Texts: Play Directing: Analysis, Communication and Style 4^th Edition

By Francis Hodge

Florence by Alice Childress

Nina Variations by Stephen Dietz

Folders or binders for analyses.

Course Description

This is Writing Across the Curriculum course. The student will be given both writing to learn and writing to communicate assignments to develop skills in communicating. Directing prepares students to think critically and analytically in order to develop interesting, relevant, and thought-provoking interpretations of plays. Research regarding each play is necessary both for the understanding of the play and for the communication skills needed to work collaboratively. This is Writing Across the Curriculum course which means that much of the assigned work will be writing intensive. By the end of the course the students should be able to develop thoughtful, well-researched analyses and use these analyses to communicate to the collaborative team. The first project will consist of writing and re-writing of the analysis in order to better understand the writing and analytical skills needed.

This course will focus on the following Degree Learning Outcomes:

Students will demonstrate that they are familiar with a representative selection of plays, indicated by a demonstrable knowledge of selected plays, theatrical conventions, and theatrical movements important in the formation of the modern theatre.

Students will be able to critically understand basic knowledge of theatre history, theory, and criticism as well as research sources and methodology.
Students will develop skill in analyzing plays, using theatre technology, and conducting research.
Students will express through performance, writing, speaking, and other modes of communication the results of research and critical judgment, indicated by a demonstrable ability to reach an audience effectively.
Students will be prepared to work and/or continue study in the performance area upon graduation.
Students will have the ability to apply the skills they learned in courses to a variety of work and social environments.
Students will become aware of the complex human condition acquired through aesthetic and intellectual perceptions as evidenced in various modes the theatrical production.
Students will have the ability to function safely and effectively using theatre technology.
Students will have the ability to demonstrate knowledge of the various means of theatre through which a theatrical concept is realized.

Course Learning Outcomes:

To develop and hone skills of analyzing a play.

To expand communication between director and actor.

To develop communication skills between director and designer.

To reinforce skills in expository writing.

To create, communicate, and follow through on a concept for a production.

Responsibilities:

You are responsible for work assigned outside of class. As some class time will be used for rehearsal of the final project, attendance is mandatory. After two absences your grade will drop five points for each class missed thereafter. Prompt arrival to class is not only expected, but required. Three lates will equal one absence. If your work is not completed on the day due, do not avoid the instructor. Take responsibility and let the instructor know when it will be handed in. All late work will suffer a half grade deduction per day. All analyses must be typed.

THEA 3394W/ Directing Syllabus Page 2 of 5

Grading

Florence analysis 20% Writing to learn

Drafts (4 worth 2.5% each) 10%

Revised analysis 10%

Nina Variations analysis & prompt book 15% Writing to learn

Nina Variations presentation 15% Writing to communicate

Arts in Martha analysis, prompt book, concept 20% Writing to learn

Arts in Martha presentation (10 minutes) 20% Writing to communicate

In class written response to scenes and plays 10% Writing to communicate

· Research is an important component for this class. Please utilize all campus resources, not just the internet.

· Written analyses should be thorough and detailed. Have fun with research and analysis—consider yourself a detective trying to solve a mystery.

· Students will be responsible for finding actors to rehearse their scenes. All presentations must be memorized. Analyses for those projects that require scene work will include the director’s promptbook. The promptbook will include the scene, the floor plan, and blocking notations.

· WebCt is a large component in the participation grade. Answers to questions are due the day stated in the course schedule. If question answers are a week late or more, five points will be taken off of the final participation grade for each late answer. The cut off date for answering WebCT questions will be Monday, December 6.

· Tips for the final project: plays should be no more than ten minutes. It would be to your benefit to find a play with only 2-4 characters. Any more than that will give you rehearsal schedule headaches. Since Arts on the Quad takes place outside, do not choose a play with an indoor setting. Attempt to find a play that fits well with an outside setting (a park, a parking lot, a yard, etc). The director is responsible for securing and retaining his or her cast. Pick a show that you like and care about. Don’t pick a play for the sake of picking it.

· Each student is required to see all UWG productions second semester: Noises Off, Dimly Perceived Threats to the System, and of course Arts in Martha.

· This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.

· 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.

Grading Policy:

90-100 A 60-69 D

80-89 B 59-below F

70-79 C

THEA 3394W/ Directing Syllabus Page 3 of 5

Week 1

August M23 Discussion of class, syllabus, etc.

Play structure

Read Florence

W25 Chapter 3

Given Circumstances & Dialogue

Discussion Question 1

F27 Chapters 1 & 2

Discussion Question 2

Given Circumstances due

Week 2

M30 Chapter 4 Dramatic Action & Character

In class exercises 1-4 (p. 38)

Discussion Question 3

September W1 Continue Chapter 4

Revised Given Circumstances due

F3 Work on Dialogue & Dramatic Action

Week 3

M6 Labor Day No Class

W8 Chapter 5 Idea & Tempo

In class exercises 3—7

Dialogue due

Discussion Questions 4 & 5

F10 No Class

Chapter 6

Discussion Question 6

Week 4

M13 Chapter 7

In class exercises 1-4 (p.77)

Note: Read Nina Variations and begin selecting actors

Discussion Question 7

W15 Chapter 8 the Groundplan

F17 Dramatic Action & Character due

Week 5

M20 Different types of stages

Exercises 6 & 7 p. 77

Discussion Question 8

W22 Improvisation exercises

F24 Revised Dialogue due

Week 6

M27 Revised Dramatic Action & Character due

W29 Chapter 9

Discussion Question 9

October F1 Rehearsal Day

Idea, Moods, Tempos, Tone due

THEA 3394W/ Directing Syllabus Page 4 of 5

Week 7 Noises Off performances Oct. 6—9 at 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 10 at 2:30 p.m. Mainstage

M4 Chapter 10

Exercises 1-4 p. 99

Discussion Question 10

W6 Planes & Horizontals

Exercises 2-4 p. 103

Revised Idea, Moods, Tempos, Tone due

F8 Arts in Martha play selection due via WebCT

Rehearsal Day

Week 8

M11 Finish up composition

Game of Visual Perception

Rights & Royalties letter due

Discussion Question 11

W13 Chapter 11

(October 14 is the last day to withdraw with a grade 'W')

F15 Revised Florence Analysis due

Rehearsal Day

Week 9

M18 TBA Class will meet!

W20 Rehearsal Day

F22 Rehearsal Day

Discussion Question 12

Week 10

M25 Nina Variations Preliminary Analysis and Prompt Script due Group 1 Presents

W27 Nina Variations Preliminary Analysis and Prompt Script due Group 2 Presents

F29 TBA

Week 11

November M1 Discuss Final Projects

W3 Rehearsal Day

F5 TBA Class will meet

Week 12

M8 Discuss Final Projects

W10 Rehearsal Day

F12 Rehearsal Day

Discussion Question 13

THEA 3394W/ Directing Syllabus Page 5 of 5

Week 13 Dimly Perceived Threats to the System performs Nov. 17—20 at 7:30; Nov. 21 at 2:30 in the Black Box Theatre

M15 Discuss Final Projects

W17 Rehearsal Day

F19 Rehearsal Day

Week 14

M22 Discuss Final Projects

Discussion Question 14

W24 Happy Thanksgiving No Class

TH26 No Class

Week 15

M29 Discuss Final Projects(evaluations)

December W1 TBA

F3 Rehearsal Day

Week 16

M6 TBA

Last day to answer WebCT questions

W8 Last Day of Class

Discuss Final Projects

M13 6:30 p.m. Arts in Martha Presentations

Analysis, Prompt Script, Concept Criteria

The Analysis

All analyses, including drafts, must be typed.
All analyses must follow the format as defined by the Hodge text.
Always assume that you should be detailed and specific. Much of the pre-production process of directing is research. If you don’t do the research, you’ll get the grade you deserve not the grade you want. If you do the research you will get the grade you deserve and want.
Be creative, use your imagination to supplement the research.
Do not wait until the last minute to do the analyses! The script analysis will help you make decisions in casting, in rehearsal and in design meetings.

The Prompt Script

All prompt scripts should include one page of dialogue per 8 ½” X11” paper.
There should be at least two inches of margin on the right or left side of the paper and two to three inches of margin at the top and bottom of the paper.
Blocking should be included in the prompt script. We will discuss how to do this in class.
All prompt scripts should include a separate contact sheet of actors for the scene.
All prompt scripts should include a separate rehearsal schedule that includes what you want to rehearse and what you actually rehearsed (should include page numbers and unit titles).
All prompt scripts will include the floor plan of the scene.

Presentations