LINK TO RESOURCE LIBRARY
GUIDELINES FOR REQUIRED ASSIGNMENTS FROM EACH STUDENT:
1. A theatrical critique essay in response to the current semester mainstage production that the department is producing.
Resources: Open Theater Assignment 2 – Analysis of a Live Performance
Writing and Critical Thinking Through Literature (Ringo and Kashyap)
#TheatreAppreciation (Chapter 3)
2. A memorized, embodied, specific performance of a monologue from a contemporary work of theatre.
3. Demonstrated comprehension of course vocabulary.
GUIDELINES FOR POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS:
- Critical Writing Assignments:
A. Dramaturgical Research & History of the Playwright
B. Analysis of Stanislavski Acting Theory compared to other major acting theories and techniques.
Students will compose a 2-page essay that highlights the major tenets of the Stanislavski acting technique. Using assigned readings as research sources, students are to discuss and define the major principles of objective, action, tactic, obstacle, given circumstances, conflict, crisis, super-objective, emotional memory and substitution. Once defined, students must select five terms and articulate how they are present in an assigned piece of dramatic literature.
CLO Assessment/Response: Students will gather through a guided research process in which students collect the major writings of Stanislavski; Interpret by comparing his writing to those of his American disciples, like Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg; Asses by determining which techniques of The System and The Method are most clearly articulated, representative of realistic acting technique and useful for performance. Tied to course learning outcomes #1 and #5.
C. Self-Evaluation Essay of Acting Work
2. Presentations:
A. Film-Clip Presentation
Film Clip Presentation Exercise
Student will present a 10-minute presentation, which includes presenting a 3-minute performance clip, and then explain to the class, utilizing acting theory and terminology explored in class, why the given performance is representative of skill/craft in the art of acting. (CLO’S #1 and #2) – see assignment handout.
B. Scene Study Presentation – (CLO’s #3 and #4)
C. Monologue Presentation – (CLO’s #3 and #4)
3. Informal Writing Assignments
CLO Assessment/Response: All writing assignments ask students to produce well-reasoned written or oral arguments using evidence to support conclusions. The assignments detailed above require students to argue for/against the artistic integrity of a given performance, as seen in an external production, or as embodied in their own work. Using theatrical theory and acting techniques as evidence, as well as the given performance, students are given the opportunity to articulate thoughtful arguments in BOTH written and oral contexts. (CLO’s #1, #2 and #5)
A. Journal Entries/Discussion Board Responses
Students will compose five 1-page reflective writing assignments over the course of the semester or given class topics. Previous topics have included concepts of acting in everyday life, further reflections on acting technique and theory, objectives and obstacles in dramatic literature, evaluation of film acting vs. stage acting, etc. Students should end each journal entry with a reflective question that are prepared to share with the class to spark class discussion.
B. Script Analysis and Beat Breakdown – (CLO’s #3, #4, and #5)
C. Written Character Sketch/Biography – (CLO’s #3, #4, and #5)
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