Course Syllabus

ACTORS' WORKSHOP

Course Overview:

This course is designed for students who have completed Foundation of Acting and Improv and are looking to continue building their Actor's Toolbox. Actors Workshop takes us beyond modern and realistic dramas.  It provides an approach to acting in any play, including works set in radically different cultures (some ancient, some futuristic, and some imaginary) and written in fundamentally different theatrical and linguistic styles.   

Areas covered in depth include improvisation, theatre roles, acting (scene work and one-act plays), theatre evaluation, reading plays, and developing an audition/repertoire portfolio. Students will participate in a performance-based activity every day. There is an emphasis on memorization, teamwork, and classroom attendance. Students will create projects throughout the term in groups/teams, just as they would encounter in the professional theatre world.

Timeline of Lessons and Assignments:

• The Actor's Instrument

  • The Actor's Voice
  • Stage Speech
  • Using Your Voice
  • The Actor's Body
  • Voice and Body Integration
  • Imagination and Creativity
  • Emotion-and Acting Theory

• The Actor's Technique

  • Phrasing
  • Attack
  • Follow-Through
  • Line Linkage
  • Scene Structure
  • Building a Scene
  • Creating a Monologue

• Extensions of Yourself

  • Style
  • Stylize Exchange
  • Roses Are Red
  • Playing God
  • Characterization
  • More of the Other
  • The Battle of the Sexes
  • Performance: Being Public in Public

• The Scenes

  • Greek Tragedy
  • Commedia
  • Shakespeare and Elizabethan Theatre
  • The Theatre of Moliére
  • Restoration Comedy
  • The Hypertheatre
  • Contemporary Styles

• Scene Study

• Play Analysis

• Monologue Workshop

Class Text

We will work from one classroom text, "The Theatre Experience" (an online resource provided). Other texts will be referenced, but I will ensure you receive handouts from these texts.

Course Objectives and Outcomes:

At the end of the semester, the student should be able to:

• Converse in the vocabulary of the discipline.
• Understand theatre history as it relates to the history and time of performance.
• Understand the principles of voice, body, ensemble, movement, and motivation.
• Make connections among disciplines of study.
• Read critically
• Recognize the differences among facts, opinions, and judgments
• Express aesthetic critique and insight
• Solicit feedback, evaluate, and revise creative products
• Create and develop a repertoire of short scenes and monologues for analysis and audition content

Course Expectations:

Weekly Assignments and Canvas: Students are required to complete weekly assignments, which are primarily posted through Canvas. The work assigned will align with the topics being covered in class.  Please note that students must carry a notebook for this class for all open-reflection and journaling activities (this will serve as low-tech functionality).

Dramatic Analysis Journal: Each student will maintain an informal collection of notes and firsthand responses to plays assigned in class.  Students will be asked to read a maximum of FOUR plays, which the teacher will assign.  Reading assignments will be broken up throughout the semester.

Environment and Safety in the Classroom: To have a significant experience in this course, we must observe two safety rules: physical and emotional. Our basic physical safety rule is no unplanned bodily contact. Without this rule, someone may be physically harmed. Just as important are emotional hurts. You and your peers put yourselves on the line when you present to each other. You openly share yourself with us and then allow others to comment on your expression. To preserve the integrity of and maintain positive feelings about your work, the following rules apply to all comments about presentations:

• Respect the effort of each member of the class.
• Be prepared and prompt - the classwork only functions with your presence and materials.
• Appreciate the choices made by each person
• Be constructive in any criticism
• Include positive responses as part of any full critique
• Focus your comments on the individual presenting 

In this class, we form a community. We must care for one another and work together effectively to achieve the common goal of a meaningful classroom experience.

Class Participation and Attendance: To fully benefit from the course and your peers, you must be present and engaged in theatre class activities; therefore, your attendance is crucial. Active participation is a significant part of the course, and collaborating with peers in various settings constitutes a substantial portion of your participation grade. 

In your absence, you are responsible for obtaining and completing all information/assignments you may have missed.  As per WHS policy, students have one day to make up work for each day of absence.  If you are absent on the due date of a long-term assignment (i.e., an in-class performance), you will be expected to present with your group the day of your return.  For additional information on absence policies, please refer to the WHS handbook.

Rules and Regulations of the Little Theater and the Katherine L. Babson Auditorium: We are fortunate to have a state-of-the-art performing arts facility, and it takes cooperation from all of us to maintain it. Upon entering this theatre, you agree to abide by and enforce the following rules: 

• No food, drinks, or gum in the space at any time 
• No feet on the seats, seat arms, or backs
• Do not climb over the back of the seats 
• Persons may be backstage or onstage with permission only 
• Students may only be in the space with adult supervision 
• Cell phones are not to be used during class or breakout rehearsals

Device Use: The cell phone policy prohibits the use of cell phones and their visibility during the school day.  All phones must be placed in the holders upon arrival in class.  

Grading and Evaluation: You will be evaluated in this class through a variety of assessments aligned to the MA Performing Arts Standards:

*Engaged Learning - MIN: (40%): assesses participation and involvement in class activities, journal responses, and script reading reviews. Everyone is expected to be an active participant when appropriate and a respectful member of the audience when observing others' performances. 

*Performance—MAJ: (60%) Assess students’ creative process, performances, some weekly assignments, and reflections. All assessments are graded on rubrics.