3
Fall Semester 2017
COMM 5260-Adaptation & Staging
Instructor: Dr. Justin Trudeau TH 6:00-8:50 GAB 321
Office: 320B GAB
Office Hours: T,TH 11:00-12:00, and by appointment
Telephone: 565-3526
E-mail:
TEXTS: Bang, Molly. Picture This: How Pictures Work. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, Anv Exp Re edition, 2016.
Bogart, Anne. A Director Prepares: Seven Essays on Art and Theatre.
New York: Routledge, 2001.
Lillirod, Lex and Martone, Michael, eds. The Scribner Anthology of
Contemporary Short Fiction.
Handouts.
Course Description:
This course is a practicum in adapting and staging texts for performance. In it, you will learn how to adapt and stage a variety of texts for live performance. You’re primarily graded on your role as a director, although your role as a performer for separate directors will play a vital part in terms of evaluating your participation grade.
The course is divided into three parts. In the first part, we will concentrate on the visual “language” of stage composition—what it is and how we might apply it. In the second part, we will concern ourselves with the adaptation and staging of non-dramatic material and, in particular, prose fiction. At the end of the semester, we will entertain alternative ways we might compose group performance texts and (re)conceive the roles of the director, actor, and audience member.
Course Evaluations:
Your grade in the course will be based on your completion of the following:
Performance #1 25%
Performance #2 25%
Performance#3 25%
Peer Evaluations (3 @ 5% each) 15%
Participation (Attendance, Reading & Discussion Questions,
Quizzes) 10%
Total 100%
GRADING SCALE AND RATIONALE
A- 90-100% Distinguished mastery, exceptionally well-prepared, creativity
B- 80-89% Good mastery, excellence in preparation, original application
C-70-79% Acceptable mastery, basic preparation, correct technique
D-60-69% Unsatisfactory grasp, incomplete assignments
F-0-59% Failure to complete the assignment during the scheduled time
Participation/Attendance
Your attendance is necessary for participation in classroom activities as well as functioning as audience members. You are granted one absence per semester other than scheduled performance days, which are required, after that your grade will be deducted by one full letter grade for any other day that you miss, followed by more grade deductions for other days missed. Performances will be given on the dates assigned. Failure to perform the assignments on the day assigned results with a maximum grade of a D…as in Don’t! Missed lecture/performance days when you are scheduled to be an audience member will result in an automatic deduction of one full letter grade for that round of lecture/performances. Excused absences are those that are verifiable as well as documented.
In addition to attendance, your participation grade will be determined by whether or not you have done the reading for in class discussions. I reserve the right to assign quizzes and for you to lead discussion questions to make sure the class is adequately absorbing the reading materials.
Access Policy
I cooperate fully with the University’s Office of Disability Accommodation to provide reasonable accommodation to students who require it. Students who wish to self-identify should register with the ODA no later than the second day of class.
Policy on Incompletes
Per university policy, I will award grades of “Incomplete” only in cases where a student has completed 75% of the coursework AND the grade is warranted by a medical or military excuse. Inability to complete coursework in a timely fashion does not constitute an acceptable reason for requesting or receiving an incomplete.
COMM Library Copier Use Policy
Students conducting research in the Communication Studies Library associated with departmental coursework have access to a printer/photocopier located in the office adjacent to the library. We encourage students to make use of this resource to print research accessed online in the library or to copy essays from any of the department’s holdings. Students may not use this resource for other purposes, such as printing courses assignments, class notes, scripts, etc. Students who use the copier for uses other than those outlined above will lose copying privileges
Code of Student Conduct
Acceptable Student Behavior:
Student behavior that interferes with an instructor’s ability to conduct a class or other students' opportunity to learn is unacceptable and disruptive and will not be tolerated in any instructional forum at UNT. Students engaging in unacceptable behavior will be directed to leave the classroom and the instructor may refer the student to the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities to consider whether the student's conduct violated the Code of Student Conduct. The university's expectations for student conduct apply to all instructional forums, including university and electronic classroom, labs, discussion groups, field trips, etc. The Code of Student Conduct can be found at www.unt.edu/csrr
All persons shall adhere to the Code of Student Conduct regarding academic dishonesty, including acts of cheating and plagiarism.
All persons shall adhere to the Code of Student Conduct regarding academic dishonesty, including acts of cheating and plagiarism.
Cheating.
The willful giving or receiving of information in an unauthorized manner during an examination, illicitly obtaining examination questions in advance, using someone else’s work or written assignments as if they were your own, or any other dishonest means of attempting to fulfill a requirement of this course.
Plagiarism.
The use of an author’s words or ideas as if they were your own without giving proper credit to the source, including but not limited to failure to acknowledge a direct quotation.
Punishment for cheating or plagiarism range from a grade of “F” on the assignment in question to failure of the course.
Class Evaluation
FALL SPOT Administration Dates: November 20- December 7
Disclaimer
This syllabus should not be construed as a binding contract on the part of the instructor or teaching assistants. I reserve the right to change any aspect of the course without notice.
Tentative Course Calendar
Week One
Th, 8/31 Introduction to Course, Syllabus Review, Introduction of Self.
Receive Performance Assignment #1, Peer Evaluations, Visual Packet(s)
Week Two
TH, 9/7 Composition principles and exercises.
READ: Picture This. “The good eye” by Gillian Rose
Week Three
TH, 9/14 Continue
READ: Barrett, “Principles for Interpreting Art”
DUE: All text choices and copies for Performance #1
Week Four
TH, 9/21 Performance #1—Directors 1, 2, and 3
Week Five
TH, 9/28 Performance #1—Directors 4, 5, and 6
READ: The Scribner Anthology of Short Fiction
DUE: Peer Evaluations Directors 1, 2, and 3
Week Six
TH, 10/5 Adapting and Staging Non-Dramatic Texts (Class meets in another room)
Discuss Performance #1 and Receive Performance Assignment #2
Handouts for Prose Section
DUE: Peer Evaluations Directors 4, 5, and 6
DUE: Prose Choices from Scribner Anthology
Week Seven
TH, 10/12 Petit Jean Performance Festival—No Class
Week Eight
TH, 10/19 Continue—Non-Dramatic Text Exercises
Week Nine
TH, 10/26 Performance #2—Directors 4,5,6
Week Ten
Th, 11/2 Adaptation and Staging Alternatives (Class meets in another room)
Receive Performance #3 Assignment Sheet
READ: Anne Bogart, A Director Prepares
DUE: Peer Evaluations Directors 4,5,6
Week Eleven
T, 11/7 Performance #2—Directors 1,2,3
Week Twelve
TH, 11/16 Intertextual Exercises
DUE: Peer Evaluations Directors 4,5,6
Week Thirteen
TH, 11/23 Thanksgiving—No Class
Week Fourteen
TH, 11/30 Intertextual Exercises (Class meets in another room)
Week Fifteen
TH, 12/7 Performance #3—Directors 1,2,3
FINAL EXAMINATION WEEK
Thursday, December 14th
6:00-8:50 pm GAB 321
Performance #3-Directors 4,5,6
DUE: Peer Evaluations Directors 1-6
Final Grades Returned
Process for Reserving the Black Box
1. Check the calendar online for space availability at: http://communication.unt.edu/research/black-box or https://www.facebook.com/UNTCommBlackBox
2. Fill out the online form that correlates with your UNT affiliation (i.e. Performance Studies student, student/outside organization)
3. Submit the form to and wait for electronic approval.
4. Review rental forms attached.
5. On the day of or business day before your reservation you must sign in at the Department of Communication Studies front office, located at GAB 301.
6. Be sure to have any relevant dues available at the time you sign your reservation form.
*All business day reservations must be made at least 48 hours in advance. Any weekend reservations must be made at least 48 hours in advance.
Black Box Theater Rules:
1. Respect the space
2. Place all used props, boxes, flats, etc. in designated areas in prop closet when finished using
3. Do not drag boxes, flats, etc. on the black box floor
4. No eating or drinking allowed at any time
5. Leave the space as you found it (pick up after yourself)
6. Failure to adhere to aforementioned rules will result in complete loss of space privileges
Key Policy
1. A Black Box key may be reserved for overnight and weekend use.
2. A $10 deposit is required for overnight use. A $20 deposit is required for weekend use.
3. You must sign the reservation request form and submit your deposit when you check out the key.
4. In addition, you will sign a time-in/time-out log when you pick up the key and when you return the key to the front office.
5. If you lose the key and/or leave the space unclean, you will not receive your deposit back and you will lose reservation privileges for the future.
6. If you have an after hours reservation, you must pick up the key by 5:00 pm of the day of your request and return it by 9:00 am of the next business day.
7. If you have a weekend reservation, you must pick up the key by 5:00 pm of that Friday and return it by 9:00 am of the following Monday.