Credit Courses

(THR) Theatre

General Education course Humanities
THR 101 - Introduction to Theatre (3 credits)
Beginning study of the theatre as an art form, examines how a dramatic text is transformed into a stage production. Students read and analyze plays to understand theatre production practices -- historical as well as current -- and dramatic theory. Requires attending current theatre productions. [Fall and Spring offering] 3 lecture hours
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THR 102 - Stagecraft (3 credits)
Introduction to the skills and practice of technical theatre. Studies include elementary carpentry and set construction, scene painting, shop procedures, lighting, cost efficiency, and safety. Students work on college theatre productions. [Fall and Spring offering] 2 lecture/2 laboratory hours

THR 104 - Fundamentals of Acting (3 credits)
Introductory course for both actors and non-actors, examines the history and theory of acting with emphasis on Stanislavski and 20th century methods. Students participate in breathing, relaxation, and centering exercises, theatre games, and improvisational work to develop basic acting skills. Study includes the fundamentals of text analysis, group rehearsal dynamics, and verbal evaluation of other acting work. The class concludes with a public performance. [Fall and Spring offering] 2 lecture/2 laboratory hours
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THR 105 - Acting II: Principles of Characterization (3 credits)
Prerequisite: THR 104
Continuation of the skills developed in THR 104. Focuses on the actor's movement and voice skills to support character work. Students utilize Michael Chekhov's Acting Technique, mask work, and improvisation to broaden basic acting skills. Attendance at dance, chorus, and theatre productions is required. [Spring offering] 2 lecture/2 studio hours
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THR 107 - Dramatic Writing for Stage and Screen (3 credits)
Prerequisite: ENG 101 or divisional permission
Works of master playwrights and screenwriters are read and discussed. In-class writing exercises, "sense memory" prompts, and strategies for developing dynamic character-based storytelling for the stage are covered during first half of course. Students then adapt and expand this work to create a 20-minute screenplay. 2 lecture/2 laboratory hours
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THR 150 - Scenic Techniques for the Entertainment Industry (3 credits)
Prerequisites: ETT 102, THR 102 with a minimum C grade
Through a variety of projects, students are introduced to fundamental techniques and materials used in scenic art. Explores color theory, various media, proper preparation of surfaces, different painting techniques, Pissaro shapes, cartooning backdrops, trompe l'oile, and teamwork. Examines ways these techniques and materials are used in the theatre and other entertainment industries including film, television, theme parks, and casinos. [occasional offering] 2 lecture/2 laboratory hours
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THR 152 - Lighting Technology (3 credits)
Prerequisite: ETT 102
Introduction to stage lighting and to the aesthetics of scenic lighting as a visual art. Involves hanging, alignment, focusing, maintenance, and operation of various types of stage lighting fixtures. Students are required to work as a lighting technician at approved venues. 2 lecture/2 laboratory hours
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THR 207 - Scene Study I (3 credits)
Combines literary and theatrical skills. Students analyze scenes from plays, screenplays, and non-dramatic literature to discover how theatre artists use character, setting, circumstance, and dialogue when transforming text into performance. The interaction of writers, actors, and directors in developing and presenting scenes in performance is also observed. The class concludes with a public performance. [Fall offering] 3 lecture hours
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General Education course Humanities
THR 210 - Theatre History: Classical to Elizabethan (3 credits)
A study of the evolution of theatre from classical Greek and Roman traditions through the Elizabethan period. Emphasis on the play in performance reflecting the changing physical theatre, as well as the social, political, and artistic currents of each period. [Spring offering] 3 lecture hours
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General Education course Humanities / Diversity and Global Perspective
THR 212 - Central Voices in World Drama (3 credits)
Prerequisite: ENG 102 or divisional permission
Introduces students to important dramatic texts and examines them beyond the page as blueprints for performance. Emphasizes playwriting conventions, elements, styles, trends, and movements to chart changing dramaturgy and production practices in the world. Some playwrights include Christopher Marlowe, Henry David Hwang, Tennessee Williams, Bertolt Brecht, Amiri Baraka, Arthur Miller, Caryl Churchill, and Wole Soyinka. [Fall offering] 3 lecture hours
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THR 217 - Theatre Workshop (3 credits)
Prerequisites: THR 104 and THR 105 and/or permission of instructor
A practical study of theatrical production by intensive script study and supervised technical projects which culminates in performances for a live audience. Students apply techniques they have learned in prior acting and technical classes to the research, rehearsal and performance of a role in a fully realized theatrical production. [Spring offering] 1 lecture/5 laboratory hours
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THR 252 - Lighting Design (3 credits)
Prerequisites: ETT 102, THR 152 with a minimum C grade
Fundamentals of lighting design. Analysis of a script for lighting and development of a workable design concept. Through this concept and an evaluation of the performers' spatial relationships in the production, students generate light plots and the associated paperwork common to a production. Students are required to work as a lighting designer at approved venues. 2 lecture/2 laboratory hours
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