THEA 4500.001: Rehearsal and Production

REEFER MADNESS, The Musical

Spring 2012

Dr. Timothy Wilson, Instructor

Campus Phone: 565.4021

Office: RTFP 231

Email:

The focus of this course is the rehearsal, production and performance of the musical play, REEFER MADNESS, The Musical.

TEXT

REEFER MADNESS, The Musical Book by Kevin Murphy & Dan Studney Lyrics by Kevin Murphy Music by Dan Studney Rodgers & Hammerstein Theatricals (Scripts are available through the Theatre Office.)

§  Collateral Reading: Robert Barton; Acting Onstage and Off; 5th Edition. (Students should have a copy of this book. An exercise in character analysis will be assigned to be handed in by September 2nd. You will be asked to write an analysis of your role. Forms for this use are attached to the syllabus.

§  Suggested Viewing: Reefer Madness

Introduction to the Course

The purpose of this course is to examine the relationship between theatrical technique and theory into practice and performance. This is a group collaboration between performers, director, and technical staff to encourage and experience the group dynamic of the theatre is every aspect from the first day of rehearsal to the last night of the show’s run. The professor assigned to the course will be responsible for the conduct of class activities and will ultimately decide each individual’s grade for the course.

Student Obligation

·  As a member of the cast of REEFER MADNESS you are required to attend rehearsals, meetings, productions calls and performances on the schedule distributed to cast/staff or placed on the theatre callboard located in the RTVF building.

·  The Stage Manager and Directors will provide performers with a rehearsal, technical, and performance schedule.

·  Any changes made to the schedule will be posted on the callboard with at least a 24 hour notice. It is your responsibility to check the callboard daily for any changes made to the schedule; you will be held accountable should you not comply with an updated schedule. When necessary, your initials will be required to indicate you have read the information.

All Students Must Participate in Strike and Clean Up.

Schedule

·  Rehearsals begin August 22 First Read-Through. Technical rehearsals begin the week of September 20

·  Character Analysis: (See Attached): Due September 2nd.

·  Dress rehearsals are scheduled for September 28-30 and a brush up dress rehearsal on Wednesday, October 30 at 6:00pm

·  Performances of The Little Foxes are September 29 - October 2 at 8pm, October 3 at 2:30pm, October 7-9 at 8pm and October 10 at 2:30pm

·  Strike is set for Sunday, October 10 immediately following the show and the post-mortem Discussion is scheduled for the Design/Tech and at 6:00pm for the actors.

·  Actor’s Journal . (See Below) Due: October 12th.

Grading

Attendance: 40 %

Each student shall:

·  Attend each class meeting

·  Participate in all rehearsals/technical calls for The Misanthrope

·  Perform in all public presentations of The Misanthrope

·  Be prompt (on time) and prepared for all rehearsals, crew calls, and performances

·  There are no unexcused absences in this course and all absences must be submitted and approved by the faulty supervisor or instructor for the course.

·  A student who does not comply with the attendance policies made be subject to removal from the cast or crew assignment and will receive a zero for the course.

Participation: 40%

It is not enough to simply be physically present at rehearsals or meetings. You are collaborating with a group as a whole and your undivided attention is mandatory. Your support for your cast-mates, your input is beneficial not only to yourself, but to the entire group; input should always be respectful, appropriate and professional.

·  Please be respectful of entering and exiting the workspace while others are working and you are not. It is considered discourteous and distracting to leave the room while others have the space, and you may not leave the space without notifying the Stage Manager.

·  You are required to arrive to each rehearsal prepared to work, which will include proper shoes and clothing.

·  When cast/crew is scheduled to be “off book”, you must be off book.

·  Behave in a professional manner and be courteous and respectful to all cast/crew members at rehearsals, meetings and performances.

·  Treatment of theatrical equipment and space is to be used professionally, safely and with care. You must obey the policies and procedures outlined in the rules and regulations of their use

·  You will not use any intoxicants immediately before or during a rehearsal, call, or performance.

·  Strike of the set is mandatory for all cast members; come prepared with appropriate clothing and shoes required for the scene shop.

Written Evaluation: 20%

You will be required to keep a journal and take notes at every rehearsal. Using your notes, you will write a 2-3 page final reflection paper on the entire process from the first day of rehearsal to the final performance. This paper is due at the post-mortem discussion on Tuesday, October 12.

·  Be sure to include personal annotations of your experience working on this production.

·  Ask yourself how it has developed your theatrical skills and thought process as a performer.

·  Evaluate yourself and the performance as a whole; what were the strengths and weaknesses of the production? What will you take from the experience?

COURSE-RELATED ACADEMIC ADJUSTMENTS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

The UNT Department of Dance and Theatre Arts does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the recruitment and admission of students. THEA 2440 is a lecture-participation course that requires the reading of scripts at home and in UNT facilities, the composition and typing of exercises, the presentation of a group project and the taking of a written examination. The student has the responsibility of informing the instructor of any disabling condition that will affect his or her completion of the course assignments. It is the policy of the Department of Dance and Theatre Arts to make reasonable accommodations to help such a student perform well in the department’s courses.

Responsibilities for Time Management

Dance and Theatre students are expected to budget and organize their time and efforts in order to meet both their academic and production commitments satisfactorily and on time. The faculty and staff recognize that the academic and production assignments within the department as well as outside employment and other obligations sometimes impose conflicting pressures on dance and theatre students. One of the principle responsibilities of each student is to carefully identify and monitor the commitments that comprise his/her departmental assignments and obligations. It is important to keep in mind that production work and outside obligations do not constitute an excused absence from dance or theatre classes from the completion of any required class assignments.

Professional Behavior

You are expected to follow a professional work ethic. Performing artists must be disciplined and take their work seriously. Therefore you are expected to:

1.  Attend class consistently.

2.  Be on time.

3.  Be mental and physically prepared for class and/or rehearsal. (includes being awake in class!)

4.  Dress properly.

5.  Display an eagerness and willingness to commit to assignments and exercises.

6.  Respect your fellow actors, your professor, the space, and any furniture or props.

7.  View and critique others’ work in a respectful, professional manner.

8.  Cell phones and music players must be off during class.

Memorization

When you are expected to be off-book, please BE OFF-BOOK! This means you have memorized the EXACT words of the playwright. We will not allow you to stumble through a scene you have not memorized – this is a waste of my time and your classmates’ time. Of course, occasionally, we all forget a line or two. If this happens, please do not stop. Do your best to paraphrase the line – you should know the scene well enough to do this.

Proper Attire

So that you may fully participate in warm-ups and acting exercises, you are asked to dress comfortably in loose-fitting clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. (i.e. sweatpants, t-shirts, etc) Footwear can include sneakers or jazz shoes – no boots, flip-flops, or high-heeled shoes. Please also wear appropriate undergarments for support and to allow uninhibited movement.

Do NOT wear hats of any kind. Please remove any jewelry that could present a danger to yourself or others or that will inhibit your work.

Student Behavior in the Classroom

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

BACKGROUND (FYI)

Title Meaning: from the Song of Solomon: "the little foxes,that spoil the vines."

Production History: Opened Feb. 15, 1939, with Tallulah Bankhead (Regina) and Patricia Collinge (Birdie) for 410 performances. Directed by Herman Shumlin. Brooks Atkinson (New York Times) hailed it as "one of the theatre's keenest dramas." Harold Clurman stated "love is present only through the ache of its absence." Notable revivals: Mike Nichols directs Anne Bancroft (Regina) at New York's Lincoln Center (1967). Elizabeth Taylor (Regina) and Maureen Stapleton (Birdie) (1981). Film: Bette Davis (Regina).

Ms. Hellman on her play: Aim "to depict a family just as it was on the way to the achievements that were to bring it wealth or failure, fame or obloquy. At the fine final curtain, the Hubbards are just starting to get on it the world in a big way, but their various futures I like to think I leave to the imagination of the audience."

Cast List:

Role / Actor / Email / Phone
Assistant Director / Jamie Cooper / / 903 493 4449
Regina Giddens / Connie Parker / / 469 544 7341
Horace Giddens / Brian A. Hill / / 214 662 0539
Oscar Hubbard / Russell Kliebert / / 817 637 4022
Birdie Hubbard / Maggie Smith / / 469 734 0338
Ben Hubbard / Ryan Cox /
Alexandra Giddens / Kerry Goldmann / / 817 404 7122
Leo Hubbard / Eric Orman / / 214 457 7227
William Marshall / Nick Ross / / 432 816 8659
Addie / Aigner Mathis / / 832 483 5400
Cal / Keenan Cobb / / 214 542 3252
Dr. Sloan / Understudy / Thomas Warren / / 903 841 0721