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THEATRE HISTORY: The Modern Era

THE 383 Modern Theatre History

Instructor: C.L. Wittwer

Office:H202 Fine Arts Building

Email:

Office Hours:12:30-1:30pm Tuesdays and Thursdays

Class meets:Tuesday, Thursday 9:30 -10:45am in Fine Arts Building room H201

Welcome to Theatre History 383. This course provides an introduction to the World Theatre of the modern period…roughly that era from the mid-nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth. Course material includes the contributions of Ibsen,Checkhov,Wagner and others towards the New Drama; Expessionism and the rise of overtly political theatre through the 1960’s;The theatre of the Far East; postmodern drama. This class is centered on reading, research, reflection, writing and discussion. We'll read plays, talk of productions, look at and research visual material. Student and Instructor Presentations of these materials as Dramaturgy Projects form the basic structure of the course format.

We’ll do some readings in criticism and commentary, and write some of our own. All of this will, I hope, work towards students’ informed understanding of an extraordinary period of theatrical development in the context of modernism’s great social and intellectual changes: changes reflected in the theatre that helped shaped them and that was shaped by it.

Course Description and Goals:

THE 383 History of the Modern Theatre (3)

Modern theatre and drama from1880 to the present. Course includes new European stagecraft and its influence on the postmodern drama and contemporary non-Western drama(lec.3) (A)

-URI Catalogue

General Education Categories: Objectives and Outcomes

Course Learning Objectives:

Humanities (Full Coverage):

Uponcompletion of this course, you should be able to:

  • Understand and describe the historical development of theatre of the modern era
  • Identify facts, vocabulary, definitions, terms, concepts, and people relevant to the history of the Theatre and modernism
  • Analyzeplay texts (using representative plays) for its relationship to relevant social, artistic/intellectual and political developments
  • Identify the key changes in thetheatre’s social roles and physical form
  • Define and Describe key terms such as expressionism and “The New Drama”
  • Research and Write argumentatively on Theatrical/Historical issues
  • Analyze and interpret the significance of theatre artists through historical perspectives
  • Explore/Identify facts, vocabulary, definitions, terms, concerts, people in a Theatre History context
  • Recognize concepts or tools relevant for application to a research task
  • Askquestions or frames hypotheses
  • Analyze: Apply concepts to address the study of Theatre History

Writing (Full Coverage)

  • Demonstrate consideration of audience and style as appropriate to analysis and arguments about dramatic texts and performances
  • Construct, support and present claims (synthesis, analysis, critiques, explanations, arguments) with appropriate textual evidence and/or credible sources.
  • Achieve organization and coherence through careful attention to logic, plausibility and persuasiveness within and among claims, arguments, evidence, and conclusions.
  • Adhere to rules of writing about dramatic texts: for example. correct formal citation.
  • Adhere to formal and informal rules of syntax, grammar, mechanics, and usage appropriate to Standard Written English.
Academic Honesty

There is a ‘Community Standards of Behavior’ section in your student handbook which outlines University policies and regulations regarding honesty, plagiarism and cheating etc. in academic work. Please refer to this for a detailed description of what is and what is not acceptable with regard to academic honesty. In this class, tests and written assignments have to be your individual work.

In the classroom: format and etiquette

Class Format

Presentations, most often with visual (PowerPoint) support, will be given by Instructor and Students. I regard my presentations as ‘teaching moments’ and I expect you to adopt a ‘teaching’ approach in your presentation to the class. Presentations and your reading are the basis for tests and the final exam.

Class discussions on reading.

Short ‘reaction & reflection’ writing

Attendance: this is a class that requires your attendance and participation. Each of you is expected to contribute by:

  • showing up for each class
  • reading assigned texts prior to class
  • presenting your dramaturgy project, participating in “cold” script readings selected from our play reading list and freely engaging in class discussion
  • Observing a few tenets of academic etiquette. “What ‘etiquette’?” you may ask. Here are a few crucial etiquette tips essential in maintaining a civil, respectful environment in which we can teach and learn with joy in our hearts and confidence in future endeavors:

Come to class on time

If you must leave a class early, please sit close to an exit to minimize the disturbance of your leaving

Please turn off cell phones, ipads, laptops and other such devices during class so you may contribute your views during discussions, not those you’ve hurriedly searched on the mac.

Once class has started, remain until class is dismissed. Do not compromise focus and attention by strolling out of class during someone’s presentation….not only is this very distracting, but it shows disregard for the work of your instructor and other studentsin the class...

During class, please refrain from ‘side conversations’ especially those related to departmental production work or private matters unrelated to our work in theatre history

If you stop to think about it, Academic etiquette is basically not much different than old fashioned Good Manners, which is rooted in consideration for others,in this case, for your instructor and your fellow students.

Assignments and grading

Dramaturgy Project (30%)

Research an approved Dramaturgy topic (see "Dramaturgy Topic Due” on the attached Calendar) and write a brief (6-10 pages) paper on it, and present your work to the class.

  • The Presentation is given by you with visual support (slides, videos, ‘cold reading” of scenes, etc.). The written part of the project is in the form of a formal researched paper, which will
  • be about 5-10 pages long
  • follow the format presented to you on your “Guide to Dramaturgy Projects’ (attached)
  • have proper footnotes and quotation marks for material you are quoting
  • be written in your words
  • have an annotated bibliography of books and websites you have consulted
  • be prepared in consultation (at least two meetings) with the course instructor
  • be your own, not some kind of group or webjacked effort, and thus
  • avoid the hideous Spectre of Plagiarism by really being your own work based on research
  • be due during the week indicated on the course calendar in consultation with the instructor

Your Dramaturgy Project will be dueON OR ABOUT the week indicated in the calendar attached to this syllabus. Please remain alert to reminders in class about your presentation date.

The Dramaturgy Projects account for 30% of your final grade.

Participation (20%)

Participation happens during class, where yourresponses to course content (readings, videos, presentations) are given in our lively, fun, informed & brilliant discussions. Come to class all the time. Share your insights, questions and comments. Be sure to bring your ‘current play’ to class: our in-class play readings are forms of participation: you may be cast! It is very difficult for you to ‘make up’ your participation responsibilities if you miss class. You are strongly encouraged to take written notes during presentations, especially to insure your understanding and recall of relevant concepts, definitions, personalities and events appropriate to an understanding of theatre history. Always feel free to ask questions, contribute yourinsights and factual findings, your interpretation of our readings, etc.

Participation is graded like this:

A: Attendance to all class sessions with active, insightful contributions to discussion through the term

B:Attendance to almost all class sessions (Two or less unexcused) with substantial contribution to discussion through the term

C:Attendance to almost all class sessions (Three or less unexcused) with active contribution to discussion through the term

D:Attendance to almost all class sessions (Four or less unexcused) with some contribution to discussion through the term

F: More than Four unexcused absences withminimal or no contribution to discussion through the term

Participation accounts for 20% of your final grade.

C. Tests and Final Exam (50%)

About once a week I give a test either in class or in "take home" form. It will cover such things as

  • plays and other readings for the week(s) as shown on the calendar
  • handout materials, videos we’ve watched
  • lecture/presentations from students and instructor
  • theatre history research you’ve done

Tests are graded on this scale:

A 100-90B 80-89C 70-79D 60-69F 0-59

There will be a Final Exam which is counted twice when averaging your test scores.

The Tests and Final Exam account for 50% of your final grade.

Texts

Stanton (ed)Camille and Other Plays

PinterThe Caretaker and the Dumb Waiter

BuchnerDanton’s Death and other Plays

IbsenHedda Gabler

O’NeillFour Plays by Eugene O’Neill

BrechtMother Courage and her Children

BeckettWaiting for Godot

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Schedule

Attached please see ourschedule of readings and dramaturgy topics. Every term, some flexibility in our schedule is required as our pace and focus shifts from term to term. The schedule is therefore not exact. But usually we’ll finish all the topics and get to the end of the course as outlined in the schedule, making changes as needed: I’ll announce precise dates and any alterations to the schedule in class, and talk with you individually also about changes that impact due dates and test times. Our final exam will be held on the time and date as scheduled by the University.

week / General
Topics covered / Reading
Assignment / Other:
Screenings, etc. / Dramaturgy topics
And Presentations
1-2 / 19th Century
Darwin
Freud
Marx / Camille
Woyzeck / La Traviata
Therese Raquin / Begin work on your project
3-4 / Saxe-Meinigen
Players
Bayrreuth
Art revolution / Hedda Gabler / Das Rheingold
Hedda Gabler
A Doll House / The Perfect Wagnerite, Chapter One
Shaw on A Doll House in The Quintessence of Ibsenism
5-7 / The New Drama & its Audiences
Symbolism
The Avant Garde
Kabuki of Japan / Miss Julie
Ubu Roi / The Father
Uncle Vanya
Miss Julie
Kabuki on film / Wedding on the Eiffel Tower
Hauptmann, The Weavers
Maeterlinck’sThe Intruder
8 / World War I
Expressionism
Artaud
Max Reinhardt / Murderer the Womens’ Hope
Lulu / Various film
Broadway / Toller’s Transfiguration
Artaud: The Theatre and its Double
Artaud: The Cenci
Kabuki in Japan
Early film
Blue Blouse
9 / World War II
Epic Theatre
Socialist Realism
Fascist Art
Surrealism / Mother Courage and her Children / Leni Riefenstahl / Hitler the Artist
Blood Wedding
Nazi Thingspiel
Lorca’s murder
10 / Post war
Absurdism
Super Realism
Imperialism’s collapse / Waiting for Godot
The Birthday Party / Beckett Shorts
Ionesco shorts / Ionesco: Rhinoceros
Kroetz: Michi’s Blood
Bond: Saved
Genet: The Blacks
11,12 / Social Upheaval
Vietnam / Hair / Akropolis
Accidental Death of an Anarchist
The Serpent
Dionysus in ‘69
The Empty Space
13,14 / Postmodernism and
Beyond
Issue plays and Multiculturalism / Hamletmachine / Robert Wilson Shorts / Richard Foreman
Queer Theory
Deconstruction