Drama and Theatre Arts Syllabus

[kriztine rosales-viray]

Polytechnic University of the Philippines COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION Sta. Mesa, Manila

Course Code: RC 204/TA 110

Course Title: Drama and Theatre Arts

Course Description: The course is composed of comprehensive discussions of the different theories about theatre in particular level and dramatic arts in general; and a variety of practical techniques and applications.

Course Objectives:

At the end of the semester, the student is expected to:

1. Know the theories and application involved in theater.

2. Know the elementary concepts of drama and theatre arts.

3. Produce a one-act production applying the theories and concepts of theatre, thereby appreciating the significance of drama and theatre arts.

COURSE OUTLINE

I. Orientation 1. Overview of the course 2. Meaning, scope and significance of drama and theatre arts 3. Drama as an Art

II. History of Drama and Theatre

1. Greek Theatre a. Brief History b. Greek Playwrights and Their Works c. Parts of the Greek Theatre

2. Roman Theatre/Globe Theatre a. Brief History b. Roman Playwrights and Their Works c. Parts of the Roman/Globe Theatre d. William Shakespeare, his plays, and his contemporaries

3. KABUKI Theatre a. Brief History b. Repertoires of Kabuki c. Aspects of Kabuki according to Theme d. Aspects of Kabuki according to Origin e. Monzaemon, Chikamatsu, his plays, and his contemporaries f. Parts of Kabuki Theatre

4. The Theatre Today a. Classical Revivals b. Modern Revivals c. New Plays d. The Broadway e. Non-Profit Professional Theatre

III. Theatre as Dramatics

1. Theatre is Work 2. Theatre is an Artistic Work 3. Theatre as Impersonation 4. Theatre as Performance 5. Theatre as Live Performance 6. Theatre as a Scripted Play

IV. What is a Play?

1. Duration 2. Genre 3. Structure 4. The Components of a Play 5. The Order of a Play

V. The Actor

1. Different Definitions of Acting 2. 4 Aspects of Acting a. Character Simulation b. Character Embodiment c. Performing Virtuosity d. Magic 3. Actor¡¦s Instrument a. Physiological Instruments b. Psychological Instruments

4. Actors Routine a. Auditioning b. Rehearsing c. Performing

VI. The Director and the Production Team

1. The Director a. Rise of the Director b. Place of the Director c. Responsibilities of the Director d. Qualities of a Good Director

2. Stage and the Stage Manager a. The Acting Space b. Parts of the Stage c. Blocking on Stage d. The Stage Manager, Its Function and Responsibilities

3. The Production Team a. Members of the Production and Its Function

4. Stages in Play Production

VII. Writing on Theatre

1. The Playwright 2. Illusion of Reality or Unreality 3. The Materials of the Playwright 4. The Tools of the Playwright 5. The Process of the Playwright 6. Play Structure 7. The Five Parts of the Play

ACTIVITIES:

1. Lecture Discussion 2. Group Dynamics/Workshop 3. Class Presentations (Greek Theatre, Globe Theatre) 4. Exposures to Different Kinds of Stage Plays 5. Written Exams 6. Oral Exams 7. Actual One-Act Production as Final Requirement

REFERENCES:

Cohen, Robert Theatre: Brief Version, California: Mayfield Publishing Company, 1988

Dietrich, John Play Direction, USA: Prentice-Hall Inc. Englewood Cliffs, NJ 1990

Nahas, Rebecca Your Acting Career: How to Break Into and Survive in the Theatre New York: Crown Publishers Inc. 1976

Moore, Sonia The Stanislavski Method: Professional Training of an Actor New York: The Viking Press 1960

Carpio, Rustica Life is a Stage, Philippines: UST Publishing House 2001

MISCONCEPTIONS AND PROBLEMS

1. DTA is an ACTING Subject

ƒÞ Acting is just a Part of the Course

2. DTA = WORKSHOP

ƒÞ There are some lessons that require workshop

3. Some students don¡¦t take the subject seriously

ƒÞ They think that DTA is purely practical and technical which does not entail reading books and text.

4. Some students are hard to motivate

ƒÞ Students who are not interested at all with DTA cannot just easily feel the importance of the subject and the activities. ƒÞ Students, who are engrossed in technical productions like TV, Radio, etc., tend to lose their interest in DTA.

5. The class is noisy in every workshop

ƒÞ Students get overly excited in every workshop activities which are new to them.

SOLUTIONS:

1. As to Item No.1: This misconception is easily corrected by making clear discussion about the scope of the course. The students will be able to know that acting is just a part of DTA and DTA is not entirely ACTING.

2. As to Item No. 2: This misconception is corrected by explaining to the students that DTA is twofold: THEORY and PRACTICE. Workshops alone cannot be equated with DTA.

3. As to Item No. 3 and 4: It is true that a teacher cannot force the student to like the subject, however, the teacher can require the students to comply with projects and activities which could perhaps invite their attention and gradually treat the subject seriously.

4. As to Item No. 5: Workshops are inevitably noisy. During workshops, the teacher should try to look for other venues whereby other classes will not be disrupted and disturbed by the conduct of the workshop.

Lesson 1: Meaning and Scope of DTA

Drama = comes from the greek word ¡§dran¡¨ which means to do or to act

= it is a composition in verse or in prose intended to portray life or character, or to tell a story usually involving conflicts and emotions from a stage to an audience.

Theatre = comes from the greek word ¡§theatron¡¨ which means ¡§seeing place¡¨ or ¡§to view¡¨

= an outdoor structure for dramatic performances or spectacles in ancient Greece and Rome

= a dramatic representation as an art or profession

Arts = comes from the latin word ¡§ars¡¨ which means skills = the conscious use of skills and creative imagination in the production of aesthetic object

4 major arts

Visual Arts Literary Arts Performing Arts Practical Arts

[Jackknife]

[Slings and Arrows]

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[bd476]

Hi AnAmericanMother, nice seeing you and your beautiful kitties again. Hope all are well. :)

[Darksheare]

PLease explain oh post and run troll.

[valkyrieanne]

Here, give THIS guy some acting lessons ...

[tomkat]

[1rudeboy]

Great. Another class I blew-off without realizing.