Syllabus

Instructor: Dr. Farley Richmond Office: Fine Arts Room #367 Office Phone: 542-2089 Office Hours: BY APPOINTMENT ONLY E-mail: richmond@uga.edu
 * THEA2100H: Appreciation of Theatre (Honors)** **FALL 2010** **T/R 11:00–12:15** **Room 201 Fine Arts Building**
 * Goals**:

The purpose of this course is to introduce you to drama and theatre and the unique collaborative process by which plays are created and produced. The first part of the course emphasizes play analysis and playwriting, acting, the context of performance, and audience. The second part concerns directing, designing, and producing. You will be expected to read and be thoroughly familiar with the assigned plays, as well as the information provided on the wiki for the course. The course focuses on the decision making process and the choices that are made by various individuals and teams of individuals beginning with the selection of the play for production, to conceptualization, through the rehearsal process, the preparation of sets, costumes, lights, and sound, and eventually to the opening night.

Theatre people are fond of saying, "The only way to understand theatre is to do it." This may be true. Therefore, you will participate in exercises and projects designed to give you an opportunity to express yourself creatively and collaboratively.


 * Required Texts**:

Your readings are found at 2100H.wikispaces.com. They are drawn from Theatre: The Collaborative Art: A Worktext with Readings by Prominent Experts. Second Edition, Revised Printing, Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 2000 and, Plays of Provocation. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 1999. The play texts are in hard copy and will need to be shared among you since they are currently out of print.


 * Methods**:

Some of this course is in a lecture/discussion format. Some of it is live and some is online over the Blackboard for the course. However, the course also has activities that require you to engage in practical exercises by yourself and with other classmates. It provides you an opportunity to collaborate with each other on a final project. Therefore, a portion of your grade will be based on attendance and participation.


 * Participation/Attendance Policy**:

Needless to say, since much of the course is interactive with me and with your peers, attendance is mandatory.


 * Evaluation**:

Midterm exam 15% Final exam 15% Production Essay #1 10% Production Essay #2 10% Production Essay #3 10% FINAL Project Process Report 40%


 * Assignments and Exam Descriptions**:

1. Midterm exam (15%): The midterm exam consists of essays, as well as multiple choice and identification questions. The questions will be drawn from the online material, lectures, and the plays that you are assigned to read and see. 2. Final exam (15%): Essentially, the final exam is similar to the midterm with greater weight to material covered after the midterm. 3. Production Essay #1 (10%): This is a 3 page response to The Life and Times of Tulsa Lovechild: A Road Trip. Details about the kinds of material you should write about will be covered prior to the opening of the show. Tickets for this and other shows of the Department of Theatre and Film Studies are to be reserved and paid for online at the following url: http://uga.edu/pac/theatrefilm.html 4. Production Essay #2 (10%): This will be a 3 page response in which your primary goal is to evaluate and analyze The Arabian Nights. Again, details to follow. 5. Production Essay #3 (10%): This will be a more in-depth essay of 4 to 5 pages evaluating The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in which you will focus your attention on the work of the actors, director, and designers. You are expected to draw on knowledge you have gained about theatre over the entire semester. 6. Final Project and and Process Report (40%): This is a collaborative project requiring you to work in a small group with your classmates. A short Report on the process and your accomplishments is also required. Details to follow.


 * Final Notes**:

Warning! Warning! University policy on academic dishonesty will most definitely be enforced. Committing plagiarism by copying the words or the original ideas of another person without giving that person full and proper credit, is an especially serious violation of this policy. If you violate this policy you will be reported immediately to the Student Judiciary for disciplinary action. According to university regulations, students convicted of plagiarism face one of three punishments: expulsion from the university, suspension for a semester, or a notation on your university transcript of academic dishonesty. I have come across such cases in the past and thus am especially vigilant. Please know that I will not be lenient for anyone caught!

Please note: Sensitive issues concerning race, gender, etc. will be addressed during the semester. Theatre is typical of the arts in its courage to face controversial topics and I would not be doing my job if I did not address such issues in this course. I will do my best to contextualize and explain the significance of this material so that it does not seem gratuitous; however, you are encouraged to speak with me if you have questions or concerns about the course content. Tentative Schedule: