Calumet College of St. Joseph
SYLLABUS FOR THEATRE APPRECIATION

Instructor: Larry A Brechner (BA-1980, MA-1994 Purdue University)

Office: Room #525

School Town of Munster - Auditorium (8808 Columbia Ave, Munster, Indiana)

(219) 836-3200 x248 office 836-0732 x248 office voice mail

(219) 746-6609 mobile/pager

Office Hours: R 6-7p and by Appointment (willing to meet with students at Munster office)

Course Time: Monday, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. (also field trips as scheduled)

This course is a study of the principles of dramatic art and play production and their application in theater, movies, and television. Basic concepts such as structure and its relationship to content and style are studied, as well as the functions of the artists in the various media. In-class and assigned viewing of plays, taped plays, movies and television programs implement such study

None

The Theater Experience, eighth edition by Edwin Wilson

McGraw-Hill Publishing Company 2000

If an instructor or other Calumet College of St. Joseph personnel find that a student has plagiarized or been involved in another form of academic dishonesty, the instructor or other personnel may elect to bring the matter up for judicial review. The maximum penalty for any form of academic dishonesty is dismissal from the College. The procedures for judicial review are listed under the section of CCSJ handbook that addresses student grievances.

Calumet College of St. Joseph adheres to citation guidelines as written in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Fourth Edition. A copy is available from the Calumet College of St. Joseph bookstore. This text outlines how to cite references from a variety of sources, including electronic media.

After the last day for class changes has passed (see College calendar), students may withdraw from a course in which they are registered with permission from the faculty member conducting the course. A written request detailing the reason(s) for the withdrawal must be filed with the Registrar. Written request for withdrawal must be received by the Registrar by the last day of classes prior to the final examination dates specified in the catalogue. Written requests may be mailed to the Registrar or faxed to the College fax number 219-473-4259. Students are to make note of the refund schedule when withdrawing from courses. The request is forwarded to the faculty member, who makes the final determination to accept or deny the request. If the request is honored, the student will receive notification of official withdrawal; if denied, the notification will indicate why the withdrawal is disallowed. Note: Degree Completion Program (DCP) students should consult the DCP Student Handbook for information on DCP withdrawals.

An official withdrawal is recorded as a "W" grade on the student's transcript. Dropping a

course without written permission automatically incurs an "F" grade for the course (see

Refund Schedule).

As with any Calumet College class, attendance is very important and missing class could affect your understanding of the course material, and ultimately your final grade for the course. Because of the unique nature of this class, which may require the student to visit and research class work on their own in lieu of a regular class meeting, students will be on their honor to complete these "off-site" assignments. Three unexcused absences will result in a drop of one letter grade. If there is a problem, please call in advance, emergencies not-with-standing. Alternative assignments may be used at the discretion of the instructor to correct any class work or attendance deficiencies.

On time. If absent, then may be turned in next class. Exams should be turned in before or on the due date. Late exams will be receive reduced credit.

An introductory survey and study of the principals and the appreciation of theater. This will include a brief survey of theater history, the dramatic process, play production, the audience and its relationship to theater. More importantly the course endeavors to develop a deeper understanding of theater in its many forms by students through actual visits to performances and in-class video presentations as well as discussion. The course will overview the organizational structure of the various technical and production aspects including acting, directing, stage management, house management, technical direction, scenic design, lighting design, properties, sound design, make-up/hair design, plus some aspects of theater as a business and career. An understanding of the collaborative nature of theater as a whole, and how these separate disciplines must work together to create a finished production. A basic understanding of how different types of productions (musicals, comedy, children’s, drama, classic drama, etc.) will be handled by the theater staff, plus how the various types of stages affect the process. The "big idea" of the course is to develop each student's ability to critically review and evaluate performance and production values found in theater and by extension in television and motion pictures.

The course will use class discussion of the text as a basis for understanding theater. Because it is difficult to actually view productions each week, video presentations of theater will be used to demonstrate various forms of performance. As much as possible, however, exposure to practical aspects of theater by tours of facilities, attending rehearsals and performances, involvement (where practical) in various production processes, and guest lectures by people involved in various fields of theater. The course aims to develop the critical review of theater by observation and writing, which is important to the understanding both the performance and production process by the student. The special interests of individual students will be considered and encouraged during the course towards this end.

The course will have two exams, a mid-term and a final. These will cover text, class discussions, guest lecturers, videos and theater visits. They will be open book essay exams about general understanding of theater concepts, and not about small details or terminology. Details will be given later in the course, and no surprise quizzes! Typed is preferred or if handwritten if very legible.

The student will be asked to keep a brief journal of their activities relating to class and assignments. I am especially interested in your critical observations of television, motion picture and theater experiences during the course. The contents will be shared only between instructor and student, and if desired will be kept by the student at the conclusion of the course. Journals are due each week after they are assigned with a total of 5 journals due by the end of the course.

Part of the class is attending several productions during the course of the semester. Whenever possible, these may occur on Thursday evenings during class time. However, there may be instances where these occur at times other than the scheduled class. Attendance at these events is an important part of the class. Admission cost and tickets are not included in the course, but this cost should be expected part of this class. Alternative assignments will be made for any valid reason not being able to attend the outings. Also, outings may replace the scheduled class for that week.

It is my hope to make this course interesting and worthwhile. As with any course, the instructor is more often learning as much as the students. It is my sincere hope we all can go on a journey of learning together, and have fun in the process. My door (both on and off campus) is always open, and if you ever have any questions, concerns, problems, or even ideas, I would more than happy to hear them so the course and each student can benefit from them.

Exams (Midterm 30% and Final 30%) 60% of grade

Class participation/collaboration/attendance/assignments 40% of grade

A: 95-100 A-: 90-94 B+: 88-89 B:82-87 B-:80-81 C+: 78-79 C: 72-87 C-:70-71 D+: 68-69 D:62-67 D-:60-61 F: 59 or lower

Format for Written Assignments: Journals may be handwritten if it is easily readable, but typewritten is always preferred. Journals are done throughout the class and are returned. Then they are collectively returned at the end of the semester for a final journal review. Exams are preferred typed but very neat handwriting is acceptable. Other work should follow the journal format

Students who would like to improve their academic performance in this, or any other course, are urged to take advantage of the free services of the Center for Academic Excellence (CAE). The Center has experienced and well-trained tutors in most subject areas to help students who are struggling in a course or who are doing well and would like to do better. Tutoring is conducted by appointment only. Call 219-473-4273 to arrange an appointment.