience in viewing, discussing, writing about and evaluating dance in several forms, both theatrical and cultural.
| TA 311 Scene Design I (4) |
A study of visual arts principles as related to scenic design. Projects in stage geography, design composition, and visual imagery are used to develop the student's communication skills in the area of scenic design. Prerequisites: TA 111, 112, 301, 316. Recommended: TA 114 and 115. This is a core requirement for the major and requires formal admission to the program for enrollment.
| *TA 312 Scene Painting (2) |
Training to extend the student's basic skills in traditional methods and techniques of scene painting. Prerequisites: TA 111, 112. Recommended: TA 114, 115, and 316.
| *TA 313 Scene Design II (3) |
Basic principles of scene design for the theater. Prerequisite: TA 311.
| *TA 314 Lighting Design I (3) |
Practical and theoretical study of lighting the stage. Developing student awareness of how light affects objects in the theater laboratory and the crafting of intelligent lighting plots. Prerequisites: TA 112, 301, 316.
| TA 316 Technical Theater Lab (2) |
Laboratory course designed to allow students to further develop stagecraft skills and gain additional practice production experience. Prerequisites: TA 111, 112. Recommended: TA 114 and 115.
| TA 317 Theater Technologies (2) |
The study and practical application of advanced techniques and materials in all aspects of stagecraft, including drafting and drawing for the scene shop, the organization and planning of scenery construction within a production calendar, and problem solving on current department productions. Prerequisites: TA 111, 112, 316. Recommended: TA 114, 115.
| TA 321 Introduction to Costume Design (4) |
An introduction to the theory, techniques, and design principles of contemporary stage costumes. Prerequisites: TA 111, 301. This is a core requirement for the major and requires formal admission to the program for enrollment.
| TA 325 Costume Production (2) |
A study and practical application of stage costume construction techniques, beginning and advanced. Students will participate in the construction of costumes for departmental productions. Recommended prerequisites: 3 credits of theater arts. Maximum 6 credits.
| *TA 326 Pattern Development (2) |
A study and practical application of the methods for creating patterns for theatrical costumes, including flat drafting, draping, and period pattern adaptation. Prerequisites: TA 325. Recommended: TA 321.
| *TA 327 Costume Technology (2) |
A study and practical application of costume craft and decorative techniques, including fabric dyeing and painting and accessories fabrication. Recommended prerequisite: TA 321.
| *TA 330 Multicultural Theater (4) |
Exploration of the diversity of our society through theater - comparing and contrasting the works of certain ethnic specific writers and those writers often considered to be in the mainstream of modern theater.
| TA 331U Understanding Movies (4) |
An intermediate course in film appreciation with special emphasis on cinema as a dramatic art. Elements to be considered will include cinematography, performance, edited image, and sound. Selected films will be shown.
| TA 333 Workshop Theater: Directing/Stage Management Dramaturgy (1) |
Offerings include stage manager, assistant director, dramaturg, choreographer, and music direction. Participants are required to audition or interview. For PSU Theater Department productions. Information about auditions/interviews is provided on the Theatre Arts Call Board. Meeting times are arranged by the director. Most performances and rehearsals are in the evening; therefore, evening classes will usually conflict. Technical rehearsal for mainstage productions requires a full weekend technical schedule. Course is repeatable for credit.
| TA 334 Workshop Theater: Scenery and Lighting Production (1) |
Offerings include scene construction and painting, costume construction and crew, stage/run crews, props, sound design and crew, lighting design and crew. For PSU Theater Department productions. Meeting times depend upon the assignment for which the student is registered, and may include daytime, evening, and/or weekend. Technical rehearsal for mainstage productions requires a full weekend technical schedule. Course is repeatable for credit.
| TA 335 Workshop Theater: Management/Publicity (1) |
Offerings include house management, public relations, audience development, publications, educational outreach, and display. For PSU Theater Department productions. This course meets each term for one hour per week as a group, with the remaining meeting times depending upon the specific assignments for the term in question. Meeting times depend upon the assignment for which the student is registered, and may include daytime, evening, and/or weekend. Course is repeatable for credit.
| TA 336 Workshop Theater: Costume Production (1) |
Offerings include wardrobe crew head, wardrobe crew, makeup head/crew, wigs head/crew, assistant designer, cutter/draper, dyer, costume artisan, milliner, stitcher. For PSU Theater Department productions.
| TA 340 Acting II: Scene Study (4) |
Building on TA 248, course work deepens the student actor's understanding of arc, character development, commitment, rhythm of sound and language, and choices that ignite the text. Class demands commitment to intense scene work outside the classroom. Must be taken in sequence. Prerequisites: TA Major, TA 248, and by permission of instructor.
| TA 341 Acting III: Classical Text (4) |
Building on TA 340, and using increasingly difficult texts, this advanced class moves the actor further into technique. Language and epic style is a major focus of the work, with emphasis on such writers as Shakespeare, Moliere, Behn, and Ford. Class demands commitment to intense scene work outside the classroom.Prerequisites: TA Major; TA 248 and TA 340, and by permission of instructor.
| TA 342 Advanced Acting (4) |
This advanced acting class builds on past lessons and explores the way we rehearse and apply our craft. Individual acting blocks are addressed. Advanced acting problems are explored through complex texts. Must be taken in sequence. Prerequisites: TA Major; TA 341, and by permission of instructor.
| TA 344 Voice for the Actor II (3) |
An intermediate course in the principles of voice production for the stage, concepts and techniques for adapting the voice to various stage environments, and techniques necessary for analyzing stage speech problems and developing appropriate solutions. Prerequisite: TA 144.
| *TA 346 Stage Dialects (3) |
An introduction to the method and techniques of dialect production for theatrical performance, including a survey of basic American, English, and European dialects.
| TA 348 Acting For The Camera (4) |
An introduction to acting before the camera for film and video. Development of performance techniques for camera and interpretation of comedy and drama for television, film, and emerging technologies. Study and practice in single- and multiple-camera productions Prerequisites: TA 102 or TA 248.
| TA 350 Dance Improvisation (4) |
This course is an exploration of spontaneous movement as individual and group creativity and expression, as a potential performance form and as the beginnings of choreography. "The body thinks. The mind dances. Thought and movement, words and momentum, spiral about one another (David Gere)." Through a variety of assigned problems and scenarios, students will use movement as a means to make thought and vision visible. The course is designed to develop awareness, focus, sensitivity and personal movement vocabulary. Reading and writing about improvisation, keeping journals and giving and receiving productive feedback will be part of the class. Visits to rehearsals and live concert attendance outside of class time are a class expectation. Students should come to class dressed to move.
| TA 351 Dance Composition (4) |
Exploration of basic elements of dance through readings, observation and preparation of solo dance studies.
TA 352 Dance Choreography (4)
Exploring compositional devices and craft unique to group choreography. Choreographing and producing a dance ina performance setting.
TA 361 Theater Appreciation (4)
An intermediate course in the art of the theater: acting; directing; playwriting; and, design. Special emphasis on theater as a performing art today, not the history or origins of the theater. Course involves in part, attendance at live performances in the Portland area.
| TA 362 Contemporary Dance History - 1920 to the Present (4) |
Historical foundations for the development of current dance forms studied through lectures, videos, readings and attendance at dance performances and events.
TA 365 Classic Movies (4)
An intermediate study and analysis of representative films with special emphasis on the importance of directorial concept and the screenplay. Relationships between film and theater will be examined.
| TA 370U Topics: Theater, Media, and Culture (4) |
Study of a variety of dramaturgical, cultural, and historical issues as they appear in film, television, and other theatrical media. From quarter to quarter topics might include: Shakespeare on Film, '50's Media and Culture, Vietnam on Film, and Hitchcock.
| *TA 370U Topics TMC: Film Genres in Context (4) |
This course offers an in-depth study of Hollywood film genres in the contexts of American culture, the film industry, and film criticism. Basing our study on two of the oldest genres, the western and the romantic comedy, we will also consider some of the practices among filmmakers and filmgoers that keep genres alive, including spin-offs, parodies, shadows and transformations.
| *TA 370U Topics TMC: Gangster Films and Musicals (We're in the Money!) (4) |
Moviegoers may claim they prefer "realistic" movies, but the fact is many of the most popular movies of all time have been unlike any reality most of us know. This course will focus on two Hollywood genres that pull us into very different worlds - one the dark, violent world of the gangster, the other a utopia of music and dance.
| *TA 370U Topics TMC:: The Gangster Film (4) |
This course offers an in-depth study of the film genre in the contexts of American culture, the film industry, and film criticism. We will also consider some of the practices among filmmakers and filmgoers that keep genres alive, including spin-offs, parodies, shadows and transformations.
| *TA 370U Topics TMC: The Musical (4) |
This course offers an in-depth study of the film genre in the contexts of American culture, the film industry, and film criticism. We will also consider some of the practices among filmmakers and filmgoers that keep genres alive, including spin-offs, parodies, shadows and transformations.
*TA 370U Topics TMC: The New Musical (4)
Though often considered a “feel good” genre from the studio era of cinema, more recent musicals have been darker and more complex, emphasizing drama, an edgier feel, and often comment on the genre itself. This course will examine films that ushered in the new musical, including West Side Story, Cabaret, and All That Jazz, recent film musicals such as Chicago and Dreamgirls, and hip-hop films, including Hustle & Flow, 8 Mile, and Step Up.
| *TA 370U Topics TMC: The Road Movie (4) |
From Woody Guthrie's populist folk ballads to Jack Kerouac's rambling Beat journeys, the road has occupied a central place in the twentieth century American cultural imagination. In the late 1960s, Easy Rider combined the Western, B-Biker Movie, and Beat sensibilities to form the quintessential Road Movie. This course will examine The Road Movie genre from Easy Rider through Wim Wenders's meditative Road Movies of the 1970s through revisionist films of the 1980s and 1990s such as Powwow Highway, Thelma & Louise, and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, which foreground issues of race, gender, and sexuality. Stylistic, formal, and thematic hallmarks of the genre will be covered, including the quest narrative, countercultural ideology, and "mobility" in terms of both camera and character.
| *TA 370U Topics TMC: Serial Killer Genre (4) |
An introductory course studying films according to their genres and common themes. Students will analyze how the recently developed genre of Serial Killer films has evolved over time and how American culture is reflected in that evolution.
| *TA 370U Topics TMC: American Independent Film of the 1980s (4) |
Many of the most acclaimed filmmakers of the past thirty years began with independent films made in the U.S. in the 1980s, including the Coen Brothers (Blood Simple), Gus Van Sant (Drugstore Cowboy), Allison Anders (Border Radio), Spike Lee (She's Gotta Have It), and Jim Jarmusch (Stranger Than Paradise). This course examines the aesthetic achievements of this period through a combination of screenings and readings.
| TA 370U Topics TMC: European Directors (4) |
This course examines the innovative and influential European cinema of the 1950s through the 1970s by focusing on the work of three exemplary directors, on a rotating basis. Directors may include: Jean-Luc Godard, Federico Fellini, Francois Truffaut, Ingmar Bergman, Wim Wenders, Alain Resnais, and Luis Bunuel.
| *TA 370U Topics TMC: The Fifties (4) |
Why the fifties? It was an era of extremes and excess, a time of unsettled cultural values, a time when the nation's media landscape shifted irreversibly. This course will look at a pivotal era in American film, radio, and television as they were influenced by and influenced the culture.
| *TA 370U Topics TMC: The Classical Western (4) |
This course offers a rigorous overview of the filmed Western, at one time one of the most popular cinematic and televisual genres in North America, from its origins to 1960. Topics including the vanishing frontier; law, order, and justice; nationalist expansion; individualism; natural environments; and racial and gender conflict, will guide our discussion of films such as The Great Train Robbery, The Massacre, Destry Rides Again, Stagecoach, My Darling Clementine, High Noon, Shane, and Johnny Guitar.
| *TA 370 Topics TMC:The Western since 1960 (Back in the Saddle Again) (4) |
While the Western has not maintained the popularity it once had during Hollywood's studio era, production of the genre has never ceased in the United States. In this course, we will consider Westerns produced since 1960 as we discuss revisions of the genre as well as "returns" to the genre?\'s classical roots; the internationalization of the genre; nationalist expansion; and racial and gender conflict in films including examples of the "spaghetti" Western, The Wild Bunch, MacCabe and Mrs. Miller, Blazing Saddles, and Unforgiven.
| *TA 370U Topics TMC: Film Stardom (Stars, Celebrity, and Cultural Meaning) (4) |
What makes a star? Why are stars important to us? Why do directors choose one star over another for a given role? This course explores the textual, psychological and social significance of stars in popular culture. Students will develop a case study of a star of celebrity of their choosing.
| *TA 370U Topics TMC: Martin Scorsese (4) |
One of the most influential American filmmakers of the past forty years, Martin Scorsese combines explosive cinematic technique with a recurring set of thematic concerns, including obsession and redemption. This course will examine a selection of representative films directed by Martin Scorsese, including Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, and Raging Bull, as well as formative influences such as Italian Neo-Realism and John Cassavetes.
| *TA 370U Topics TMC: Robert Altman: The Man, The Director and His Films (4) |
Robert Altman, American independent, is regarded as one of the most important filmmakers of the last half-century. Altman came to define what it meant to work in and outside the system, as an individual and an artist. He simultaneously subverted classical film genres and American myths, history and politics, whilst providing a creative environment unique in the industry. The course will sample a non-chrononlogical selection from Altman's almost 100 film and television projects, which include Brewster McCloud, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, M*a*s*h, Nashville, Popeye, Come Back to the 5 and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, Three Women, Vincent & Theo, Tanner, and Gosford Park, to name just a few.
| *TA 370U Topics TMC: Romantic Comedy/Romantic Drama (4)
|
Film audiences may have turned away from the romantic comedy, preferring instead romantic movies with more of an edge. This course will consider the romantic comedy at its best, as well as the genre's shadows, transformations, and TV interpretations that may have more resonance with contemporary audiences. A few classic comedies (such as It Happened One Night and His Girl Friday) will set the stage for later works, including teen pics (from Sixteen Candles to Scream), romance tinged with melodrama (Sleepless in Seattle and Moonstruck), and black comedies by the likes of Scorsese and Lynch (After Hours and Wild at Heart).
| *TA 370U Topics TMC: The 70's Film/TV Renaissance (4) |
This course offers an in-depth study of Hollywood film genres in the contexts of American culture, the film industry, and film criticism. Basing our study on two of the oldest genres, the western and the romantic comedy, we will also consider some of the generic spin-offs, shadows and transformations of these genres and the discursive practices that keep them alive.
| *TA 370U Topics TMC: Sex/Violence/Popcorn (4) |
Sexual Freedom. Civil rights. Militarism. Women's rights. Violence. Gender roles. Gay rights. Government corruption. Worker's rights. These are just some of the topics this class considers in examining how American cinema deals with questions of public and private morality and issues of public discourse. How much of our moral framework is formed by the cinema? To what extent do the movies reflect an already assumed framework? Does the cinema create us, or do we create it? Who is in control here? Selected films to be viewed in class.
| *TA 370U Topics TMC: Shakespeare on Film (4) |
Shakespeare's name, plays, poetry, and image are a hot cultural commodity with name recognition to die for. How has this sixteenth century playwright survived for so long? Are his works truly universal and timeless? This course will focus upon Shakespeare as culture icon and how and why popular film culture has appropriated his image and spun his stories into box-office gold.
| *TA 370U Topics TMC: Narrative Strategies: How Stories are Told on Film (4) |
This course looks at the nuts and bolts of cinematic storytelling. Concentrating on films made in the past 30 years, we will examine the visual and structural strategies of classical storytelling and how they have been tweaked, revamped and reconsidered in recent cinema, in keeping with changes in the culture, the film industry and new technologies. The class will trace at least one film (Adaptation) from shooting script to finished film. Film makers are encouraged to share their projects for discussion.
| TA 370U Topics TMC: Warner Brothers Films (4) |
To explore the creative and corporate practices as well as the cultural legacy of the American film industry, this course will focus on Warner Bros. as a case study. By examining the executives, stars, directors, screenwriters and narrative strategies in key productions, we will trace the studio's evolution into the multimedia force it is today. Our focus will range from The Maltese Falcon to Million Dollar Baby as well as animated shorts, television series, music and new media.
| TA 370U Topics TMC: Mockumentary (4) |
Our historical-conventional understanding of documentary forms is that such modes present us with true, factual, and nonfictional narrative content. What happens then if the cinematic and the televisual formats that we associate with documentaries are used to present us with fake, phony, and fictional material? This course explores questions and concepts related to the Mockumentary (a.k.a. fake documentary, mock-doc) through readings, discussion, and screenings of films and television programs such as the films of Christopher Guest including This is Spinal Tap, Forgotten Silver, Reno 911!, True Stories, The Watermelon Woman, F is for Fake, and The Office.
| TA 370U: Topics TMC:The Coen Brothers (4) |
Ever since Time magazine heralded Blood Simple as "a debut film as scarifyingly assured as any since Orson Welles['s Citizen Kane]," the Coen Brothers have been at the vanguard of American filmmaking. This course will utilize the techniques of formal film analysis to examine the Coen's cinematic signature(s), including recurring stylistic tropes, thematic interests, and reconfigurations of film genres. Readings will be assigned to offer a broader scope and historical contexts. Film screenings will include: Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, The Hudsucker Proxy, and Fargo, as well as several others.
| TA 381 Film History I (1894 to WWII) (4) |
In this course, the first of a three-part survey of the history of narrative film, we will look at the evolution of film language from the silent era to the introduction of sound; how the influences of a broad range of cinematic art movements, including Expressionism, Impressionism, Surrealism and Poetic Realism, contributed to the classical Hollywood style. We will also examine the artistic, economic and technological forces that led to the Hollywood studio system and the popularity of genres such as the western, the musical and the gangster film. Discussions, readings and short assignments will exercise students' abilities to think, speak and write critically about films and their historical context.
| TA 382 Film History II: Cinema and Modernism (1946-1970s) (4) |
In this course, the second of a three-part survey of the history of narrative film, we will look at the major artistic, economic and technological trends of motion picture production during the post-war era; how directors such as Hitchcock and Welles were able find a unique expression within the parameters of the classical style and the commercial pressures of the studios. We will also explore how world cinema movements, such as neo-realism and the new wave, presented aesthetic and political challenges to the Hollywood model. Discussions, readings and short assignments will exercise students' abilities to think, speak and write critically about films and their historical context.
| TA 383 Film History III: Contemporary World Cinema (1970s - PRESENT) (4) |
In this course, the third of a three-part survey of the history of narrative film, we will look at contemporary world film production from the struggles of an independent and avant-garde cinema to the CGI effects of today's blockbuster. We will also examine how world cinema production has adapted to new digital technologies and the demands of a global market. Discussions, readings and short assignments will exercise students' abilities to think, speak and write critically about films and their historical context.
| TA 384U American Cinema, American Culture I (4) |
American Cinema/American Culture constitutes an examination of the American film industry as an art form, as an industry, and as a system of representation and communication within the context of American popular culture.
| TA 385U American Cinema, American Culture II (4) |
American Cinema/American Culture constitutes an examination of the American film industry as an art form, as an industry, and as a system of representation and communication within the context of American popular culture.
| TA 393 Dance: Modern (2) |
Intermediate modern dance technique, emphasis on body alignment, strength, flexibility and development of intermediate level technical skills. Maximum: 12 credits
| TA 396 Dance: Ballet (2) |
Intermediate level ballet technique. Emphasis on execution and application of all basic ballet vocabulary and on alignment and skill development. Pre-requisite: low-intermediate technique required. Maximum: 12 credits.
| TA 397 Dance: Jazz (2) |
Intermediate laboratory in jazz dance technique emphasizing body alignment, contraction, and isolation technique of Latin, West Indian, and American rhythms. Maximum: 12 credits.
| TA 399U Classic Movies (4) |
An advanced study and analysis of representative films with special emphasis on the importance of directorial concept and the screenplay. Relationships between theater and film will be discussed.
| TA 399 How 2 B Funny (3) |
An introduction to the world of comedy performance. Class will highlight 2 forms of comedy, sketch, and stand-up, with equal emphasis on performance and writing.
| TA 399 Mainstage Production (1-4) |
Students registered in this course have been cast in the upcoming mainstage production, and/or have beeen selected to be members of tthe artistic team, for example stage manager, assistant director, rehearsal secretary, designer, choreographer, rehearsal pianist, etc.
| TA 399 Movement Performance (4) |
This class is an extension of Movement for the Actor TA 147 but may be taken by anyone with an interest in performance experience. The class will consist of a series of rehearsals culminating in a final class project: a weekend of performances in the studio theater (LH115) in Lincoln Hall. The pieces(s) to be performed will be determined in the first few weeks of the session. The remaining classes will be absorbed in the production process. The performances created for this class will be largely original and definitely movement-based. The may incorporate music, stylized choreography, mime, manipulation of odd props, mask. Students are not limited to a nonverbal approach and script may be used. This course satisfies both the Fine Arts requirement and the requirement for upper division credits.
| *TA 399 Staged Combat (3) |
Exploration of concepts & techniques related to both armed & unarmed combat for the stage. REV: A participatory studio course that explores concepts and techniques related to both armed and unarmed staged combat for the purposes of stage and camera acting.
| TA 399 Auditioning (3) |
Exploration of various approaches to auditioning for stage roles. Development of audition skills and techniques, including relaxation, self-presentation, cold readings, prepared monologues, and scenes.
| TA 408 Directing Actors for the Camera (3) |
A practicum for developing and honing directing skills to work quickly, efficiently and effectively with actors under the pressures of film and media production and without extended rehearsal. Prerequisites: TA 248, TA 454, and/or TA 341.
TA 408 Introd. to Documentary Video Production (4)
This is an introductory level course in video production for both broadcast and non broadcast applications. This course is designed for beginners or more experienced students needing a refresher course. Students will gain hands-on production experience using digital video with an emphasis on shooting, lighting, sound and basic editing techniques.
| TA 408 Documentary Field Production I, II (4, 4) |
Through a combination of lecture, film screenings and hands-on demonstrations, this course will familiarize students with the basics of producing, shooting and editing for documentary production. A major function of this class will be an emphasis on improving your storytelling skills and creative decision-making. This course will familiarize you with how to conceptualize and develop a television documentary. More specifically, the course will be divided into three major components: The Idea, Planning Your Production and Writing and Presenting Your Proposal. Prerequisite: Upper division standing or consent of instructor.
| *TA 414/514 History of Décor (4) |
A historical survey of period decor focusing on furniture and interior architectural detail from Egyptian to modern times with emphasis on periods most commonly used in theater production. Recommended prerequisite: 6 credits of theater arts.
| *TA 421/521 Costume Design (4) |
An in-depth study of costume design principles. Emphasis is placed on the design of costumes for specific plays, using a variety of styles and rendering media. Prerequisite: TA 321. Recommended: TA 325.
| *TA 425/525, 426/526 History Of Dress I, II (4, 4) |
Historical survey of dress in Western civilization from ancient Egyptian to modern times with emphasis on aesthetic, cultural, and political expressions of clothing. Course may be taken out of sequence. Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
| *TA 430/530 Scene Design III (4)
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Advanced study of scenic design problems and concept development. Maximum 6 credits. Prerequisite: TA 313.
| *TA 435/535 Lighting Design II (3) |
Advanced lighting design skills and techniques involving the practical application of script analysis and collaborative techniques while working in the department's Studio Theater lighting student-directed, one-act plays and/or participating in departmental stage productions. Prerequisite: TA 111, 301, 316.
| *TA 440/540 Advanced Acting Studio (1-4) |
Advanced studio work focusing on rehearsal technique, style, preparation, developing material, and working with diverse environments, all leading to a public performance. May be replicated for a total of 12 credit hours. Prerequisites: TA Major; TA 342, by audition/interview and permission of instructor.
| TA 446/546, 465/565 Development of Dramatic Art (4, 4,) |
Survey of dramatic literature and theater history from ancient times to the emergence of the modern theater in the 19th century. The course is chronological in its presentation but each term may be taken separately. Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
| TA 454/554 Directing I (4) |
Study and practice in play analysis and directing of scenes. Prerequisites: TA 111, 112, 248, 301. Recommended: TA 311, 321. This is a core requirement for the major and requires formal admission to the program for enrollment.
| TA 455/555 Directing II (4) |
Advanced practice in analysis and directing of plays for public performance. Prerequisites: TA 111, 112, 316, 248, 454. Recommended: TA 114, 115.
| *TA 460/560 Advanced Directing (3) |
Specific problems in directorial methods and styles for presentation in public performance. Prerequisite: TA 455 or equivalent experience.
| TA 467/567, 468/568 Modern Theater I, II (4, 4) |
A consideration of theater and drama from the late 19th and early 20th century to the present. Representative plays chosen from continental European, English, Irish, and American repertories. Examination of key directors and trends in staging. Course may be taken out of sequence. Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
| *TA 469/569 Women, Theater, and Society (4) |
An examination of ways in which women and sexuality have been represented in Western theatrical production since the Greeks. Selected topics will be analyzed relating to feminist theories to the creation of the theater arts by women, with consideration of cultural contexts in which they work. Study of artistic practice by women in relation to issues of power, representation, and access. Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
| TA 471/571 Theater History: Periods and Topics (4) |
Concentrated study of a particular period and/or topic in theater history: for example, Ancient Greek Theater and Drama, Medieval and Renaissance Theater, Restoration/18th Century Drama, American Theater and Drama, Theater and Science, Irish Cinema/Irish Drama, and Theatrical Expressionism. Recommended prerequisite: TA 464 and 465 or appropriate sophomore inquiry course.
| *TA 471/571 THH: American Theatre and Drama (4) |
American Theatre/Drama: Beginning with with Susan Glaspell and Eugene O'Neill, the class studies a wide range of playwrights, who reflect the rich diversity of twentieth- and twenty-first-century American drama. Also examined are historically significant theatre companies like the Provincetown Players, the Group Theatre, and the Federal Theater. Recommended prerequisite: TA 464 and 465 or appropriate sophomore inquiry course.
| *TA 471/571 THH: Ancient Greek Theatre (4) |
This class explores the drama and theatre conditions of Ancient Greece--emphasizing the Classical Age but also examining the Hellenistic Period. The tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, as well as the comedies of Aristophanes and Menander will be studied. Recommended prerequisite: upper-division standing.
| *TA 471/571 THH: Theatre and Science; 19Th Century European Theatre (4) |
This class explores how developments in theatre practice and drama paralleled larger shifts in nineteenth-century culture. We will consider a number of significant playwrights and theatre practitioners in terms of how they sought to give form to a theatre for the "scientific age." Recommended prerequisite: TA 464 and 465 or appropriate sophomore inquiry course.
| *TA 471/571 THH: Medieval and Renaissance Theater (4) |
In this course we will focus on Saxon, Italian and English Renaissance and Spanish Golden Age drama. We will concentrate on several important dramatists of these time periods: Hrotsvitha, the Cycle playwrights, Machiavelli, Marlowe, Shakespeare, Calderón de la Barca and Cervantes. We will also study other lesser known plays that provide important background for understanding the drama or that raise interesting critical issues. Class work will emphasize several critical skills: close reading of selected dramatic texts, understanding the plays as drama, and placing these texts within their historical and cultural contexts. Recommended prerequisite: upper-division standing.
| TA 472/572 Theater History: Major Figures (4) |
Concentrated study of the contribution of one of more major theater artists: for example, Ibsen, Stanislavsky, Appia, Brecht, and Artaud. Recommended prerequisite: upper-division standing. Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
| *TA 472/572 THH: Craig/Appia (4) |
The purpose of this course is too gain an understanding of the two monumental figures of theatre history, Gordon Craig and Adolph Appia, and the effect they have had on not only the theatre of their time but also the Theatre, as we know it today. In classroom discussions we will view the world of the Theatre at different time periods: late 1800's, 1895-1930, and today's modern theatre. We will see that both Appia and Craig were much more than just stage designers. Their theories and experiments forever changed the way the business of theatre is done. From the actor to the director to the physical environment of the auditorium, much of how we practice theatre today is based on the works and dreams of these two men. Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
| TA 474/574, 475/575 Dramatic Writing I, II (4) |
A sequence in playwriting involving analysis of dramatic structure, practical application of playwriting techniques. Must be taken sequentially. Recommended prerequisite: 8 credits of theater arts and/or English.
| TA 480/580 Film Theory (4) |
A survey of film theory and criticism from their inception to the present day. Students are introduced to key concepts and major figures from Classical Film Theory (Eisenstein, Arnheim, Bazin) through Structuralism, Semiotics, Psychoanalysis, Feminism, and Cognitive Studies. Pre-req: TA 131 and Junior standing, or consent of instructor.
| *TA 484/584 Anatomy of a Movie I: Product of the Studio Era (4) |
This is the first in a sequence intended for advanced film students. The course will operate as a case study of one well known, critically acclaimed film of the studio era, examining the industrial, technical, cultural and artistic elements in the film's production, exhibition and reception. Topics will include studio ideology and production strategies, the star system, and historic context and meaning of films. Taken sequentially, Anatomy I and Anatomy II courses address the extreme cases of filmmaking during the studio era (1920 - 1955) and independent filmmaking within the last 35 years; either course may be taken alone. Prerequisites: TA 131 & upper division standing. Recommended: TA 370 Film History I, II.
| *TA 485/585 Anatomy of a Movie II: The Independent Film (4) |
This is the second in a sequence intended for advanced film students. The course will operate as a case study of one well known, critically acclaimed film produced independently since 1968, examining the industrial, technical, cultural and artistic elements in the film's production, exhibition and reception. Topics will include the independent filmmaker as auteur, the economics of the New Hollywood, and ideology and politics of independent filmmaking, in the U.S. and abroad. Taken sequentially, Anatomy I and Anatomy II courses address the extreme cases of filmmaking during the studio era (1920 - 1955) and independent filmmaking within the last 35 years; either course may be taken alone. Prerequisites: TA 131 & upper division standing. Recommended: TA 370 Film History I, II.
| TA 486/586 Topics in Film and the Moving Image (4) |
Concentrated study of genre, structure and style of a particular period, topc and/or figure in film and the moving image; for example, Irish Cinema, Contemporary Irish Cinema, Shakespeare on Film. Prerequisites: TA 131 and upper division standing.
| *TA 486/586 TFMI: Irish Cinema and Drama (4) |
Concentrated study of significant developments in modern Irish cinema and drama. In addition to viewing contemporary films by directors like Pat O'Connor (Cal), Neil Jordan (The Crying Game), and Jim Sheridan (The Boxer), students will examine plays by Sean O'Casey (Juno and the Paycock), John B. Keane (The Field), and Brian Friel (Philadelphia, Here I Come) along with the film adaptations made from them. Special attention will be paid both to the challenges involved in adapting narrative fiction to film and to the complex dialectic that exists between dramatic text, theatrical production, and cinematic adaptation. Recommended prerequisite: TA 464 and 465 or appropriate sophomore inquiry course.
| TA 511 Introduction to Theater Research (2)
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An introductory course in research methods and bibliography for graduate study in theater.