Theatre and Dance

Topics Course Descriptions

Spring 2010 Topics Course Descriptions

T D 311T
Asian American Theatre & Dance

Instructor: A. Ahlgren

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: No

Course Description:
Through the analysis of dramatic literature, theatre, dance, and other performance, Asian American Theatre and Dance explores the history, culture, and artistic contributions of Asians in America, and asks how racial, gender, and other identities intersect in performance and in everyday life.

The course focuses on the interpretation and analysis of works by Asian American artists, placing performances in their historical, political, and cultural contexts. We will ask what it means to categorize artists and art works as Asian American, and consider what possibilities and limitations such categories have presented over time. We will also explore how performance operates as a platform for both individual and collective expression, giving voice to individual actors and writers, as well as theater companies and ensembles. Proceeding from the premise that artistic expression is always embedded with political and theoretical considerations, we will explore the role performance plays in popular conceptions of the body, race, gender, and sexuality.

We will approach our material through a variety of means, including through readings, viewings, and class discussion. We will also occasionally read aloud from plays, stage informal scenes, and try out performance styles, including two class sessions devoted to a hands-on taiko drumming workshop. Opportunities to analyze material range from informal dialogue through journal entries to more formal oral presentations and essays.

T D 312T/T D 352T
Broadway Jazz

Instructor: Natasha Davison

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
This course is a continuation of "Dance for Musical Theatre" (Fall 2009) and will focus on jazz technique and skills instrumental in Broadway-style choreography. Foundational ballet and classical jazz exercises will be emphasized in a center floor warm up. Floor barre will be incorporated for conditioning and stretch. Adagio work for strength and control will be integral as well as across the floor exercises for turns, leaps, and battements. Students will learn original repertoire from some Broadway's most celebrated choreographers covering a wide range of musical theatre eras and styles. A dance background is very helpful but not required.

T D 312T/T D 352T
Essential Ballet for Theatre & Dance Majors

Instructor: David Justin

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
Essential ballet vocabulary and movement for Theatre and Dance practitioners, particularly actors and beginning dancers or other performers.

T D 312T/T D 352T
Movement & Character for Musical Theatre

Instructor: Natasha Davison

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: Yes, Dance Audition Required

Course Description:
This performance-based workshop is designed for advanced musical theatre dance students ready to develop their skills to a professional level. We will explore all aspects of performance preparation by refining dance technique and interpretation as well as incorporating acting skills and character development. The course will challenge dancer/actors through the study of repertoire from some of Broadway's most acclaimed productions in a comprehensive range of musical theatre styles including musical comedy, Golden Age musical drama, concept, and rock musicals. Students will rehearse and stage production numbers and scenes in collaboration with students from “Advanced Vocal Repertoire and Rehearsal Techniques” class. This course will culminate in a series of staged performances on campus.

T D 351T
Advanced Vocal Repertoire and Rehearsal Techniques for Musical Theatre

Instructor: Lynn Koenning

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: Yes, Admission by Audition

Course Description:
This performance-based workshop is designed for advanced musical theatre students ready to develop their skills on a professional level by refining students' vocal technique and expanding traditional, classical acting methods as required for the specialized techniques of musical theatre. We will explore all aspects of the “Journey of the Song” by establishing and building character relationships and acquiring the skills for generating one's own staging.

The course will challenge the musical actor through the study of repertoire from some of Broadway's most acclaimed productions in a comprehensive range of American musical theatre styles including musical comedy, Golden Age musical drama, and concept and rock musicals. The smaller class size of Advanced VRRT allows for a more individualized approach, with students learning in a combination of private coaching, master class setting, and small group rehearsal. Students will synthesize this learning by rehearsing and staging scenes and solo and ensemble numbers in collaboration with students from the musical theatre dance course Character and Movement for Musical Theatre, culminating in a series of staged performances.

T D 351T
Stanislavsky in America

Instructor: Lucien Douglas

Substantial Writing Component: Yes

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
This class is a unique attempt to bring theory, history, and practice together so closely that the boundaries among them become blurred. No single figure in performance history has had a greater impact on the U.S. theatre than Konstantin Stanislavsky. The U.S. had yet to develop or theorize its own approach to the actor's art and technique and Stanislavsky's writings, teaching, and productions inspired U.S. theatre artists in the 1920s and 1930s. These artists would become some of the most influential U.S. acting teachers of the twentieth century. In order to understand the contributions that they have made and still make to US theatre, we will address their work through both their theoretical texts as well as other historical materials. To that end the class will use both a seminar format (assigned reading, discussion, and writing assignments) and a studio approach (scene work and critique) to explore these ideas as fully as possible.

T D 351T
Dramaturgy

Instructor: Paul Bonin-Rodriguez

Substantial Writing Component: Yes

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
Production Dramaturgy examines the many ways that dramaturgs shape performance production and reception, whether by supporting playwrights, directors, designers, and performers, or by crafting community engagement opportunities for audiences attending a show. Participants will study the developmental history of production dramaturgy, the many issues raised as dramaturgs become increasingly important players, and the opportunities for dramaturgs worldwide. Participants will also study the application of dramaturgy in the immediate Austin and University communities. This course meets with graduate students; participants should be prepared for a rigorous and lively approach the topic.

T D 351T
Theatre for Social Change

Instructor: Megan Alrutz

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
Framed by critical investigations of the relationship between theatre/art, ideology, and social change/justice, this participatory course will explore theories on and creative processes for devising and employing various theatre forms with the intention of affecting personal, political, institutional, social, and/or community change.

T D 351T
Comedy Acting

Instructor: Lee Abraham

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
This course will focus on issues of acting in comedy. Our primary goal is to address the problems that confront the actor when rehearsing and performing in extant comedy play scripts. Our secondary emphasis is using improvisational, non-theatrical, and original material for developing comedy skills. Participation as an actor is mandatory.

T D 252T
Theory/Practice of Movement/Physical Conditioning

Instructor: Andee Scott

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
Utilizes Pilates-evolved techniques and equipment to investigate developing a daily mind/body practice of efficient alignment, core strengthening, movement re-education and execution to enhance movement expressivity. Additional laboratory / practical requirement.

T D 352T
Advanced Theory/Practice of Movement/Physical Conditioning

Instructor: Andrea Beckham

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
Continues the work of the basic laboratory course, with greater refinement for the high-level dance and physical theatre artist. Additional laboratory / practical requirement. Consent of instructor and prior experience required.

T D 353T
Dialects in Performance

Instructor: Pamela Christian

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
This course will introduce you to comprehensive methods for researching and constructing dialects for performance. You will learn 3-4 dialects, prepare 2 narratives for performance and devise solo dialect performances based on real-life material.

T D 353T
Movement

Instructor: Andrea Beckham

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: No

Course Description:
This course focuses on the development of movement awareness as the basis for training performance skills for pre-professional actors, and development in utilizing the basics of Laban Effort Actions for direction and clarity in movement expression. Consent of instructor recommended.

T D 353T
Acting Shakespeare

Instructor: Fran Dorn

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: No

Course Description:
An upper level, serious examination of the skills needed to handle verse drama. Scansion, phrasing, breath control, text analysis, action, objective and obstacles are some of the topics discussed. Participants are asked to bring a sense of daring and imagination along with all previous acting skills and knowledge to the table.

T D 353T
Speaking Shakespeare

Instructor: Barney Hammond

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: No

Course Description:
Professional Workshop Training in Speaking into Acting Shakespeare Text with Barney Hammond, former voice and acting coach for the Stratford Shakespeare Festival of Canada. Practical work on speeches form plays as well as scene work. Studio workshops are rooted and grounded in Barney Hammond's shared experience with Patsy Rodenburg of London's Royal National Theatre. Designed for students pursuing careers in acting.

T D 354T
Design Skills: Digital Rendering

Instructor: Robert Schmidt

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
An Introduction to digital painting and image manipulation techniques using Adobe Photoshop® and geared toward students of theatrical design. Projects include the development of scenic and costume renderings, as well as paint elevations, model pieces, drawings indicative of lighting choices, projections, and full scale output. Drawing skills required for instructor consent. (bring examples to appointment).

T D 354T
Advanced Collaboration Workshop

Instructor: Charlie Otte

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
The collaboration class will provide an opportunity for producers, writers, directors, designers, technicians, dancers and actors to develop new work. The productions will focus on theatre and mixed media and participants will be encouraged to work in all stages of the process, not just in their specialty. In other words, writers may be asked to shoot camera, and actors may be writing some dialogue, and designers may be directing. The class will replicate professional experience wherever possible. The class will focus on how text and image work together to create story and emotion for an audience. We will work in groups of 4 to 6 people and present new projects every two weeks. This is a lab class that requires participation.

T D 354T
Video Production for the Theatre

Instructor: Charlie Otte

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
This class will focus on the creation of video elements for use in theatrical production. Students will learn basic camera technique and editing. The class will be project based with work due bi-weekly, and require attendance and participation. There will be a final project, but no final exam.

T D 354T
Scenery Technology I

Instructor: Rusty Cloyes

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
This is a course in theatrical scenic technology: its methods, its materials, and its mindset. With a combination of lecture, demonstration and hands-on projects, you will become comfortable with the tools, techniques and process of building and flying scenery. The five areas of focus will be: scenic drafting, wood construction, theatrical rigging, steel construction, and scene painting.

T D 354T
Production Management

Instructor: Denise Martel

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
This course provides an overview to the management and producing aspects of the professional theatre. Projects are in the areas of budget preparation, technical riders to contracts, collective bargaining, mission statement preparation, season selection and research assignments concerning producing and presenting organizations in America. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

T D 354T
Wig Making and Styling

Instructor: Allison Lowery-Fuller

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
Fundamentals of wig making for live performance. Three lecture hours a week for one semester, with laboratory hours as required. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

T D 354T
Technology Skills: Costume

Instructor: James Glavan

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
Part I of this course will cover techniques in creating Millinery for the stage using one or more of the following materials: felt; buckrum; wire. Part II will introduce dress making techniques used to create Ball Room Dance costume or the Classical Tutu.

T D 354T
Tailoring II

Instructor: James Glavan

Substantial Writing Component: No

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
This course will cover techniques in creating a gentleman's Bespoke suit coat. The student must have successfully completed Tailoring I.

T D 357T
21st Century American Theatre

Instructor: Elizabeth Bonjean

Substantial Writing Component: Yes

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
The American Theatre is shaped and re-shaped by disparate American voices exploring the idea of America and what it means to be an American. This course looks at American theatre from 2001 to the present, exploring the concerns, practices, and achievements of twenty-first century American theatre artists, and the theatrical legacy we are in the midst of creating today.

T D 357T
Modern European Theatre and the Avant-Garde

Instructor: Elizabeth Bonjean

Substantial Writing Component: Yes

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
From the height of realism and naturalism, to modernist innovations, this course explores modern European theatre alongside the artistic contributions of avant-garde movements such as symbolism, surrealism, futurism, expressionism, and dada. As we study a variety of shifts in theatre practices from the late nineteenth century to mid-twentieth century, we will examine the questioning of human nature, society, and aesthetic representation in their respective cultural contexts.

T D 357T
Tennessee Williams at the HRC

Instructor: Charlotte Canning

Substantial Writing Component: Yes

Instructor Consent Required: Yes

Course Description:
This class is being taught in conjunction with the upcoming exhibit on Williams at the HRC. The exhibit will open in Spring 2011 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Williams' birth. The class will spend some time focused on Williams' works, and discussing them in a seminar setting. The balance of the class, however, will be spent doing research in the HRC helping to select, organize, and write labels for the exhibit itself. This will be a very hands-on course. Another important facet of the class will be planning for the programming to go on that spring in conjunction with the exhibit. Students who are interested and willing may stay involved with the exhibit beyond the end of the class itself.