Theatre Department Course Offerings
The Department of Theatre has recently made changes to its course offerings.
Please refer to the 2009/10 Warren Wilson College Catalog for updated listings.
You may also be interested in the following links:
Here is a representative sampling of current course offerings:
Performance/Production Practicum
This course allows a student to earn credit for participating in a theatre project directed or supervised by a member of the Theatre Department faculty. The student's involvement might be as an actor, playwright, designer, stage manager, running crew or other technician, publicist, box office manager or staff, or in another approved manner. The Department strives to offer opportunities to work on productions in a wide variety of styles and genres. In addition to fulfilling production duties, Practicum students participate in discussions regarding the theater-making process and the nature of collaboration and are expected to complete reading and analytical writing related to the project.
Introduction to Acting and Directing
This course introduces the related disciplines of acting and directing for the stage and is appropriate for students with varying degrees of theatre experience, including none at all. Daily physical and vocal work, exercises in concentration, awareness, simple action, and representation comprise the bulk of classroom instruction. Emphasis is placed on collaborative relationships, ensemble building, and principles for fostering creative conditions in rehearsal as students work on storytelling exercises, contemporary scenes, and monologues; they will be expected to spend significant time rehearsing together outside of class. When possible, the class culminates in a publicly performed collaboration with students from the Playwriting course. Attending some live performance events in the community is required.
Technical Theatre
An introduction to several aspects of backstage work, this course includes set construction, working from scale drawings, scene painting techniques, prop construction, stage lighting, and stage sound equipment. Students learn how to safely use construction tools, lighting equipment, and stage rigging. Class work is divided between lecture, discussion, and hands-on demonstrations and projects.
Modern Dance Technique
This course teaches basic concepts in modern dance technique. Students are introduced to basic theories of contact/release and fall/recovery. They develop relaxation techniques, control of center, alignment, balance, and flexibility, and they develop articulation of body parts with particular attention to the torso. Positions and sections of the body and transitions are explored. Foundation standing techniques are at the core of daily lessons. Dance elements (space, time, and energy or force) are explored and developed in class. The concepts of focus and performance are introduced.
Voice and Speech for the Actor
Speaking with expression, clarity, and vocal freedom is a vital skill for actors and others. In this course, students employ daily practice to learn new possibilities for the ways they speak. Additional assignments include reading and writing about voice. Students are given individual attention as they learn techniques to interpret text for speaking, improve the muscularity of their articulators, and free their breathing through methods meant to improve spontaneity and richness of vocal tone. This course involves regular physical exercises in breathing and stretching, and students are expected to spend additional time outside of scheduled class time in peer practice sessions. This course culminates in a short public performance of a memorized selection.
Stage Management
A good stage manager is as essential to a successful theatre production as a good director or actor. In fact, one could argue that the stage manager is the single most vital position in the entire production ensemble. This course covers the basic elements of stage management: the expectations, the work involved, and, more importantly, the techniques, habits, and personal qualities that make a successful stage manager. As far as possible, it includes actual production experience (which likely involves a commitment to attend evening rehearsals) and observation of a professional stage manager at work. The habits and techniques required of the stage manager can be taught; personal qualities such as patience, discipline, responsibility, initiative, and passion can be encouraged to flourish.
Stage Lighting and Sound Design
This course constitutes a study of the art, function, and process of stage lighting and sound design. It emphasizes current theatre lighting technology and design approaches with historical support from past stage lighting practices. Class time is divided between lecture, discussion, and hands-on demonstrations of lighting and sound concepts. Work includes observation/research, drafting, implementation, and discussion. Participation in the many demonstrations, discussions, and assigned projects is required.
Basic Design for the Theatre
This course aims to awaken students to the visual experience of design found in usual and unusual places, to make students aware of the basic elements that produce good design, and to inspire students to tap their own creativity. The ability to "see" is basic to the art of doing; therefore students will be concerned with developing the eye as they learn to understand basic principles. These principles may be applied to all areas of visual art; however, this course is especially concerned with their application to the theatre. Line, form, value, color and composition will be explored. Students may want to consider taking THR 213 Design and Interpretation for the Theatre, a four-credit course that includes the material from this course.
Design and Interpretation for the Theatre
This course combines study of basic design principles with a consideration of how to approach dramatic texts and theatrical events visually. Study of design principles aims to awaken students to the visual experience of design found in usual and unusual places, to make students aware of the basic elements that produce good design, and to inspire students to tap their own creativity. Line, form, value, color, and composition are explored. Students explore concepts related to the application of design principles in theatre through textual analysis, the study of important designers and theorists, and by creating their own design visions in a final project.
Butoh, Dance of Darkness
The ability to identify and act on impulses is central to acting and many other activities. This course teaches students to access their innate abilities to create spontaneously, and, in the process, to build self-confidence and collaborative skills. Activities include theatre games, movement exercises, storytelling exercises, and mask work. Because the work can lead in a number of directions (such as explorations of personality, social status, role-playing, character, and the use of improvisation as a rehearsal tool), the specific content of the course changes from year to year.
Improvisation for the Actor
The ability to identify and act on impulses is central to acting and many other activities. This course teaches students to access their innate abilities to create spontaneously, and, in the process, to build self-confidence and collaborative skills. Activities include theatre games, movement exercises, storytelling exercises, and mask work. Because the work can lead in a number of directions (such as explorations of personality, social status, role-playing, character, and the use of improvisation as a rehearsal tool), the specific content of the course changes from year to year.
Introduction to Classical Theatre
This course, which surveys Western drama from the ancient Greeks through the eighteenth century, focuses on character, dialogue, plot, symbolism, language, and other aspects of dramatic literature. Students also consider drama in its historical, religious, and political contexts, and some consideration is given to dramatic theory, dramatic innovation, and the modern performance of classical plays. Students are encouraged, but not required, to perform a scene from one of the plays read.
Introduction to Modern Theatre
This course surveys major works of modern (early and mid-20th century) and contemporary (post-1970s) drama, with an interdisciplinary focus on literary issues and theatre history. Plays from Europe, America, and Africa are considered. The course begins with Ibsen's invention of modern drama and later may cover such topics as theater of the absurd (Eugene Ionesco's The Lesson), gender (Caryl Churchill's Top Girls), gay identity and AIDS (Tony Kushner's Angels in America), race (Amiri Baraka's Dutchman), apartheid in South Africa (Athol Fugard's Master Harold and the Boys), and much more. Materials include brief video clips for many of the plays so that students may discuss the work of literature in production. Students are encouraged, but not required, to perform a scene from one of the plays we read.
Modern Dance Improvisation and Composition
This course teaches basic concepts of dance improvisation and composition. Students use the dance elements (space, time, and energy) and improvisation techniques to create choreographic compositions. Use of imagery, abstraction, motivation, communication, and theme through movement are explored. Various stimuli are investigated as a movement source.
History and Practice of Performance Art
Within the history of the avant garde, performance in the twentieth century has been at the forefront. Drawing freely on literature, theatre, dance, music, architecture, poetry, film and fantasy--deploying them in any combination--each performer has made his or her own definition in the very process and manner of execution. This course will explore the history of performance art from its European roots in the 20th century through its evolution, development and contemporary realization. The creation and practice of performance art will be the main thrust of this course. The realm of play, escape from traditional limitations of making art, and a desire to take art out of the strict confines of museums and galleries will be our mantra.
The Dramatic Experience
Traditional play analysis may fail to consider the relationship between structure and affect. This is a course in the affective aesthetics of both traditional and “postdramatic” theatre and theatre texts. The course provides students with an understanding of dramatic and postdramatic forms through dialectic, written analysis and an exploration of intuition through group performance experiments. Students gain a deeper understanding of dramatic form and an experiential understanding of action, conflict, character creation, and performer-audience dynamics, as well as the principles underlying more recent, abstract theatre. A variety of plays and critical writings are considered, though the principles explored also apply to film and other forms of narrative presentation and performance art.
Opera as Drama
This course introduces students to the world of opera and emphasizes the dramatic and musical aspects. Students study selected operas from various periods of history, including comic and serious operas, and analyze complete operas by discussing the libretto and the musical score. Students are expected to spend additional time outside of class to view videos of opera performances.
Master Filmmakers
Through film analysis and film criticism literature, this course explores the personal vision of several master directors. Students conduct an in-depth study of several films of auteur directors, their cinematic style, their artistic aesthetic, and their contribution to film history. Different approaches to analysis, such as political, gender, philosophical, and genre are used to advance student analysis skills and an appreciation of cinematic aesthetics and meaning. Each semester different directors are chosen for study.
World Cinema
Foreign films offer a window into different cinematic styles, artistic aesthetics, and different cultural perspectives. This course surveys significant cinematic movements and styles, such as Italian Neorealism and French New Wave. During the second part of the course, non-Western contemporary films are used as a vehicle to explore a central theme, such as “coming of age.” Students advance their film analysis skills and develop an appreciation for international cultural and economic lifestyles. Students reflect on the shared experience of humanity from a non-American perspective.
Scene Design
This course is a study of the art, function, and process of scene design with an emphasis on both aesthetic and physical factors. Work includes research, drafting, rendering, and discussion of designs. Students are introduced to the reasoning behind scenic design choices while becoming familiar with the principles, techniques, and materials of pictorial and three-dimensional scenic design.
Historic Costume Design for the Theatre
This course covers the theory and practical application of design. Through studies of color, form, balance, and accuracy of historical research, students discover the total visual experience of the stage presentation as well as individual character analysis and interpretation. Students also explore costumes through the ages for their aesthetic value and as reflections of and insights into the culture, history, and values of their times.
Acting Shakespeare
This course combines classical acting theory and practice with close study of Shakespearean texts. There is special emphasis on vocal and text preparation methods. Projects include the presentation of a substantial Shakespearean performance, such as an ample selection of scenes, class-created "mini-dramas" based on Shakespeare's sonnets, or an oratorio or radio-play style presentation of a complete play. Students plan, prepare, and lead at least one set of voice and movement exercises for the class, drawing on assigned readings in classical technique. They write a number of short reflection pieces and reports on readings, plus one longer paper. When possible, work in this course will be closely coordinated with the current Shakespeare production being prepared by Warren Wilson Theatre.
Ensemble I: Rehearsal Dynamics
This is an intermediate course in acting and directing, focusing on acting technique and the actor-director relationship. The course develops personal and collaborative creative impulses through in-depth exercises and discussion into the nature of action, presence, perception and self-expression. Students develop skills in textual analysis through work on scenes and monologues from the realistic and verse drama traditions. A variety of investigative reading supports the creation of a personal portfolio of writing to aid students in developing a personal relationship to their craft. Special emphasis is placed on ensemble collaboration culminating in a group project based on a classic text.
Ensemble II: Project
This course is an intensive, advanced project-based course in collaboration. Students work together to envision and produce a theatrical work of up to 90 minutes. Student participation varies depending on the project(s). Such participation may include acting, directing, design, dramaturgy, creative writing or stage management, including areas in which students may have little prior experience. Additional targeted exercises, assigned reading and research support the intellectual and creative growth of students. Students are expected to spend a significant amount of time working together outside of scheduled class meetings.
Senior Project
In this course, Theatre/English majors elect to undertake a project of substantial scope and challenge. Senior Projects in performance, directing, design and production are given departmental resources and public performances. Students may choose to undertake a project in dramaturgical or performance studies research, or creative writing for the theatre. All projects require a written comprehensive self-evaluation and analysis.