Thea 340: Acting 4 Period Styles

Fall 2009

 

MW 12-1:50                                                   Professor: Melanie Blood

Brodie 245, Black Box                                    Brodie 121 Office hours: MWF 9, 2

Email: blood@geneseo.edu; x5840

IM: TheaProfonCall

 

Required Books:

Barton, John. Playing Shakespeare. Knopf.  ISBN 0385720858

Beckett, Samuel. Endgame.

Beckett, Samuel. Happy Days.

Beckett, Samuel. Waiting for Godot.Shakespeare, William. As You Like It. Dover Thrift Ed.

Shakespeare, William. Comedy of Errors. Dover Thrift Ed.

Shakespeare, William. Four Great Comedies by William Shakespeare: Taming of the

Shrew, A Midsummer NightÕs Dream, The Tempest, Twelfth Night. Signet Classic.

Shakespeare, William. Much Ado About Nothing. Dover Thrift Ed.

 

Required Readings from:

Kalb, Jonathan. Beckett In Performance. Cambridge UP. ISBN 978-0521423793

 

Required Video viewing:

You must see two Shakespearean comedies and two Beckett full-lenght plays; they should be from the following list or you may get others approved by me. We will hold class viewings Thursday nights at 10 (or after rehearsals) or you may view them on your own.

Beckett:

            Endgame

Happy Days

Waiting for Godot

Shakespeare:

Romeo and Juliet (Zefferelli)

Taming of the Shrew (Taylor/Burton)

Much Ado About Nothing (Branagh)

Twelfth Night (Bonham Carter)

The videotape of the John Barton Playing Shakespeare is on reserve in the library and is well worth watching.

 

Required Performances:

Mrs. WarrenÕs Profession  by George Bernard Shaw. Directed by Melanie Blood. Tues 9/29-Sun 10/4. 8 pm, Sun at 2 pm, Black Box. Tickets $7. x5833 or

            bbo.geneseo.edu

Veg SOUP presents Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Directed by Emma Leigh. Thurs 10/22-Sat 10/24. 8 PM,  Black Box. Tickets $5. x5833 or

            bbo.geneseo.edu

Pirates of Penzance Gilbert and Sullivan. Directed by David Munnell, music directed by Gerry Floriano. Wed 11/18—Sun 11/22. 8 pm, Sun at 2 pm, Austin

            Theatre. Tickets $8.  Students x5833 or bbo.geneseo.edu

 

Strongly Recommended Performances at Stratford Festival:

October 9-11. See ShakespeareÕs Macbeth, WildeÕs Importance of Being Ernest and two musicals – West Side Story and A Funny Thing Happened on

            the Way to the Forum – and get two nights accommodation with breakfast in Stratford. More information forthcoming.

**If you can not attend these performances, you will need to get two others approved by me, and at least one must be professional, and at least one must be of a Shakespeare comedy.

 

Student Learning Outcomes: The successful student will

*demonstrate his/her ability to speak Shakespearean verse through work on and a final performance of a monologue and scene from Shakespearean comedies

*improve his/her ability to analyze play texts for clues to characterization, with particular focus on the challenging archaic language of Shakespeare and the challenging aesthetic of Beckett.

*develop and perform three distinct characters over the semester, with particular focus on physical and vocal choices and on historical research translated to stage choices.

*by observing other actorsÕ work on stage and screen, increase his/her capacity for detailed analysis and extend his/her range as a performer.

*learn and practice effective warm-ups for voice and body on a daily basis.

 

Course Requirements:

1) Class work: You are expected to be present, on time, dressed for class, and have any exercises or readings prepared on time. Two excused absences over the semester are acceptable, and unexcused absences and lateness will immediately lower the class work portion of your grade.

Evaluation criteria: attendance and preparedness are the primary factors for your class work grade. In addition, I expect you to try new things as an actor without prejudging the results, and to be supportive of your classmates in order to create an environment conducive to creative work and learning for everyone, and to give constructive criticism to your peers in class. Finally, working on your headshot and resume in class is part of your required classwork. (20%)

2. Midterm scene: Students will select a scene and scene partner from the seven Shakespearean comedies on the reading list, in consultation with me. Each scene should be 10-12 minutes in length. Each scene will be worked once in class and performed at midterms: Wednesday, Oct 14.

Evaluation criteria: use of language to express character, physicalization of character, creation of actions and dramatic context, development of subtext, development of relationship and dramatic conflict.

 (25%)

3. Final scene: Students will select a scene and scene partner from the three full length Beckett plays on the reading list, in consultation with me. Each scene should be 10-12 minutes in length. Each scene will be worked once in class and performed at the final examination, December 18 at noon.

Evaluation criteria: accuracy and justification of text, use of language to express meanings, physicalization of character, creation of actions and dramatic context, development of relationship and dramatic conflict.

 (25%)

4. Monologue: Each student will select a monologue from one of the seven Shakespearean comedies on the reading list. It must be in verse, over 14 lines long, and last approximately 2 minutes. Each monologue will be worked once outside of class with me, once with a partner for peer feedback, once worked with the whole class, and presented at the final exam, Wednesday December 18 at noon.

Evaluation criteria: accuracy of verse in rhythm and articulation, use of language to express meanings, physicalization of character, creation of actions and dramatic context.

(10%)

5. ActorÕs Journal: You should keep an actorÕs journal (different from a personal journal) which should contain one entry for every class; a character analysis, text analysis, and any other work for each of the three characters you develop; a self-analysis for each performance; and a review of the work of a single actor in each of the five required productions. (minimum of three on campus: Mrs. WarrenÕs Profession, Alice in Wonderland, Pirtes of Penzance and two off campus: Importance of Being Ernest OR A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,  AND Macbeth). I will look these over for thoughtfulness about the art and craft of acting and about your own growth as an actor, not for specific content. Journals will be collected three times: Mon Oct 5, Mon Nov 9, and Wed Dec 16.(Journal entries on class, self evaluations, and at least five performances: 10%)

6. Readings and Videos Journal: I will not test you in class on readings and videos, but I expect you to demonstrate through class participation and/or journal entries that you have done the assigned reading and viewing.

For each required reading cover the following:

            Summary of the lesson or the argument

            Personal reactions based on your experience acting or viewing acting

For each required video cover the following, while focusing on one or more performers:

            Style of characterization; particularly looking for how period elements are used

            Use of language and vocal choices

            Actions and physical choices.

Journals will be collected three times: Mon Oct 3, Mon Nov 7, and Wed Dec 14.(Journal entries readings and videos: 10%)

 

Final Grade Calculation:

Class Work:                            20%

Midterm Scene:                       25%

Final Scene:                             25%

Monologue:                             10%

ActorÕs Journal:                      10%

Readings and Videos Journal  10%

                                    Total:  100%

 

Policy for accommodating students with disabilities: SUNY Geneseo will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented physical, emotional or learning disabilities. Students should contact the Director in the Office of Disability Services (Tabitha Buggie-Hunt, 105D Erwin) and their faculty to discuss needed accommodations as early as possible in the semester.