Theatre Arts

Courses

*THEA 112 BEGINNING DANCE: BALLET (1 credit)
Introduction to the techniques of ballet. (A-AP)

*THEA 113 BEGINNING DANCE: MODERN (1 credit)
Introduction to the techniques of modern dance. (A-AP)

*THEA 130 APPLIED THEATRE: ACTING (2 credits)
Supervised activities as an actor, assistant stage manager or stage manager in a main stage production or a senior project. Students taking this class for acting must audition and be cast in a play. (A-AP)

THEA 131 APPLIED THEATRE: AUDIENCE SERVICES, CLERICAL (1 credit)
Supervised activities as an usher or a box office clerk, in conjunction with the current main stage production or senior project.

*THEA 132 APPLIED THEATRE: SET CONSTRUCTION (1 credit)
Supervised activities as a member of set construction and props crew, in conjunction with the current main stage production or senior project. (A-AP)

*THEA 134 APPLIED THEATRE: COSTUME CONSTRUCTION (1 credit)
Supervised activities as a member of the costume construction crew, in conjunction with the current main stage production or senior project. (A-AP)

*THEA 135 APPLIED THEATRE: LIGHTING/SOUND CREW (1 credit)
Supervised activities as a lighting electrician or sound recordist, in conjunction with the current main stage production or senior project. (A-AP)

*THEA 137 APPLIED THEATRE: DANCE, MUSICAL (2 credits)
Supervised activities as a dancer in a main stage production. Provides first-hand experience in musical theatre dance. Dance vocabulary changes with the needs of the musical being produced. May be repeated once for additional Theatre Arts credit. (A-AP) (AY)

*THEA 212 ADVANCED DANCE: BALLET (1 credit)
Continues the work begun in THEA 112. Prerequisite: THEA 112 or consent of the instructor. May be repeated once for Theatre Arts credit. (A-AP)

*THEA 213 ADVANCED DANCE: MODERN (1 credit)
Continues the work begun in THEA 113. Prerequisite: THEA 113 or consent of the instructor. May be repeated once for Theatre Arts credit. (A-AP)

*THEA 230 APPLIED THEATRE: ACTING (3 credits)
Supervised activities as an actor in a main stage production or a senior project. Students taking this class for acting must audition and be cast in a play. Student must be involved in a major role. (A-AP)

*THEA 231 APPLIED THEATRE: AUDIENCE SERVICES, MANAGERIAL (2 credits)
Supervised activities as the House Manager, Publicist or Box Office Manager in conjunction with a main stage production or senior project. (A-AP)

*THEA 232 APPLIED THEATRE: SET CONSTRUCTION (2 credits)
Supervised activities as a member of set construction and props crew, in conjunction with the current main stage production or senior project. Prerequisite: THEA 132 or consent of the instructor. (A-AP)

*THEA 234 APPLIED THEATRE: COSTUME CONSTRUCTION (2 credits)
Supervised activities as a member of the costume construction crew, in conjunction with the current main stage production or senior project. Prerequisite: THEA 134 or consent of the instructor. (A-AP)

*THEA 235 APPLIED THEATRE: LIGHTING/SOUND CREW (2 credits)
Supervised activities as a lighting electrician or sound recordist, in conjunction with the current main stage production or senior project. Prerequisite: THEA 135 or consent of the instructor. (A-AP)

*THEA 236 APPLIED THEATRE: BACKSTAGE RUNNING CREW (2 credits)
Supervised activities as a grip (moves scenery) or a member of the props running crew on a main stage production or senior production. Requires attendance of the last four weeks of rehearsals. (A-AP)

*THEA 237 APPLIED THEATRE: DANCE CAPTAIN, MUSICAL (3 credits)
Supervised activities as the dance captain in a main stage production. May be repeated for additional credit. (A-AP)

*THEA 238 APPLIED THEATRE: MAKEUP CREW (2 credits)
Supervised activities as a makeup artist for a main stage production or a senior project. Requires attendance of the last four weeks of rehearsals. (A-AP)

THEA 241 DANCE COMPOSITION (2 credits)
Nurtures a student's creative spirit and develops the individual choreographic voice. Enables students to generate ideas and form into a context that clearly communicates intentions. Explores problems in dynamics, rhythm/time, space, actions and gestures.

*THEA 250 INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE (3 credits)
An introduction to the concepts, vocabulary and range of techniques used in the presentation of a dramatic event. Defines what constitutes a dramatic event. (A-TH) (AY)

*THEA 251 INTRODUCTION TO DANCE (3 credits)
Examines global dance forms and their relative cultural and historical contexts. Combines approaches from dance criticism/history (which evaluates dance qualitatively according to aesthetics) and dance ethnology/anthropology (which focuses on the cultural functions that dance serves). An experimental component invites students to embody elements of the various dance forms. (A-TH)

THEA 260 ACTING I (5 credits)
Experience and practice in the basic principles of acting. Work consists of improvisation, scene study and monologues, as well as conditioning of the voice and body. Audition not required for entry.

*THEA 270 THEATRECRAFT (4 credits)
Introduction to the organization, design and execution of theatre productions. Examines the relationship between the technical aspects of theatre and their support of the overall expression of the production. Topics include theatre architectural forms, basic elements of design and composition, scenery, properties, lighting, makeup, costuming and sound. Includes two-hour lab. (A-AP, A-TH)

THEA 275 VIDEO PRODUCTION (3 credits)
Provides a basic understanding of the theory and technologies of video production. Also looks at the functions of video and television as communication media and social forces.

*THEA 280 SCRIPT ANALYSIS (3 credits)
The study and application of various analysis techniques used in understanding the structure and shape of a written play, as the theatre artist prepares for the play's performance. (A-TH)

THEA 282 SPECIAL TOPICS (2-3 credits)
Topics selected by the instructor.

*THEA 307 DRAMA (4 credits)
A study of the common aspects of dramatic form and significant variations. Theories and application. Prerequisite: An Earlham Seminar, Interpretive Practices course or consent of the instructor. Also listed as ENG 307. (A-TH)

*THEA 332 APPLIED THEATRE: SET CONSTRUCTION (3 credits)
Supervised activities as a member of set construction and props crew, in conjunction with the current main stage production or senior project. (A-AP)

*THEA 333 APPLIED THEATRE: ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER (2-3 credits)
Supervised activities as an assistant stage manager for a main stage production or a senior project. (A-AP)

*THEA 334 APPLIED THEATRE: WARDROBE CREWHEAD (3 credits)
Supervised activities as a member of the costume running crew on a main stage production or senior project. Requires attendance of the last four weeks of rehearsals. (A-AP)

*THEA 335 APPLIED THEATRE: MASTER ELECTRICIAN (3 credits)
Supervised activities as the leader of lighting electricians in conjunction with the current main stage production or senior project. Prerequisite: THEA 235. (A-AP)

*THEA 336 APPLIED THEATRE: BACKSTAGE RUNNING CREWHEAD (3 credits)
Supervised activities as the key grip (in charge of moving scenery) or the head of the props running crew on a main stage production or senior project. Requires attendance of the last four weeks of rehearsals. Prerequisite: THEA 236 or 270. (A-AP)

THEA 350 THEATRE HISTORY I (3 credits)
The history of the theatrical art form from prehistory to 1700, focusing on prehistoric ritual, fifth-century Greece, Rome, the Middle Ages, Shakespeare, the English Restoration and 17th-century France. Includes the reading of plays from each period, putting the literature and stagecraft in the social and artistic context of the period. (AY)

THEA 351 THEATRE HISTORY II (3 credits)
Focuses on Romanticism, 19th-century popular theatre and operetta, Stanislavsky, the emergence of the director, Realism, revolts against Realism and contemporary theatre. Includes the reading of plays from each period, putting the literature and stagecraft in the social and artistic context of the period. (AY)

THEA 360 ACTING II (4 credits)
Focuses on advanced acting techniques, alternating each year between scene study, preparation and technique, and acting styles. Prerequisite: THEA 260 and 270 or consent of the instructor. May be repeated for credit.

THEA 370 DIRECTING (4 credits)
Focuses on the integration of script analysis, production design and techniques for working with actors to realize a specific theatrical vision for the audience. The class works directly with the students in Acting I to produce scenes for public performance. Prerequisite: THEA 260, 270 and 280.

THEA 371 AESTHETICS OF DESIGN (3 credits)
A study of perception and the ways in which theatre artists apply techniques to affect perception with the goal of creating aesthetically powerful productions. Includes visual and aural perception, formal design analysis, and the connection of the script to the non-verbal expression of the production. Intended for student directors, designers and film makers. Prerequisite: THEA 270. (AY)

THEA 372 PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN (3 credits)
Trains students in the methods used in the theatre for expressing their design ideas. Develops communication methods used to bring the design to fruition. Includes drawing, painting, model-building and drafting. Students are encouraged to select two areas of specialization from: scenic, costume, lighting, sound, makeup and prop design. Prerequisites: THEA 280 and THEA 371. (AY)

THEA 373 ADVANCED DESIGN PRACTICES (3 credits)
Following an approved learning contract, students work on assignments and projects personalized to their needs and goals. Assignments and projects include advanced design problems, continued technique development, and building the portfolio and resume. Intended for students clearly planning on a career in theatrical design or those interested in developing the advanced skills necessary for acceptance into graduate schools and professional internships. Prerequisites: THEA 372. (AY)

THEA 374 MAKEUP FOR THE STAGE (2 credits)
This seven-week course studies the use of makeup in the theatre to create a character for the stage. Students learn the techniques of highlight and shadow as well as more advanced procedures to create a makeup design for a specific character. Students also create their own makeup designs for a variety of characters and styles. Practical experience in makeup design and application through working on the current production. Prerequisite: THEA 270 or consent of the instructor. (AY)

*THEA 381 SHAKESPEARE (4 credits)
A study of the poetic and dramatic art of Shakespeare through an examination of six to 10 plays, including tragedies, comedies, histories and romances. Approach varies between attention to the written text and the text as performance. Prerequisite: ENG 302 or consent of the instructor. Also listed as ENG 381. (A-AP)

THEA 382 SPECIAL TOPICS (3 credits)
Topics of an interdisciplinary nature, such as Theatre and Religion or of a thematic nature such as Minstrels or Feminist Playwrights, selected by the instructor. Prerequisite: THEA 350 or 351.

*THEA 432 APPLIED THEATRE: STUDENT SET CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISOR
(3 credits)
Advanced work in scenic construction techniques, project planning and scheduling in conjunction with a main stage production or senior project. Prerequisite: A minimum of four credits in set construction (THEA 132, 232 or 332). (A-AP)

THEA 433 APPLIED THEATRE: STAGE MANAGER (4 credits)
Supervised closely by the theatre faculty, students work individually as the stage manager for a main stage production or senior project. Prerequisite: THEA 333.

THEA 434 APPLIED THEATRE: STUDENT COSTUME DESIGNER (4 credits)
Supervised closely by the theatre faculty, students work individually as the costume designer for a main stage production or senior project. Prerequisites: THEA 234 and 373 and consent of the instructor.

THEA 435 APPLIED THEATRE: STUDENT LIGHTING/SOUND DESIGNER (4 credits)
Supervised closely by the theatre faculty, students work individually as the lighting or sound designer for a main stage production or senior project. Prerequisites: THEA 335 and 372.

THEA 436 APPLIED THEATRE: STUDENT TECHNICAL DIRECTOR (4 credits)
Supervised closely by the theatre faculty, students work individually as the technical director for a main stage production or senior project. Prerequisites: THEA 270 and 336 or consent of the instructor.

THEA 437 APPLIED THEATRE: STUDENT SET DESIGNER (4 credits)
Supervised closely by the theatre faculty, students work individually as the set designer for a main stage production or senior project. Prerequisite: THEA 371 and 232 and consent of the instructor.

THEA 438 APPLIED THEATRE: STUDENT MAKEUP DESIGNER (4 credits)
Supervised closely by the theatre faculty, students work individually as the makeup designer for a main stage production or senior project. Prerequisites: THEA 238 and 374 or consent of the instructor.

THEA 439 APPLIED THEATRE: STUDENT DIRECTOR (4 credits)
Supervised closely by the theatre faculty, students work individually as the director of a student project. Prerequisites: THEA 370 and consent of the instructor.

THEA 481 INTERNSHIP, FIELD STUDY OR OTHER FIELD EXPERIENCES
Credit for a summer or semester internship may be granted with approval prior to internship. Consult the convener or the Theatre Arts Department for details.

THEA 482 DIRECTOR-ACTOR RELATIONSHIP (3 credits)
Explores the relationship between the director and the actor and its impact on the production. May Term.

THEA 483 TEACHING ASSISTANTS (1-3 credits)

THEA 484 FORD/KNIGHT RESEARCH PROJECT (1-4 credits)
Collaborative research with faculty funded by the Ford/Knight Program.

THEA 485 INDEPENDENT STUDY (1-3 credits)
A self-initiated program of study on a particular topic of interest to the student. Petition must be approved by a faculty adviser and the Academic Dean.

THEA 488 SENIOR CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE (4 credits)
Students may fulfill their senior requirement in Theatre Arts by doing a project in acting, directing, design or other area, as approved by the Department. The oral defense of the project includes questions that fulfill the requirement for comprehensive exams. Students work closely with faculty advisers.

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This page last updated: August 12, 2007