Dr. Dawn
Larsen
Office: HFAC 108
Phone: 661-1545
Website: people.fmarion.edu/llarsen
Make sure you check my
website often for updates and changes
Email: llarsen@fmarion.edu
We will meet one day per week. On
that day, come prepared with all readings and ANY questions you might have
regarding the plays and/or assignments. Since you have all taken this class
before, there will be NO LATE WORK
PERIOD, including documents uploaded as other than a PDF file.
All the worldÕs a stage,
And all the men and women
merely players.
-As You Like
It, II, vii
In fact it is the simplest things that are most
tricky to do well. To read, for example. To be able to
read exactly what is written without omitting anything that is written and at
the same time without adding anything of oneÕs own. To be able to capture the exact context
of the words one is reading. To be
able to read!
-Jean-Louis Barrault, Reflections on the Theatre.
The play has no other aim than to bind together the
world of the living and the deadÉThe task of the
dramatist who grasps the world in its mobile state must be to win recognition
on stage for the changed conception of its nature.
-Walter Hasenclever, The Task of Drama.
Required reading: You must purchase the Ball
book. Though most of the plays are available in the bookstore, you may use
other versions.
Anon. Dealers
in White Women
Ball,
David. Backwards and Forwards
Beckett,
Samuel. Happy Days.
Brecht,
Bertolt. The Good Person of Setzuan.
Cleage, Pearl. Blues for an Alabama Sky
Lintini, Liza. Blue Bird
Shakespeare,
William. Hamlet.
Shepherd, Sam. Buried Child.
Williams,
Tennessee. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Other
readings may be assigned throughout the semester.
Optional Text - Irelan, Scott R., Anne Fletcher,
and Julie Felise Dubiner. The Process of Dramaturgy. A Handbook. Newburyport: Focus Publishing, 2010.
Course Description:
(Prerequisite: ENG 112). Fundamentals of play analysis for the
purposes of critical analysis, performance, and production. Specific plays will
be read and analyzed from all perspectives, regardless of theatrical
specialization.
Course Objectives:
Students will study various critical approaches to dramatic
literature available to theatre artists. These skills are necessary whether the
student chooses to become director, designer, critic or actor.
1. To introduce the student to the
dramatic script as the primary source of information for theatrical
performance.
2. To help the student develop a system
of analyzing and evaluating a variety of scripts in terms of their theatrical
requirements and their aesthetic qualities.
3. To explore the role of secondary
research as a tool of the analysis and interpretation of scripts.
4. To introduce the student to the
interdisciplinary nature of the production process, which includes research,
analysis, and interpretation.
5. To introduce the student to
contemporary information resources (both electronic and print), and to the
principles of evaluating and using that information effectively.
6. To introduce the student to methods
of critical research, and to help develop the abilities to write and speak
clearly about dramatic literature, the requirements of production, and the
experience of performance.
Important Dates
1/16 MLK
day – no classes
2/13 Last
day to Withdraw w/o Academic penalty
11/21 Last
day to withdraw
3/13-17 Spring
Break – no classes
4/24 Last
Day of class
4/25 Reading
Day
My Teaching Philosophy
I
am committed to the idea that theatre education needs to involve the symbiosis
of practice and scholarship. I
believe this philosophy is one that not only champions the liberal arts ideal
(i.e., a nuanced and sophisticated appreciation
of the practice and power of theatrical expression), but also best prepares the
next generation of theatre artists and scholars (i.e., those who will create and critically document and consider theatre). Theatre training entailing at every
level of undergraduate and graduate study the complementary activities of
artistry and intellectual development ensures future generations of theatre
artists, scholars, and audiences the practical and critical skills necessary
for producing, responding to and documenting, as well as witnessing compelling
and meaningful theatre. I argue that one would be sufficiently prepared for the
profession (be it in the academy or the commercial theatre) when s/he
demonstrates a thorough understanding of the theoretical and historical
foundations of drama, is capable of applying this knowledge in production, and
who can, through speaking and writing, soundly communicate his/her thoughts
about the theatre. In short, then,
unlike a conservatory program in theatre—one focusing primarily on skills
acquisition—, or a dramatic literature program—one focusing
principally on the passive analysis of theatrical texts and contexts—, I
champion a model of theatre education that seeks to train the whole person; one
that teaches and encourages students to locate and engage in a continual
dialogue between practice and theory.
This notion that the study of theatre and performance needs to be a
symbiotic endeavor is the foundation of my teaching philosophy. It is, in fact, a sentiment I carry with
me into this or any classroom. It
is also this belief that keeps me active in my field as both artist and
academic.
Attendance Policy:
Attendance
is absolutely critical to your success in this course. This course has a collaborative nature
and requires both your physical and your intellectual presence. As you are adults and responsible for
your education, it is your choice to attend class. If you
choose to miss class, you and only you are responsible for getting notes and
instructions from your classmates.
Do NOT ask me to re-lecture to you. If you
choose to be late, please be considerate of me and your
fellow students. Come in
quietly, sit at the back of the room, and do not ask me what you have
missed. I will adhere to the
baseline attendance policy in the 2016-17 Francis Marion University catalog
concerning Fs and Ws, which
says if you are absent more than twice the number of days that the class meets, you will be dropped from the course with an F.
Evaluations/Grading: (based on 1000 points)
|
8
analyses @ 75 pts each |
600 |
|
Midterm
|
100 |
|
Final
Project/Exam |
250 |
|
Participation |
50 |
|
Total |
1000 |
No WÕs will be
given for any reason after the student withdrawal date.
Policies
Reading: You are adults. I do not believe in reading the texts to
you. You will be responsible for your own reading (see tentative
schedule). You MUST bring the
scripts to class with you and have read them by the assigned date. If you do not have the script or are not
prepared, I will ask you to leave and you will be counted absent. Lectures will supplement the texts. Exams will be based on both lecture and
text.
Assignments: You will be assigned 8
analyses to complete for 8 different plays. Length varies on each type of analysis
and instructions for each will be provided. You will generally be given a week to
complete each assignment. On some days, we will not meet in class. Instead, I
will be available in my office to help you with the analyses. Again, do NOT ask
me to re-lecture to you about a topic if you have chosen to miss class. See TO SUBMIT PAPERS section below.
Writing: You are expected to know how to write.
See the prerequisite. I will
provide you with detailed instructions about what content I would like included
in each analysis. It is your
responsibility to make sure papers are in the proper style. All papers for this class will need to
be in 6th edition MLA style. For help with style and general writing
concerns, please contact the writing center at 661-1528, FH 114C.
TO SUBMIT PAPERS
We
will be using DropBox to submit papers on the day they are due by 10:30am. You will receive an invitation at your
FMU email address on file. There
will be instructions in the invitation.
ALL ASSIGNMENTS
MUST BE PDFs. Title the assignment LastName.Assignment
(ex. Larsen.Structural.pdf).
You will receive the marked versions with comments by DropBox, as well. Grades will be found on the last page of
your graded papers. Only you have
permission to see your folder.
Exams: There will be a midterm
given in this course. There may be an occasional unannounced quiz on the
readings. Hint: Stay current.
Correspondence
Email
The best
way to correspond with me one-on-one is through email. If you choose to email me, in order for
you to receive a response from me within 48 hours M-F, you must: email me from
your FMU Gmail account only
(required for all FMU students); in the subject line put ÒTHEA 291, First Name Last NameÓ; within
the email, address me as Dr. Larsen; sign your full name; the email should use
grammatically correct English. If
these rules are not followed, I will not respond to your email.
My
Webpage
Check
my website EVERY DAY. I will use the
website and your THEA 391 page to communicate with you as a class.
Phone
Messages
You may leave a phone message, but if I
canÕt understand you, your telephone number, your name, and/or your message, I
will not return your call.
Appointments
You may make an appointment to see me
face-to-face. Office hours are
posted in a link on my website. To make an appointment, please send an e-mail
message in the format outlined above. You must receive an email message from me
confirming the appointment. If you donÕt, it means I didnÕt get your message.
Keep your appointment time.
Late Work and
Extra Credit
I believe college should prepare you for the world and part of the
world is learning to be responsible.
For that reason, I take NO late work (except for hospitalization of you or
an immediate family member). I take
ANY early work. To balance this policy, I provide ample opportunity for extra
credit throughout the course.
Therefore, I suggest that you take every opportunity to earn extra
credit in case of assignments missed.
You may complete one project of 50 points. You may read another script and write an
analysis of your choice about it.
All extra credit will be due by 4/4/17 - no exceptions.
Plagiarism and
Cheating
Plagiarism and/or cheating will not be tolerated per the student
handbook and the FMU Honor Code.
For the first offense, the assignment will receive a 0; second offense,
you will fail the course. For all
instances of plagiarism and cheating, the Fine Arts Dept
Chair and the Associate Provost will be notified. This is serious business. Make sure you know what plagiarism and
cheating are.
Midterm
Deficiencies
At Midterm, grades will be averaged. Any student with a D average
or lower will receive a Midterm Deficiency via email and/or letter. Make sure
the email you list with FMU is correct.
Cell Phones
& mp3 players
All cell phones and mp3 players must be turned OFF during this class. Vibrate mode is
a distraction. The entire class gets one warning. After that warning, you
will be asked to leave class and counted absent for that day regardless. After
2 warnings, you will be reported to the chair of the department and the Dean of
Students and withdrawn from the class with an F.
Behavior
Though you are adults, it is necessary in some cases, to have
strict behavior guidelines. Please see the ÒGroundrules
for DiscussionÓ link on my website for more information. Please read the following carefully: If
you should choose to engage in behavior that is disruptive or offensive to
others; talking,
reading, doing other classwork, daydreaming; you will
receive one warning from me. For your second offense, you will be asked
to leave class for that day and be counted absent. For your third offense
you will be asked to leave class for that day and directed to see the Dean of
Students before you are allowed to return to class. Any missed time will
be counted toward absences. After 3 warnings, you will be withdrawn from the
class with an F. This class may be videotaped for disciplinary purposes. All
attendance rules apply.
THEA391 VERY
Tentative Schedule Check
website for changes
|
Week |
Topic |
Readings |
|
2 (1/17) |
Hamlet |
Hamlet Ball 1-67 |
|
3 (1/23) |
Hamlet Ball
analysis due 1/25 |
|
|
4 (1/30) |
Hamlet
structural analysis due 2/1 |
|
|
5 (2/6) |
Dealers dynamic analysis
due 2/8 |
Dealers in White Women |
|
6 (2/13) |
Happy Days
Functional analysis due 2/15 |
Happy Days |
|
7 (2/20) |
Midterm |
|
|
8 (2/27) |
Cat Imagistic
analysis due 3/1 |
Ball 68 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof |
|
9 (3/6) |
Thematic analysis on Blues for an Alabama Sky due 3/8 |
Blues for an Alabama Sky Ball 76 |
|
10 (3/20) |
Good Woman
Rhetorical analysis due 3/20 Blue Bird affective
analysis due 3/22 |
The Good Woman of Setzuan Blue Bird |
|
11 (3/27) |
Dramaturgy Glossary & Bio DUE 3/29 |
Buried Child |
|
12 (4/3) |
Historical Context DUE 4/5 |
|
|
13 (4/10) |
Reviews Due 4/12 |
|
|
15 (4/17) |
Section 1 due 4/19 |
|
|
(4/24) |
Dramaturgy binder DUE |
|
|
Final Exams |
presentations Due |
|
Items in BOLD – assignments due ¥ Items in PLAIN text – lectures
and chapters to be read ¥ Items in ITALICS
– plays to be read by Monday