THEA 2291—Acting I

Fall, 2004

Tuesday, Thursday                  9:30a.m.—10:45p.m.     Martha Munro              Acting Studio, Rm 105

 

Instructor:                    Shelly Elman                                                                                        

Office:                          Martha Munro Rm 207C                                                                                     

Office Hours:                Mondays, Wednesdays              10:00—11:00; 2:00—5:00

Tuesdays, Thursdays                 3:00—4:00

Phone:                         770/836-4792 (Office & Message)

e-mail:                         relman@westga.edu

WebCT:                        http://webct.westga.edu; 770/836-3018 (help desk)

Texts:                           An Actor Prepares by Constantin Stanislavski

                                    The Actor’s Book of Scenes from New Plays Edited by Eric Lane and Nina Shengold

                                    1 Spiral or Composition Notebook (may not be smaller than 9 ¾” X 7 ½”)

 

DESCRIPTION:

This class is designed to introduce the beginning actor to the “system” or “method” of acting.  The main text for

this class is Stanislavski’s An Actor Prepares. You will also be required to find your own scenes.

 

THIS COURSE WILL FOCUS ON THE FOLLOWING DEGREE OUTCOMES:

  • Students will express through performance the results of research and critical judgment, indicated by a demonstrable ability to reach an audience effectively through acting.
  • Students will become aware of the complex human condition acquired through aesthetic and intellectual perceptions as evidenced in the role of an actor.
  • Students will express through performance the results of research and critical judgment, indicated by a demonstrable ability to reach an audience effectively.
  • Students will have the ability to apply the skills they learn in this course to a variety of work and social environments.

 

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES:

To discover a unique process for each actor to approach a role.

To gain an understanding of the responsibilities of an actor.

To evaluate presentations based on the Stanislavski, Cohen and Hagen systems.

To analyze a character through script analysis.

 

OFFICE HOURS:

I am available to address matters of concern during my office hours.  If those hours are not convenient, please schedule an appointment.  If you visit my office at other times, I may not be available because of other duties I must attend to. 

 

If you have problems in the class, it is your responsibility to initiate contact with me.  I cannot help you if you do not communicate with me.  Let me know of any problems early in the semester.  I will not accept excuses for poor performance or missing exams, especially late in the semester.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

·         Be on time!  Class begins promptly at 9:30 a.m.  It is important that scene and/or monologue work is not interrupted by doors opening and closing, by people noisily walking into the room, etc.  Warm ups begin the class, if you walk in after warm ups have started you will be considered late. Two lates will count as one absence.

·         Attendance Policy:  Attendance to this class is very important; therefore you will be required to be present at each class session. Discussion questions on WebCT should be completed the day they are due on the course schedule. There will be a five point deduction from your attendance/participation grade for every absence you incur. 

·         Class Participation:  You will be expected to comment on your classmates’ work.  These comments will be constructive and not personal; comments should be couched in positive, non-judgmental terms. This class, like all acting classes, is based on showing a grasp of the knowledge presented and an improvement in the dialogue work.  No one will be graded on if they are “good” or “bad”.  The only results we will be striving for will be those found in formulating a process and improvement from scene to scene.  Observation of scenes/monologues is just as important as presenting scenes/monologues.  Willingness to perform, preparatory work outside of class, attitude and enthusiasm in performing activities as set forth by the instructor will all be taken into consideration when a grade is issued. Please don’t make me coax comments out of you; if you do not participate in the evaluation segment of the course your participation grade may suffer.

 

THEA 2291                                                           Syllabus                                                                Page 2 of 5

 

·         Readings:  You will be assigned readings for class. Discussion questions will be posted on the WebCT Bulletin Board where you will post answers. Discussion question answers should be posted the day they are due as written in the course schedule. It is important that you actually read the material for each class.  Part of your grade will be whether you have been able to implement what you read into how you approach a role. Each partner/group will be responsible for discussing and/or displaying knowledge gained from chapters of the Stanislavski text. That is, scene work will be used to show the understanding of chapter work on presentation days.

·         This syllabus is subject to change. It is your responsibility to get any changes made to it.

·         Journal:  You will be responsible for daily journal entries, which will be handed in twice during the semester.  These journal entries will be about acting class and acting in general.  They can be about rehearsals, observations of people as character studies, class, etc.  I do not want to know any personal information about you (i.e., boyfriend or girlfriend information).  You will hand in the journal at the midterm (15%) and at the end of term [15% (see schedule for specific dates)]. Each student is required to see at least two productions this semester and comment on the acting in her/his journal.

·         A complete journal will include:         The DATE of each entry (put this at the beginning of

each entry)

Neat legible writing

Reactions to acting observed outside of class (can be reactions to film/TV or live stage productions)

Reactions to each class meeting

Reactions to readings from required texts (not covered in the         discussion questions)

·         Scenes should be memorized for each presentation.  NO EXCUSES!!

·         GOTE Sheets & Script breakdowns: will be assigned to each scene. GOTE sheets should be prepared in the format provided. Any deviation from the format will result in point deductions. Script breakdowns will be required of each scene after the class discussion on how to break a scene down. GOTE Sheets and script breakdowns will be do the day you are assigned to present to the class.

·         Always bring copies of your scenes with you to class.

·         CELL PHONES: Turn them off for class! If cell phones ringing during class becomes a problem throughout the semester, each and every class member will face point deductions from their final grade at the discretion of the instructor.

Special Needs Students:

I will make special arrangements for students with special needs.  Don’t wait until after the first presentation or quiz/exam to talk with me!  Don’t try and “wing it” without telling me about your particular problem or needs.  If you need special accommodations for exams, let me know early, not a few days before the scene or quiz/exam.  I am here to facilitate your learning, but I need to be informed to do so.

 

GRADING:

Assigned Material

Journal                                                                                      30%

Structured Improvisation & Scene work                                        50%

            (includes GOTE sheets and scene presentations. Written work and performance work are counted as          equal. I will give you a separate grade for each and then average them out to one grade for the scene.)

Class attendance and participation                                              20%

            (includes oral scene evaluations, webct, etc.)

 

Grading Scale

100-90              A                                  69-60                D

89-80                B                                  59-Below           F

79-70                C

THEA 2291                                                           Syllabus                                                                Page 3 of 5

 

WEEK 1

August              T24                   Warm Up

Introduction

                                                Discuss Syllabus

Exercises/Improvisation

 

TH26                 Warm Up

                        Exercises/Improvisation Objectives & Obstacles

                        Read Chapter: The 1st Test

                        WebCT Question #1 Due

                        Handout Structured Improv Scenes & Partners

                       

WEEK 2

            T31                   Warm Up

Exercises/Improvisation

Goal & Obstacle

 

September        TH2                  Warm Up

Chapter:  When Acting is an Art

WebCT Question #2 Due

                                                Exercises/Improvisation

                                                Nonsense scene

 

WEEK 3

                        T7                     Structured Improv rehearsal day

 

TH9                  Warm Up

Scene #1: Structured Improvisations

                                                Chapter:  Action

                                                WebCT Question #3 Due

 

WEEK 4

                        T14                   Warm Up

Scene #1: Structured Improvisations

                                                                                                                                   

TH16                 Warm Up

                                                Chapter:  Imagination

                        Tactics in Structured Improvs     

                        WebCT Question #4 Due         

 

WEEK 5

T21                   Warm Up

                        Exercises/Improvisations

                                                Expectations in Structured Improvs

                        Scene #2 Choice due

 

TH23                 Warm Up

                        Exercises/Improvisations

                        Chapter:  Concentration of Attention

                        WebCT Question #5 Due

 

WEEK 6

T28                   GOTE

                        Rehearsal Day for Scene #2

 

                        TH30                 Warm Up

Exercises/Improvisations

Chapter:  Relaxation of Muscles

WebCT Question #6 Due

Preparing a Role

 

 

 

THEA 2291                                                           Syllabus                                                                Page 4 of 5

 

WEEK 7

October             T5                     Warm Up

Scene #2 Presentations

 

(Noises Off runs Oct. 6-9, at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 10 at 2:30p.m.)

 

                        TH7                  Warm Up

Scene #2 Presentations

WEEK 8

T12                   Warm Up

Exercises/Improvisations

Chapter:  Units & Objectives

WebCT Question #7 Due

Journals Due

 

(October 14th is the last day to withdraw with a grade ‘W’)

 

                        TH14                 TBA

                        Georgia Theatre Conference Convention in Athens, GA

WebCT scene choices for Scene #3

WEEK 9

T19                   Warm Up

Exercises/Improvisations

Staging the Scene

           

                        TH21                 Warm Up

Exercises/Improvisations

Chapter:  Faith and a Sense of Truth

WebCT Question #8 Due

                                                Choices

WEEK 10

                        T26                   Warm Up

                                                Exercises/Improvisations

Scene #3 Presentations

 

                        TH28                 Warm Up

                                                Exercises/Improvisations

Scene #3 Presentations

Chapter:  Adaptation

WebCT Question #9 Due

 

WEEK 11

November          T2                     No Class

Chapter: Inner Motive Forces

WebCT Question #10 Due

 

                        TH4                  Warm Up

                                                Exercises/Improvisations

Scene #4 Choices due

WEEK 12

                        T9                     Warm Up

                                                Chapter:  Communion

                                                WebCT Question #11 Due

 

                        TH11                 Warm Up

                                                Scene #1

                                                Chapter:  The Unbroken Line

                                                WebCT Question #12 Due

WEEK 13

                        T16                   Warm Up

                                                Exercises/Improvisations

                                                Scene #4 Presentations

 

THEA 2291                                                           Syllabus                                                                Page 5 of 5

 

(Dimly Perceived Threats to the System performances are Nov. 17-20 at 7:30 p.m.; Nov. 21 at 2:30 p.m.)

 

WEEK 13 (Cont'd.)

TH18                 Warm Up

                        Exercises/Improvisations

                        Chapter:  The Inner Creative State

                                                Scene #4 Presentations

                                                WebCT Question #13 Due

WEEK 14

                        T23                   Warm Up

                                                Exercises/Improvisation

                                                Chapter:  The Super-Objective

                                                WebCT Question #14 Due

 

                        TH25                 Happy Thanksgiving!

                                                NO CLASS

WEEK 15

                        T30                   Warm Up

                                                Journals due

                                                TBA

 

December         TH2                  TBA

                                   

Week 16

                        T7                     Last Day of Class

                                                Evaluations

                                                Final Scene Choices due

                                                Rehearse for final scene presentations

 

                        T16                   8--10 a.m.         Final Scene Presentations

Criteria for Finding a Scene

 

Though I have assigned text that includes scenes for this class, you still must adhere to the following guidelines when choosing a scene:

 

·         Look for characters that are in your same age range.

·         Look for characters that are your same gender.

·         Choose scenes in which something is happening in the scene rather than a scene in which there is discussion about something that has already happened.

·         Choose a scene in which the characters and the situations interest you.

·         Choose a scene from a play, not a movie.

·         Choose a scene from a contemporary play (this century). No Shakespeare, please.

·         Have your scene approved by your instructor (no Beckett, Ionesco, or any absurdists)

 

Because this is a beginning class we will adhere to these seven basic rules. Though I am an advocate for gender-bending in the theatre, we will not be doing this in class, sorry.

 

Acting has everything to do with collaboration; therefore you will be working with partners in this class. If you are unable to meet and work with someone outside of class time, you will need to drop this course. It is each student’s responsibility to obtain the contact information for your partner for each scene. There will be no excuses for lack of preparedness on presentation days!

 

It would be helpful if you read plays before you pick a scene from them. Using a book with scenes in it and choosing that scene without reading the play will not help you with character analysis or development (even though our library does not have a good selection). Please feel free to ask me if I have the play you are looking for or to check one out from the theatre library. All books from the theatre library or from my personal library are due by the last day of class. If they are not returned by then, you will not receive a grade for the class.

 

Here is a list of plays and/or playwrights from which you may find scenes (these are merely suggestions, if you find something not on this list, that's okay):

 

Paula Vogel

Tennessee Williams

Arthur Miller

Keith Reddin

Lanford Wilson

August Wilson

George C. Wolfe

Marsha Norman, Getting Out

Beth Henley, Crimes of the Heart, Mrs. Firecracker Contest

Donald Margulies, Sight Unseen

Richard Greenberg, Eastern Standard

Edward Albee

David Ives, All in the Timing

Scott McPherson, Marvin's Room

Peter Shaffer

Jane Martin

John Guare

Jane Anderson

Christopher Durang

Bill C. Davis, Mass Appeal

John Pielmeier, Agnes of God

David Rabe

David Hare

Jason Miller, That Championship Season

Martin Sherman, Bent

John Osborne, Look Back In Anger