Acting 3367
Spring 2008
Boone
10-12 M/ 10-11 W
Requirements for enrollment: Theatre Major; passing 1338, 1339, one advanced acting class, and approval of the instructor. GPA
1. ATTENDANCE: Department policy concerning absentees (4th absence equals half letter drop; 5th equals whole letter drop; 6th equals 2 whole letter drops; and 7th equals an automatic F) will be strictly followed. **New School Policy concerning Absence Protest: You will have to account for all your absences, not just the overage, if you are making a formal protest to faculty.
MONDAY CLASSES WILL COUNT AS 2.....MEANING: TO MISS A WHOLE MONDAY IS TO RECEIVE 2 ABSENCES!!
The department policy concerning tardies will also be enforced..
2 Tardies equal one absence. If you appear in class after the roll call is completed it is the student’s RESPONSIBILITY to make sure the absence is changed to a tardy THAT CLASS DAY.
If you are more than 15 minutes late, your absence will remain just that. You are allowed in the class.
2. This advanced acting class will focus on acting in a comedy...It is a survey course...... the objective is to make/allow students to become aware of ‘technique’ that exists within the text of the comedy script, i.e. to learn to view scripts as roadmaps and treasure maps, to find the comedy inherent within the text, and then to apply to a performance.
3. Most of the material will be in a lecture format. Students are responsible for all material given in lectures as they apply to scripts, etc. Students should be familiar with acting terminology based on Stanislavski teachings. See Uta Hagen, Michael Shurtleff, Harold Clurman, Sanford Meisner......
4. You will be required to read and work from the following scripts. Please have them in class with you at the time they are the focus. The campus bookstore is one source, also try half-price, on line, etc. for these scripts;
SCAPINO by Frank Dunlop and Jim Dale
ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD
Tom Stoppard
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST Oscar Wilde
SOCIAL SECURITY Andrew Bergman
(IF TIME PERMITS WE WILL ADD ANOTHER SCRIPT)
Please note: This is a Survey course...... therefore...... there exists the possibility that some of what is outlined may not happen according to plan. The ability to apply flexibility and adjustments, etc. will be greatly appreciated.
5. PERFORMANCES AND EVALUATIONS:
*** There will be two surprise assignments announced on day one. These are not due until later, will need to work on them, while we are “studying” technique.
a. Each student will workshop a 1-2 minute scene from each of the required plays..(the workshop will be evaluated). This performance will take place during the time each script is under class surveillance. (....a different class partner each time, please).
b. Participation in all discussions/texts examinations will be observed and evaluated.
c. Each student will be required to perform a monologue from a comedic script (this monologue will be work shopped at least once and evaluated.)
**ALL PERFORMANCE WORK WILL BE EVALUATED THE DAY OF, AND ‘GRADES’ WILL BE DISBURSED THE SAME. ALL GRADES WILL BE EQUAL. THEREFORE.....KEEPING A TOTAL OF GRADES RECEIVED, COUPLED BY THE ATTENDANCE POLICY SHOULD KEEP ONE AWARE OF WHAT ONE IS “MAKING IN THE COURSE”. THE ONLY VARIABLE WOULD BE YOUR PARTICIPATION.....AND PREPARATION...... AND INTELLIGENT ‘ALIVENESS’ ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.
6, There will be a final, but the class will decide: a 2 minute scene from a play not discussed in class or a monologue...... TBA
7. ABSENT DURING A PERFORMANCE: Any assigned performance time must be fulfilled. No student will be allowed to ‘make-up’ a missed opportunity unless ‘dire emergencies’ occur. Bad traffic will not holdup! Auditions, shoots, casting calls, agent’s calls, doctor’s appointments, unexpected midnight guests, alarm broken, car broken, front door broken....etc. do not hold up in this emergency category...... and if there is an emergency, be sure to get it documented by presiding authorities.....
8. Our final time is ______.
9. I do not keep office hours but will be glad to meet with you, please make an appt. (office # 713-743-2910, or email: ) or stop me when you see me!
TENTATIVE CALENDAR
Jan 14m syllabus, etc. assign physical routine,
**can have performance parade practice if
wish
16w Assign reading SCAPINO; Lecture
21m lecture
23w lecture
28m physical routine due
30w assign Scapino scenes; talk about the script physical
movement.
Feb 4m Time to work on scenes
6w Bring cued up cassettes of favorite funny moment
about 3 minutes/ discuss
11m Scapino workshop
13w cont’ scenes if needed; paper cup; assign reading
ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDERNSTERN….
18m discuss script, text, language……show part of
movie
20w Time to work on scenes……/ assign comedic
monologue due March 10.
25m R and G workshop
27w most probably will continue with R and G
Mar 3m catch up day/ ASSIGN READ EARNEST/ assign
Comedy routine DUE APRIL 14
5w monologues due/workshop
10m monos. cont’ if needed/ listen to cd
12w If we are on time at this point, discuss EARNEST/
Scene assignment
17m-23s SPRING BREAK
24m cont’ discussing Earnest, Time to work on scenes
26w Lecture from little comedy book
31m Earnest scenes due/workshop
April
2w cont’ Earnest scenes
7m Review thus far, techniques needed in plays
performed/ assign reading of SOCIAL
SECURITY
9w discuss SS, language, sitcom type, opposites, etc.
14m COMEDY ROUTINE DUE
16w cont’ if needed
21m Time to work on SS scenes
23w SS due/ workshop
28m SS cont’ if needed (LAST DAY OF CLASS)