Welcome to class. This course aims to help students develop an appreciation of the art and social functions of theatre. We will help you develop an understanding of the multiple roles of theatre in society as well as the possible roles not traditionally explored. We will develop a shared vocabulary of the discussion of plays (both as scripts and in performance) and explore the various aspects of theatre, including playwriting, acting, directing, design, dramaturgy, and criticism. In the broadest sense we hope to excite you about the vast possibilities theatre arts offer and in the process foster an appreciation for the art form.

This module is dedicated to exploring the online class environment. You'll also want to spend some time exploring the Compass online course tools and reading your syllabus and course calendar.  Check out the "Shares" section on the right side of this screen for links to important resources.

The course meets entirely online. Your course TA will be your primary source of instruction, information, and contact.

Take careful note of due dates for all aspects of the course. The material is organized by weekly content, but you may work ahead on much of the course material, if you wish. Be careful about falling behind. Discussions, quizzes, assignments, etc. will have closing dates after which you will no longer be able to earn points.

You may also notice a few other names listed as "Community Admins" for your THEA 101 Class Community. These are instructional designers and researchers from the University of Illinois. They are there to provide Professor Morrissette and Youngji with technical help and implement the class - so you can be sure that your section has all the resources necessary for a successful semester.

Introduction to the Course

We will starting to look at where theatre fits in society. Be sure to read the introduction to your text. You'll also want to spend some time exploring the introduction video(s) from your instructor and TA. The following readings will enable you to successully complete the assignments for this lesson. Be sure to view the materials before beginning the lesson activities.

Here is what you should do this week:

• Check out the tutorial, "A Brief Introduction to Scholar."
• Read the Introduction, pp. 1-5 from your text book: Cohen, Robert. Theatre Brief Version. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2014.
• Read the Supporting Material:  Introduction to Theater Arts.
• Take the "Introduction Quiz" in Illinois Compass2g.
• Check out the Admin Update "Week 1: Discussion Update 1" for instructions on how to do your participation assignment.
• Purchase your tickets for 1984!  You MUST attend this show for the class and tickets will sell out. Check out the Admin Update "Week 1: Purchase Tickets" for more information.

Supporting Material:

Have any questions or thoughts about the readings?  Post them in the comments below.

Discussion #1: Popularity of the Theatre

Deadlines:  You have until 11 pm CT on Friday, September 4 to make your Discussion Update.  The title of your Update should be "Discussion #1: YOUR NAME".  Additional participation is due by September 11 at 11 pm CT.  See the "Making an Update in Scholar" instructions for more help.

Prompt:  Why would a person go to the theatre?

Do you think motion pictures are more popular than theatre? If so, why is that? If not, why is that? What do we use to determine and evaluate popularity? What roles do individual tastes play in evaluating that popularity? What roles does society play in evaluating that popularity? What changes or improvements would you suggest to increase the popularity of theatre?
There are many questions being asked above.

Be sure to evaluate each part of the prompt in order to give depth and meaning to your exploration. We expect to see your own answers to these questions in an initial Update. Frequent participation is required. We expect to see multiple interactions with several ideas as well as comments on other postings. You will want to check back frequently to keep developing your thoughts and ideas in relation to other postings. Opinions and personal thoughts on the given subject are always a positive. A minimal initial posting will consist of at least a paragraph of answers (meaning several sentences).

Discussion Updates are a chance to interact with your fellow students and instructors through a threaded, ongoing discussion. A prompt will be provided to frame each discussion. A successful grade on a discussion will be determined by quality of feedback, interaction with more than one idea, interaction with other posts, and number of submissions throughout the discussion period. Simply writing, "I agree with you" is NOT an example of a quality submission! Students participating with at least 4 quality postings reflective of the guidelines above usually meet with the most success. It will serve your experience and your grade better to participate throughout the open discussion period rather than wait until the last minute to post.

REMEMBER - Make a new update of your own, don't just comment in the box below!

Ticket Instructions for On-Campus Students

During this course you will be required to write a performance analysis paper. This paper is to be based on the viewing of a live theatre performance.

Deadlines: Naturally, tickets must be purchased before you can attend shows and submit the performance analysis papers.  It is VERY important that you plan ahead. Make arrangements NOW.

ALL ON-CAMPUS (OR NEARBY) STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND A DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE PRODUCTION THIS SEMESTER. YOU NEED TO GET TICKET IMMEDIATELY! DO NOT WAIT! PERFORMANCES SELL OUT!

Assigned Performance: 1984 - Opening October 15, 2015

To purchase your ticket, go to the Krannert Center Website and click the "Buy Tickets" button.  University of Illinois Students recieve discounts on all shows.  Be sure to choose a date you can attend, as these shows WILL sell out!

If you are a student who is not in the Champaign-Urbana area, you will need to contact your course TA for specific performance attendance instructions. Check your local newspaper or websites for theatres in your area. Once you’ve selected a show that meets your needs you MUST email your instructor to get approval for the choice. If seeing a live show is a complete impossibility, please contact your instructor so alternative arrangements can be considered.

Once your buy your tickets, use the comments below to let your classmates know which show you plan to attend.  You might want to meet up and watch the show together.

What is Theatre? (Chapter 1)

 

The following readings will enable you to successully complete the assignments for this lesson. Be sure to view the materials before beginning the lesson activities.

Here is what you should do this week:

• Read Chapter 1 from your text book: Cohen, Robert. Theatre Brief Version. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2014.
• Read the Supporting Material:  What is Theatre?
• Take the "Chapter 1 Quiz" in Illinois Compass2g.
• Comment on "Discussion #1" Peer Updates from your classmates.  Check out the Admin Update  "Week 1: Discussion Update 1" for more information.
• Purchase your tickets for 1984!  You MUST attend this show for the class and tickets will sell out. Check out the Admin Update "Week 1: Purchase Tickets" for more information.

 

Supporting Material:

Have any questions or thoughts about the readings?  Post them in the comments below.

What is a Play? (Chapter 2)

Now that we’ve contextualized theatre in society and started our journey of defining just exactly what can be considered theatre, we begin to explore the basis of most theatre creation- THE PLAY. Pay particular attention to the ideas of symbolic and metaphoric representations. Plays stand for something, they mean something and they offer perspective on the human condition. Jump on in!

The following readings will enable you to successully complete the assignments for this lesson. Be sure to view the materials before beginning the lesson activities.

Here is what you should do this week:

• Read Chapter 2 from your text book: Cohen, Robert. Theatre Brief Version. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2014.
• Read the Supporting Material: What is a Play?
• Take the "Chapter 2 Quiz" in Illinois Compass 2g.
• Finish up your Comments on "Discussion #1" Peer Posts.  The comment period will end on September 11 and participation grades will be assigned shortly thereafter.
• Purchase your tickets for 1984!  This is your third and final warning.  You MUST attend this show for the class and tickets will sell out. Check out the Admin Update "Week 1: Purchase Tickets" for more information.

Supporting Material:

Have any questions or thoughts about the readings?  Post them in the comments below.

The Actor (Chapter 3)

When most people think of the theatre, ACTORS are usually the first things that comes up. This week we look at the work of the actors. By the end of this module you should completely understand just what elements go into making an actor the most visible component of the theatre arts- AND- you’ll have a chance to try out some of the basic work of an actor through the Actor Assignment.

The following readings will enable you to successully complete the assignments for this lesson. Be sure to view the materials before beginning the lesson activities.

Here is what you should do this week:

• Read Chapter 3 from your text book: Cohen, Robert. Theatre Brief Version. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2014.
• Read the Supporting Material: The Actor
• Take the "Chapter 3 Quiz" in Illinois Compass 2g.
• Check out the Admin Update "Week 4: Actor Assignment" for instructions on how to do your Work.

Supporting Material:

Have any questions or thoughts about the readings?  Post them in the comments below.

Writing Assignment: The Actor

Deadlines: You have until 11 PM CT on Monday, September 21 to write your assignment and "Submit Draft" so that your TA can assign you a grade.  See the "Creating a Work in Scholar" instructions if you need more help.

Prompt:  Since we’ve been looking at the work of the actor we wanted to give you a chance to try your hand at some of that work. Below you will find a link to a very short play. You are to read that play and then use your interpretive skills to fill out the Character Biography Sheet found below. Some advice:

A. You want to base your answers on the play (use the setting and other information to help you come to logical answers).

B. Some information may have to be invented - not all of the questions will be directly answered but it is an actor’s job to be specific in the details a normal person would know about themselves. Feel free to be creative but don’t forget to use the reality and the FACTS of the play as a basis for your creation. First facts - then creativity.

C. You will want to offer a short explanation as to why you answered what you answered. For instance - if you answer question #1 What is your full name? as Mary Margaret O’Connell - you might include a sentence saying something like:

ONLY MARY’S FIRST NAME IS GIVEN IN THE SCRIPT BUT SINCE THE PLAY IS SET IN IRELAND I THOUGHT IT PRUDENT TO GIVE HER A SEEMINGLY IRISH LAST NAME.

THE PLAY CAN BE FOUND AT:
http://www.10-minute-plays.com/comedies/sun_dried.html

CHARACTER BIOGRAPHY SHEET
(Fill out in the first person, as if you are the character.)

1. What is your full name?
2. What is your age and date of birth?
3. What is your ethnic/cultural heritage?
4. What is your religion/spiritual belief system?
5. What is your marital status?
6. Do you have children? (If so who are they?
7. What is your occupation?
8. What is your favorite pastime/hobby?
9. Who are you closest to in the play? Why?
10. Who do you not get along with in the play? Why?
11. What is the single most important event in your life?
12. What is your level of education?
13. What is your overall goal in the play?
14. Where do you want to be in five years
15. What are the events that have led up to the start of the play?
16. Write down ten adjectives that describe you.

How to Submit:

You will recieve a Notification in Scholar inviting you to edit a new Work for the "Actor Assigment" project in the Creator app.  Use this project to write up your Character Biography Sheet.  When you are finished, click "Submit Draft" so that we can give you a grade.

The Playwright (Chapter 4)

In the previous chapters we have examined the plays themselves. This lesson offers us a glimpse of the people who create the plays. You’ll have the opportunity to look at a few successful playwrights and the way they work. You’ll also get the chance to try your hand at playwriting through the Playwriting Assignment.

Here is what you should do this week:

• Read Chapter 4 from your text book: Cohen, Robert. Theatre Brief Version. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2014.
• Read the Supporting Material: The Playwright
• Take the "Chapter 4 Quiz" in Illinois Compass 2g.
• Check out the Admin Update "Week 5: Discussion Update 2" for instructions on how to do your participation assignment.
• Check out the Admin Update "Week 5: Playwriting Assignment" for instructions on how to do your Work.

Supporting Material:

Have any questions or thoughts about the readings?  Post them in the comments below.

 

Discussion #2: The Actor

Deadlines:  You have until 11 pm CT on Friday, September 25 to make your Discussion Update.  The title of your Update should be "Discussion #2: YOUR NAME".  Additional participation is due by October 2 at 11 pm CT.  See the "Making an Update in Scholar" instructions for more help.

Prompt:  Your text discusses the Actor in Chapter 3.

Below you will find a quote from actor Jeremy Brett (Freddie in the movie of “My Fair Lady” but most famous for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes for BBC TV, learn more about him at his IMDB Profile Page).

In the quote below Jeremy Brett offers his rather strong opinion of the purposes actors serve in society. You certainly don’t have to agree or disagree with him but in this next discussion I’d like to hear what your opinions are about what actors do for society.

• Why do people seem to be obsessed with "stars"?
• What makes the likes of Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Emma Thompson or Drew Barrymore household names?
• What is it that acting and actors create for our society?
• How do you view the roles of actors in our society?

Jeremy Brett says (quoted by David Stuart Davies in Bending the Willow, Calabash Press, 2002):

"Actors ennoble us. They provide the mirror, which is held up to nature to reveal the human beast in all its manifestations and all its dilemmas. They explore the human condition so that, with the aid of their diabolical collaborators, the writers, they reveal the meaning, the futility and the beauty of life. We understand why we are what we are because of actors. We can do without politicians. We can do without soldiers. We can do without businessmen. We can do without so many of the supposedly important cogs in the machine of life. But we cannot do without actors. Because without them, we would not know ourselves."

There are many questions being asked above. Be sure to evaluate each part of the prompt in order to give depth and meaning to your exploration. We expect to see your own answers to these questions in an initial posting. Frequent participation is required. We expect to see multiple interactions with several ideas as well as comments on other postings. You will want to check back frequently to keep developing your thoughts and ideas in relation to other postings. Opinions and personal thoughts on the given subject are always a positive. A minimal initial posting will consist of at least a paragraph of answers (meaning several sentences).

Discussion Updates are a chance to interact with your fellow students and instructors through a threaded, ongoing discussion. A prompt will be provided to frame each discussion. A successful grade on a discussion will be determined by quality of feedback, interaction with more than one idea, interaction with other posts, and number of submissions throughout the discussion period. Simply writing, "I agree with you" is NOT an example of a quality submission! Students participating with at least 4 quality postings reflective of the guidelines above usually meet with the most success. It will serve your experience and your grade better to participate throughout the open discussion period rather than wait until the last minute to post.

REMEMBER - Make a new update of your own, don't just comment in the box below!

Writing Assignment: The Playwright

Deadlines: You have until 11 PM CT on Monday, September 28 to write your assignment and "Submit Draft" so that your TA can assign you a grade.  See the "Creating a Work in Scholar" instructions if you need more help.

Prompt: Here is a chance for you to experience a small taste of the work of a playwright. Remember - as our text states - we are all playwrights in our everyday lives so here is an opportunity to more formally approach the art form.

You may chose ONE assignment from the following TWO options. Read each option and decide which assignment you think best suits your own interests. Again - you are only expected to complete ONE from the TWO options.

OPTION #1:

Find a picture. This can be your own picture or one from print and or web photos and materials (fashion advertisements work well). Study the picture and create a monologue for one of the people in the picture. Remember, a monologue is a set piece of speech spoken by only one character. You must base the monologue on what the person is wearing, how they are posed, where they are, what their perceived relationship is with the other person(s) in the picture (if there are others) and the mood of the photo should guide you towards the type of monologue to write.

You must embed the picture at the top of your Work in addition to writing the monologue in order to receive full credit for the assignment. The monologue should only be about 250 - 300 words.

OPTION #2: (adapted from Take Ten – by Bonnie Neubauer)

Write a monologue for a character. Remember, a monologue is a set piece of speech spoken by only one character. The monologue should be based on the following prompt: "When the ball hit you in the head you were knocked out cold for ten minutes. During that time, you had the weirdest dream of your life."

Now write a monologue telling the dream to the person who was with you when you woke up. The first line should begin with, "I was in...” continue from there about the dream.

The monologue should only be about 250 - 300 words.

Designers and Technicians (Chapter 5)

This module is completely and utterly unfair to the many, many talented artists that consider themselves to be designers and technicians. In truth- each of these artists deserve their own module (but then the semester would NEVER end). In this module you should not only learn just what design and technical jobs exist in the theatre but also who are the people who pursue these crafts and what does their work look like. You will also have an opportunity to try being a designer through the Designers and Technicians Assignment.

Here is what you should do this week:

• Read Chapter 5 from your text book: Cohen, Robert. Theatre Brief Version. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2014.
• Read the Supporting Material: Designers and Technicians.
• Take the "Chapter 5 Quiz" in Illinois Compass2g.
• Comment on "Discussion #2" Peer Updates from your classmates.  Check out the Admin Update "Week 5: Discussion Update 2" for more information.
• Check out the Admin Update "Week 6: Designer and Technician Assignment" for instructions on how to do your Work.

Supporting Material:

Have any questions or thoughts about the readings?  Post them in the comments below.

Writing Assignment: The Designer

Deadlines: You have until 11 PM CT on Monday, October 5 to write your assignment and "Submit Draft" so that your TA can assign you a grade.  See the "Creating a Work in Scholar" instructions if you need more help.

Prompt: For our third assignment we're turning our attention to theatrical design. We’re asking you to create a conceptual design treatment in which you will address the design elements of a play.

You are going to be the designer for Oedipus Rex - an ancient Greek play by Sophocles. You don't need to read the entire play (unless you like)- a simple synopsis will do. Based on the play synopsis for Oedipus Rex (located at TheatreHistory.com) you will address your design of the following areas:

1. Scenic Design
2. Costume Design
3. Lighting Design
4. Sound Design

These areas are covered in detail in Ch. #5 of your text.

Write a brief description for each design area of how you would conceive a production of Oedipus Rex. Offer justifications of why you are making the choices you are making. Be creative! Decide if you want to establish a realistic or fantastical production. Be specific about time period and locations you are trying to capture. Allow yourself to imagine some different and original ways you might design the play. Think about what you might want to see if you went to a production of Oedipus Rex. DON'T dismiss the play as some dusty old Greek thing that doesn't relate to you - in all actuality the play could be taken out of the headlines of today's newspapers. Look for ways that a fresh perspective on the design of the play would enhance the story being told. You can also include a treatment of the other areas of design such as make-up, special effects and/or masks (if those fit your concept).

This may feel similar to the Director Assignment but this time you are focusing only on design elements. You may wish to submit supporting materials that clarify your design concepts - feel free to do so. There is not a required length for this assignment but fully realized design treatments should take at least a full page (300 words) of description.

Remember:

• Be creative. Don’t worry about being “wrong”
• Take a chance and have some fun with this play!
• What would YOU like to see if you went to the show?

 

The Director (Chapter 6)

One of the oldest jokes in theatre is that EVERYONE wants to DIRECT! People seem to envy the seemingly all-powerful role of the master creator. This module will help you to see the directors and their work in a different light. You should find a new understanding of directors and the realm in which they create. You’ll also try your hand at directing through the Director Assignment.

Here is what you should do this week:

• Read Chapter 6 from your text book: Cohen, Robert. Theatre Brief Version. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2014.
• Read the Supporting Material: The Director
• Take the "Chapter 6 Quiz" in Illinois Compass 2g.
• Continue the "Discussion #2" comments with your Peers.  Check out the Admin Update "Week 5: Discussion Update 2" for more information.
• Check out the Admin Update "Week 7: Director Assignment" for instructions on how to do your Work.

Supporting Material:

Have any questions or thoughts about the readings?  Post them in the comments below.

Writing Assignment: The Director

Deadlines: You have until 11 PM CT on Monday, October 12 to write your assignment and "Submit Draft" so that your TA can assign you a grade.  See the "Creating a Work in Scholar" instructions if you need more help.  Or read the Scholar Tutorials.

Prompt: We’re offering you a chance to apply the work of the director to an original adaptation of an old children’s story. We’re asking you to take the story of The Three Little Pigs and offer a treatment of how you would direct a staged production of the story. If you don’t know the story you can find a version of it at the IvyJoy Fables page.

You should address the following for your submission:

1. Write a short statement of what you view to be the central conflict of the story. Be sure to include:

• What you think the purpose of your production might be
• Who you believe to be the intended audience
• What story, moral or lesson might be shared through your production
• Any original interpretations you feel important to your vision

2. Give specific, descriptive examples of the world of the play as you would like to direct it including (but not limited to) a treatment of:

• SET
• COSTUMES
• LIGHTS
• SOUND

REMEMBER - you don’t have to design these elements but simply describe how you see the possibilities of these elements being treated in your vision of the piece. You are the director - you need to supply a vision of how you’d like to tell this story. You might even submit inspiration pictures or visuals in support of your answers.

You might find it useful to decide on a genre for your treatment of the play and allow that decision to guide your vision. Above all you should be creative. Allow yourself to have fun with this assignment - look at the story in a way only you can and let that interpretive magic flow!

There is no length requirement for the submission but you should have at least 300 words of directorial treatment if you are providing enough detail.

Theatre Traditions: East and West (Chapter 7)

In most Western education today, there is a bias for learning only about theatre forms that are part of a Western tradition. This module will not only offer a brief historical timeline of the major forms of theatre but will also introduce you to some major Eastern forms of theatre that have greatly influenced the art form. In an age of instant communicaton, these Western and Eastern forms have greatly influenced each other and you'll be amazed to see how they have brought traditional forms to bear on the 21st century.

Here is what you should do this week:

• Read Chapter 7 from your text book: Cohen, Robert. Theatre Brief Version. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2014.
• Read the Supporting Material: East and West
• Take the Chapter 7 Quiz in Compass 2g.
• Check out the Admin Update "Week 8: Discussion Update 3" for instructions on how to do your participation assignment.
• Check out the Admin Update "Week 8-9: Performance Treatment" for instructions on how to do your Work.

Supporting Material:

Have any questions or thoughts about the readings?  Post them in the comments below.

 

Discussion #3: Design Elements

Deadlines:  You have until 11 pm CT on Friday, October 16 to make your Discussion Update.  The title of your Update should be "Discussion #3: YOUR NAME".  Additional participation is due by October 23 at 11 pm CT.  See the "Making an Update in Scholar" instructions for more help.

Prompt:  You should be working on your Director Assignment submission where you conceptualized an adaptation of an old children’s story for the stage. We asked you to look at taking the story of the Three Little Pigs and offer a treatment of how you would direct a staged production of the story. If you’d like another look at the story you can find it at: http://www.ivyjoy.com/fables/threepigs.html

For this discussion we would like you to share your treatment of The Three Little Pigs with emphasis on your specific, descriptive examples of the world of the play in terms of the design of:

• SET
• COSTUMES
• LIGHTS
• SOUND

Now that you’ve had practice considering the piece as a director we want you to describe how you would treat these design elements if you were asked to design them all.

We expect to see some development of concept as people react to your initial design treatments. Yes, you certainly can revise your original Director Assignment to reflect changes you desire to make. Please offer feedback on others’ postings as well as allowing development to your own concepts through comments made on your treatment.

Don’t worry about seeming silly; the whole idea is to express some new ways to design a very old story. Let’s see what you’ve all started to work on!

There are many questions being asked above. Be sure to evaluate each part of the prompt in order to give depth and meaning to your exploration. We expect to see your own answers to these questions in an initial posting. Frequent participation is required. We expect to see multiple interactions with several ideas as well as comments on other postings. You will want to check back frequently to keep developing your thoughts and ideas in relation to other postings. Opinions and personal thoughts on the given subject are always a positive. A minimal initial posting will consist of at least a paragraph of answers (meaning several sentences).

Discussion Updates are a chance to interact with your fellow students and instructors through a threaded, ongoing discussion. A prompt will be provided to frame each discussion. A successful grade on a discussion will be determined by quality of feedback, interaction with more than one idea, interaction with other posts, and number of submissions throughout the discussion period. Simply writing, "I agree with you" is NOT an example of a quality submission! Students participating with at least 4 quality postings reflective of the guidelines above usually meet with the most success. It will serve your experience and your grade better to participate throughout the open discussion period rather than wait until the last minute to post.

Performance Treatment Assignment

Deadlines:  You have until 11 PM CT on Monday, November 2 to write your Performance Treatment and "Submit Draft" so that your TA can assign you a grade.  See the "Creating a Work in Scholar" instructions if you need more help.

You are required to write one (1) Performance Treatment paper for this class.  This Work is to be based on the viewing of the Department of Theatre's production of 1984.

The performance treatment assignment is meant to apply things we’ve been learning in class directly to a theatrical production created by the Department of Theatre.

QUESTIONS YOU MUST ADDRESS: We do expect formality and proper academic writing style in your answers. Any supporting outside research should be cited properly using the appropriate MLA style guide. For such a style guide you might visit the library, an internet resource, or the Writing Center. It should be about 1,000-1,500 words in length.

1. Would you describe the production you saw as Presentational or Representational? (See text pgs. 15-16 for definitions.) Give examples to support your conclusions.
2. Describe the central conflict of the production you saw. (See text pg. 34 for definitions.) Give examples to support your conclusions.
3. Examining the actor’s work- would you describe the acting in the production you saw as “OUTSIDE” (or external/presentational) or “INSIDE” (or internal/representational)? (See text beginning on pg. 40 for definitions.) Give examples to support your conclusions. It is possible there existed a mix of the two - be sure to support your claims with specific examples.
4. Examining the director’s work- what specific elements of staging within the production stick out in your mind and what made them memorable? (See text pg. 167 for staging examples.) Be sure to include specific supporting examples from the production.
5. Describe, in specific detail, the final moments of the play in terms of actual events as well as how those events related to the central conflict. Was the central conflict resolved? If so - how? If not - why do you think it was not resolved? Give specific examples to support your conclusions.
6. Please offer your thoughts as to why the theatre producers or organization would choose to produce the production you saw. Support your conclusions with specific examples.
7. What do you feel the production you saw communicated to the audience? Support your conclusions with specific examples.
8. What appealed to you about the production and why? (You don’t have to “like” the whole production, but we do want you to focus on at least one something that appealed to you. Provide a specific example and explain why.)

HOW WILL I BE GRADED? This assignment is worth 180 points. 20 points will be assigned based on evaluation of format (spelling, grammar, punctuation, and the like). Each question above will be worth 20 points each. You will be evaluated by assessment of the following: Did you completely answer the questions provided? How successfully did you apply concepts from class to practices in production through your brief answers? Is it clear you attended the production?

Note: Should it be determined that you did not attend the performance you will forfeit the grade for this assignment. By submitting a performance treatment for a production which you did not attend you will also be subject to the course plagiarism policy - please see the syllabus for details.

 

The Modern Theatre (Chapter 8)

As theatre has developed, there have been very few time periods that watched more dramatic impact than the modern era. By the end of this module you should be able to identify movements in modern theatre and be able to see the societal shifts that brought about totally new forms of theatre. Remember - theatre doesn't exist in a vacuum - movements in society influence the development of the art and art can develop movements in society!

Here is what you should do this week:

• Read Chapter 8 from your text book: Cohen, Robert. Theatre Brief Version. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2014.
• Read the Supporting Material: The Modern Theatre.
• Take "Chapter 8 Quiz" in Illinois Compass 2g.
• Comment on "Discussion #3" Peer Updates from your classmates.  Check out the Admin Update "Week 8: Discussion Update 3" for more information.
• Check out the Admin Update "Week 8-9: Performance Treatment" for instructions on how to do your Work.

Supporting Material:

Have any questions or thoughts about the readings?  Post them in the comments below.

 

The Musical Theatre (Chapter 9)

It can be argued that nothing is more particularly “American” in theatre than the musical. This module will give us a look at the origins of musical theatre, the traditions musical theatre has developed (as well as from which they developed) and a great deal more.

Here is what you should do this week:

• Read Chapter 9 from your text book: Cohen, Robert. Theatre Brief Version. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2014.
• Read the Supporting Material: The Musical.
• Take the "Chapter 9 Quiz" in Illinois Compass2g.

Supporting Material:

Have any questions or thoughts about the readings?  Post them in the comments below.

Theatre Today (Chapter 10)

One of the challenges of studying theatre in a class is that we often overlook movements happening on stage while we’re taking the class. This module will offer you a look into theatre as it exists and transforms in our current time. You will be looking at major movements in theatre that have developed within the past few years.

Here is what you should do this week:

• Read Chapter 10 from your text book: Cohen, Robert. Theatre Brief Version. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2014.
• Read the Supporting Material: Global Theatre Today
• Take the "Chapter 10 Quiz" in Illinois Compass 2g.
• Check out the Admin Update "Week 11: Discussion Update 4" for instructions on how to do your participation assignment.

Supporting Material:

Have any questions or thoughts about the readings?  Post them in the comments below.

Discussion #4: You and Theatre

Deadlines:  You have until 11 pm CT on Friday, November 6 to make your Discussion Update.  The title of your Update should be "Discussion #4: YOUR NAME".  Additional participation is due by Novem at 11 pm CT.  See the "Making an Update in Scholar" instructions for more help.

Prompt:  We’ve spent a decent amount of time asking about how you, as an individual, value theatre. This discussion will allow us to open up that discussion to the entire class. Now that you’ve read a substantial amount about theatre and have actually attended some theatre productions:

• How have you started to explore the value of theatre?
• Have you reached any conclusions about the importance of theatre in your life?
• Have you discovered anything about the importance of theatre in others’ lives?
• Do you have any observations about the impact theatre can have in a society?
• Can you, in some direct and some indirect ways relate theatre (or aspects of theatre or the art of theatre) to your own major or particular area of interest?
• We often hear from students that they like theatre but it has nothing to do with them - Is that really true or is that simply an easy way out of a discussion that requires more thought?

Take the time to start to contextualize the art of theatre into your own life and experience. We don’t expect everyone to suddenly believe theatre is their life but we do want you to start exploring roles you think theatre can play in your life as well in society.

There are many questions being asked above. Be sure to evaluate each part of the prompt in order to give depth and meaning to your exploration. We expect to see your own answers to these questions in an initial posting. Frequent participation is required. We expect to see multiple interactions with several ideas as well as comments on other postings. You will want to check back frequently to keep developing your thoughts and ideas in relation to other postings. Opinions and personal thoughts on the given subject are always a positive. A minimal initial posting will consist of at least a paragraph of answers (meaning several sentences).

Discussion Updates are a chance to interact with your fellow students and instructors through a threaded, ongoing discussion. A prompt will be provided to frame each discussion. A successful grade on a discussion will be determined by quality of feedback, interaction with more than one idea, interaction with other posts, and number of submissions throughout the discussion period. Simply writing, "I agree with you" is NOT an example of a quality submission! Students participating with at least 4 quality postings reflective of the guidelines above usually meet with the most success. It will serve your experience and your grade better to participate throughout the open discussion period rather than wait until the last minute to post.

The Critic and the Dramaturg (Chapter 11)

Scholarly study and academic examination of an art form may not seem like an integral part of theatre at first glance but this module will challenge that notion. The work of critics and dramaturgs is a vibrant and exciting aspect to theatre that isn’t often discussed. This is a hands-on opportunity to examine that work and offers a contextualization to the more practical applications of the art.

Here is what you should do this week:

• Read Chapter 11 from your text book: Cohen, Robert. Theatre Brief Version. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2014.
• Read the Supporting Material: The Critic.
• Take the "Chapter 11 Quiz" in Illinois Compass2g.
• Comment on "Discussion #4" Peer Updates from your classmates.  Check out the Admin Update "Week 11: Discussion Update 4" for more information.

Supporting Material:

Have any questions or thoughts about the readings?  Post them in the comments below.

 

Final Presentation Assignment

Deadlines: You have until 11 PM CT on Wednesday, December 9 to write your assignment and "Submit Draft" so that your TA can assign you a grade.  See the "Creating a Work in Scholar" instructions if you need more help.

Prompt: The final presentation offers an opportunity for you to put your semester of work into actual practice. The focus of the final presentation is to create an original piece of theatre. There are TWO possible options (versions) for the final presentation— both of which are explained in detail below. We are offering two versions of the assignment since we recognize that some of you may not have the technical ability to submit video as part of your project. You need only do one version for the final project submission.

Regardless of which of the two options you select: The final project is due by the date stated on the course site. Students are strongly encouraged not to wait until the last minute to submit projects, as technical difficulties will not be considered excuses for late submissions.

 

VERSION #1: A VIDEO SUBMISSION OF YOUR OWN ORIGINAL PIECE OF THEATRE

Since we’ve been studying elements of theatre all semester this is your chance to create an entirely NEW piece of original work and record the performance as a video. We encourage you to use the assignments you’ve worked on through the semester (especially the playwright, actor, director, and designer/technician assignments). You can actually use these as part of your final project!

This video can include others that you’ve cast to act for you or it may just consist of you acting out your own original monologue. We want you to be creative so the sky is the limit! We aren’t expecting a fully produced film with multiple camera angles.
A simple “one shot” from a camera straight on will do (although you can, again, be as creative as you like).
You are required to submit materials in support of the following areas:

1. Short written treatments of design area choices:

Each area (listed below) should receive a few sentences explaining why you made the choices you made in the video.

• Set Costumes / Make Up
• Lights
• Sound
• Props

2. A copy of your original script:

You will submit your original, self-created script in a simple written format. Please remember- a 3-minute video will require approximately 500 - 1,000 words of written script depending on the density of the dialogue.

3. A Brief “Program Note”:

This should be approximately 2 paragraphs in length. It should simply explain your vision for the work. This may include coverage of your creation process or perhaps your own feelings about the choices made in the work. If you need examples, please take a look at any of the programs from the shows you have seen this semester as well as reviewing Chapters 5 and 11 in your textbook.

4. The Video:

You will be uploading a digital recording of your final product embedded within the Final Project Work. This video should be NO MORE than 3 minutes in length. A simple single-camera setup to capture the piece is all that is required (although you may opt for more creativity based on your own abilities). Be certain to read the "Creating a Work in Scholar" instructions if you need help.

 

VERSION #2: A FULL, FORMAL PRODUCTION TREATMENT

[By default everyone has been invited to work on Version 1.  If you want to do Version 2 instead, you must send an email to your TA and request to be transferred to that project.]

You should only choose this option if you are completely unable to create a video. This option is meant to provide a formal treatment of your vision for an entire, full- length production. You can think of it as research project aimed towards leading a theatre in the creation of a full-length work.

Scripts used for this option must be chosen from ONE of the following:

• Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (Script available at this link). 
• Oedipus Rex by Sophocles (Script available at this link).
• Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller (Find your own script).

There may be alternate options that you wish to explore. Please contact your TA for possible explorations of alternate titles.

You are required to submit materials in support of the following areas:

1. Directorial Vision Statement:

This is a statement of your vision of the piece, supported by research and developed through your own thought processes and vision. This should include your justification for the selection of the particular piece, research about the genesis of the script and the writer (or writers), supported justifications for your own point of view about the piece, and a guide for the process of how to create the piece as you see it. This submission should be at least 5 pages in length.

2. Root Conflict Statement:

This is a statement interpreting the root conflict of the piece. This should be a supported exploration of conflict as presented by the piece itself, without reference to how you intend to interpret the piece in production. This is a purely textual or script-based analysis of the conflict of the play. This submission should be several paragraphs in length.

3. Design Elements:

This would include a treatment of the design world of your play as you see it. This must include all elements of design: set, costumes/make up, lights, sound, and props. You are required to provide specific, graphic examples of each of the areas of design. For example - you would create a costume rendering (an actual picture of how you envision the costume) as well as a description of why you made the choices you made.

A brief statement describing your choices, explaining those choices, and offering research in support of those choices should accompany each of these graphic representations of the design elements.

• Set - a drawing or some other graphic representation of the physical world of the piece.
• Costumes / Make Up - a drawing or some other graphic representation of the costume choices for the piece.
• Lights - a drawing or some other graphic example of the lighting you would use for the piece
• Sound - since graphically representing sound would be a great challenge, you are asked to offer examples of the needed sound elements for the piece either through your description or through specific examples.
• Props - a drawing or some other graphic example of the props (hand-held items used by actors) you would use for the piece

4. Floor Plan:

This is a graphic treatment of your anticipated floor plan for the physical world of the piece. You will need to select the type of theatre space in which you would choose to mount the production (see pg. 141 in your text) and offer a bird’s eye view of the placement of the
scenic elements of the piece. This would be a drawing or some other graphic example of the layout of the space and placement of the design elements you require in the space.

5. Program Note:

This is a 250-word essay that you would create for inclusion in a program accompanying the piece. This is meant to offer any needed insight on the piece to a potential audience. This may include coverage of your creation process or perhaps your own feelings about the choices made in the work. This should also include any needed historical context for the piece or information about the genesis of the piece (which may include a brief history of the script itself or previous productions of the piece). If you need examples, please take

Extra Credit Assignment: The Producer

Deadlines: You have until 11 PM CT on Friday, November 20 to write your assignment and "Submit Draft" so that your TA can assign you a grade.  See the "Creating a Work in Scholar" instructions if you need more help.

This is an Extra Credit Assignment worth up to 45 points.  So if you are happy with your current grade, there is no reason you need to do this assignment.  However, any points you earn for this assignment will be added to your overall score for the class.  There will be another opportunity for Extra Credit in a few weeks.

Prompt:  Building off the knowledge you have gained in the course, imagine that you are producing The Boor, the one-act play by Anton Chekhov. A theatrical producer manages the overall aspects of the production, including suggesting an aesthetic theme, hiring personnel for creative position, and choosing a venue for the production. You are required to read the play, which can be found at the TheatreHistory website. Based upon the thorough reading of this play, you will address the following questions.

A) Explain what kinds of aesthetic concerns you will share with the production team (director, actors, designers, and technicians and etc.) This decision should be made based upon your interpretation of the play. Make sure to address the following:

• What you think the purpose of your production would be.
• Who you believe to be the intended audience.
• Would you suggest adapting the play? If so, in which way?
• Any original interpretations you feel important to share with the production team

B) Based upon your aesthetic interpretation of the play, think about what kinds of actors you will hire. Think about actors that you are familiar with (film or theatre). If you had no financial limits, how would you cast your production? For each casting decision you may explain:

• In what sorts of roles have these actors previously been cast?
• What do you see as their strengths and weaknesses as a performer?
• Would you be casting them to type or doing something new and different?
• What sort of celebrity status do these people have and does that play into your decision?

C) Explain where you want to stage your production: what type of theatre in which kind of community. Make sure to address the following:

• In which way would your production be beneficial to the community of your choice?
• What types of theatre would you choose and why?
• What kinds of facilities the theatre of your choice should have?
• If you choose one theatre space in the Krannert Center for Performing Arts, which one will be your choice and why?

In order to adequately answer all of the questions and provide clear justifications for your decisions, at least 600 words (TWO full pages) will be needed for full credit.

Dear Students,

Again, we are asking for your help with our research project into Learning Management Systems (LMS) here at the University of Illinois.  For this section of THEA 101, you are getting course materials and participating with your classmates in the Scholar LMS platform.  Below is the link to our second survey about technology usage.  The survey should take about 5-10 minutes to complete.  We will also access your grades and LMS usage records for this study but will remove all personal identifying information from our final data set.  Even if you did not take the Pre-course Survey, you can still take this Survey.

In compensation for your time, you will unlock the chance to join Discussion #5 and earn Extra Credit points towards your final grade.  Your Professor agreed to give this opportunity because the results of this survey will help us improve THEA 101 and other online courses at the University of Illinois.  There is absolutely no penalty for not taking the survey.  Your professor will not be informed who took the survey and who chose the alternate opportunity.

Please follow the link below to visit the Post-course Survey.  Once you submit your name and NetID, we will provide you with a link to join the Extra Credit Community and join Discussion #5.

Note: Please DO NOT post Discussion #5 in your regular Class Community.  You must post Discussion #5 in the Extra Credit Community in order to recieve extra credit points.  As always, Extra Credit Opportunities are completely optional and will have no negative effect on your grade (though, they may have a positive effect).