THEATRE HISTORY I
DRA 4443

THEATRE HISTORY I
DRA 4443

Links:

Troy State University

Department of Speech and Theatre

Mr. Patton's Homepage

CONTENTS:

• ADA, ANP, TSU Policies

• Additional Class Policies

• Course Description, Course Objectives

• Course Content

• Course Requirements

• Course Evaluation

• Textbook

• Class Activities/Assignments

• Class Schedule

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT: Any student whose disabilities fall within ADA must inform the instructor at the beginning of the term of any special needs or equipment necessary to accomplish the requirements for this course.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES: Students who have or may be dealing with a disability or learning difficulty should speak with the instructor, the office of adaptive needs program (Adams Center, 2nd floor), or call 670-3220/3221.  Various accommodations are available through the adaptive needs program.

ABSENCE POLICY: Students are expected to be in the class each meeting.  The student is also expected to be on time. Role will be taken only at the beginning of the class.  The student is expected to be present for each examination.  Without a written medical excuse, verified family emergency, or official university excuse, the student cannot make up examinations.

INCOMPLETE WORK POLICY: An incomplete grade will be given only when the student has made sufficient progress in meeting the minimum requirements of the course for the grade of "C" or better. A contract specifying the kinds and nature of the work to be completed with due dates will be signed by the student and the instructor before an incomplete grade will be given.

ASSESSMENT STATEMENT: Students must earn a letter grade of C or better in order to earn State Department of Education Credit.

STUDENTS ARE HELD TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT OUTLINE IN THE ORACLE.

                                  ADDITIONAL CLASS POLICIES:

ATTENDANCE: All students are expected to attend every class meeting and to arrive on time. Bring your textbooks, notebooks, and something to write with EACH AND EVERY class meeting.

      Attendance, Tardiness and Preparation

There is no more important tradition and responsibility of the theatre than to be present, prepared and on time.  Points are based on 1000 point grading.

1. 3 Hour Classes - Three (3) absences are allowed.  After three absences, thirty-five (35) points for a M, W, F class and fifty-five (55) points for a T, Th class are deducted per class meeting missed.  Fifteen (15) points will be deducted per class meeting you are late.  Twelve (12) unexcused absences in a M, W, F class is automatic failure of the course.  Eight (8) unexcused absences in T, Th class is automatic failure of the course. 
2. 2 Hour Classes – Two (2) absences are allowed. After two absences, fifty-five (55) points are deducted per class meeting missed.  Thirty (30) points will be deducted per class meeting you are late.  Eight (8) unexcused absences is automatic failure of the course. 
3. 1 Hour Classes - One (1) absence is allowed. After one absence, one hundred (100) points from final grade are deducted per class meeting missed.  Forty-five (45) points will be deducted per class meeting you are late.  Four (4) unexcused absences is automatic failure of the course.

Tardiness is defined as arriving after the instructor has begun to teach class.

Further information on the Troy State University Attendance Policy can be found on page 54 of the Undergraduate Bulletin.

Be prepared when you enter the classroom.  Being unprepared wastes the instructor’s time and your classmates’ time. 

COMPUTER:  Every student in Theatre History is required to establish an email address. Various assignments, commentary, and class information will be handled ONLY through email. Additionally, all work prepared out of class for submission must be done on the word processor and mailed as an attachment.

EVENTS: Students will be expected to attend selected Fine Arts events. Some events will serve as extra credit.

TIMELINESS: You are responsible for having read and being ready to discuss material assigned. There is much to cover. It is in your very best interest to keep up with the reading and assignments. This instructor appreciates students who keep up with the demands of the class and does not view favorable any constant tardiness of person or work.

ORGANIZATION: It will also help you if you organize your work to allow for note taking, writing, research, and handouts. There will be a vast accumulation of paper and work before the end of the term.

                                     COURSE DESCRIPTION:

From the TSU Bulletin: A history of the theatre from the origin of tragedy through English drama of the 17th century. A study of dramatic literature and elements of the theatre from the viewpoint of the audience. Designed to enhance the student's appreciation of contemporary theatrical practices in the staging of the "classics".

                                      COURSE OBJECTIVES:

Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to do the following at an adequate level of proficiency:

1.        Have knowledge and comprehension of the major trends in drama and dramatic theory.

2.        Be able to apply the relevance of these major trends to the culture that produced them.

        3. Have knowledge and comprehension of the major types of theatre architecture, production organizations, techniques, performance practices, theatrical innovations, and artists of the theatre.

        4. Read and discuss representative plays, analyzed by Aristotelian structure and reader response.

        5. Demonstrate knowledge of different types of dramatic literature and dramatic genres.

        6. Identify well-known plays and playwrights.

        7. Comprehend and apply research practices useful for the study of theatre history and dramaturgy.

        8. Develop/apply written, oral, and technological presentational skills.

        9. Demonstrate knowledge of standard theatre terminology from a historical perspective, as well as basic playwrighting terminology. 

COURSE CONTENT:

To accomplish the Course Objectives, the following strategies are used:

        1. Lecture/Notes and Discussion format.

        2. Student prepared short answer essay questions from the texts.

        3. Group presentations.

        4. Research project/paper.

        5. Tests to determine mastery of subject. (Major tests following a unit of study are announced and reviewed. Unannounced quizzes or reading check quizzes cannot be made up without a proper University excuse.

        6. Assignments via email attachments.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
 

CHAPTER SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS:

    For each chapter prepare 5 short-answer essay questions (including answers) which cover the scope of the major events and movements of the entire chapter. They should be thought provoking and challenging, but fair enough to be included on an examination. An example of this type of question could be: “How did the religious beliefs of the Greeks influence their theatre?” You will need all 5 questions/answers to receive full credit; however, the quality of the questions is of utmost value. These will be used to review for tests. Submit by electronic mail as an attachment on the due date and put a hard copy in your notebook.

GROUP PRESENTATIONS:

    For each era/chapter, a group from class will present a 15 minute overview of the period OR a discussion of one area. The group is expected to function as a team and should work together to accomplish the following:

    1. Decide on which ideas and what information should/could be presented in the time frame. (Note: You will be greatly aided in this process by the completion of the chapter assignment questions first).

    2. Develop an outline of the presentation in the form of a transparency/handout.

    3. Select and prepare 3-5 transparencies/handouts per presenter which highlight significant images and visual aspects/details of the period.

    4. Use sources other than your texts for the images.

    4. Use the Brockett and Bedford texts to develop your material.

Grading will be based upon the selection and preparation of materials, the quality of the material chosen to present, and the involvement of the presenter in his/her topic and the work with the others within the group. Presentations that are more than the time limit will be penalized.  The class is responsible for the material given by the group presentation for tests.

RESEARCH PAPER:

Each student is expected to write a research paper covering a topic of interest within Theatre History. A list of possible topics will be provided on the first day of class, or, if the student has a particular interest, the professor can approve a special topic. The paper is to be 20-25 typewritten pages long, double-spaced, 12 font.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY:

    Each research paper will include an annotated bibliography based the topic chosen. The bibliography MUST be in MLA format. A supplemental handout concerning this assignment will be given to the class at a later date.

IN CLASS PLAYS:

Plays on the reading list for class assignments include:

The Rising of the Moon, Agamemnon, Antigone, Medea, Lysistrata, Dulcitius, Everyman, Doctor Faustus, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Othello, The Masque of Blackness, Life Is a Dream, The Misanthrope, The Rover, The Way of the World.

    For each of the plays selected to read, you will be expected to submit the equivalent of a one page response to the play. You should also include 3 questions you have concerning the play and 2 questions (with answers) which would be suitable for a reading quiz.

    These responses are to be done COMPLETELY by electronic mail. I MUST receive your responses/questions NO LATER THAN 8 P.M. the evening of the due date.

OUTSIDE READING: (NOTE: THIS SECTION ONLY APPLIES TO DRAMA MAJORS!!)

Policy and Exemptions:

It is a policy of the Department of Speech and Theatre that ALL classes, excluding Stagecraft Lab, Senior Capstone, and Independent Research have an additional play reading assignment. If an Independent Study is NOT replacing an existing class, the Independent Study is exempt.

Statement of Value:

Students of the theatre have no more important job than to study the general art of theatre by encouraging, developing, and enveloping themselves in its fundamental component, that being the literature.  Whether a student views himself as a generalist, a future educator, or in a more specific performance or technical area, the foundation of all work begins with a script.  The accumulated knowledge of plays, musicals, playwrights, and musical theatre composers/lyricists only increases dramaturgical knowledge.

Specific Assignment:

During the course of the semester you will be expected to read four plays of your choice in addition to any that may be part of a class assignment.  This is a requirement of all Communication Arts-Dramatics Track classes (exemptions noted above). Note that the work for the semester is cumulative in that numerous departmental classes do not result in a separate requirement.  Four plays is the assignment whether you are taking one theatre class or three. The report MUST come in the format of the Play Report Form. One is provided in the Syllabus. Email the department secretary for a copy of this form that you can reproduce. However, the form MUST BE COMPLETED USING A WORD PROCESSOR AND MUST BE KEPT IN THE STANDARD FORMAT.  DO NOT INVENT A DIFFERENT FORM OR SIZE OF TYPE, LOCATION OF ELEMENTS, ETC.

Plays may not be repeated for credit one semester (or year) to the next.  Additionally, while some re-examinations of plays read previously (high school) is permitted, the continued submission of plays which were read in high school will be noted andrejected.  The same applies to plays read in classes outside of this Department, an example being those read in TSU lit classes.

Submission:

Fall Semester Due Dates: September 1, October 1, November 1, December 1

Spring Semester Due Dates: January 21, February 21, March 21, April 21 (If any of these dates fall on a weekend, then the due date is the following Monday)

Summer Due Dates:   TBA

Submit by the due date to the Departmental Secretary in Wright Hall.  Turn in a hard copy or email as an attachment to the department office Reports are kept in your student file, available for review by the instructor, and become a part of your accumulated reading during your study with The Department.

Grading/Assessment:

Credit is given by the individual instructor for whom the report is prepared.  This varies from class to class. Consult and review each syllabus. In Theatre History, this assignment counts 12.5 points each for a total of 50 points.

                                     COURSE EVALUATION:

Grades will be determined based on an accumulation of points. Each assignment counts a predetermined number of points.

Grade scale: 1000-900=A, 899-800=B, 799-700=C, 699-600=D, 599 and below=F

                                         COURSE TEXTS:

History of the Theatre, 9th Edition by Oscar Brockett. Allyn and Bacon, Inc.

The Bedford Introduction to Drama, 3rd Edition by Lee A. Jacobs, editor. Bedford Books.
                                       

                                        CLASS SCHEDULE:
 

(Note: This schedule is subject to change!)

Last Updated: 08/13/03 03:19:59 PM