Theatre Arts (THEA)
1103 Voice and Articulation Laboratory (0-1)
This laboratory is required for students enrolled in
THEA 3103. Practice in the skills of relaxation, respiration, phonation, resonation, and articulation through exercises and the use of recording equipment. May be taken twice for credit.
1111 Basic Theatre Practice (0-4)
(Common Course Number DRAM 1120)
1211 Basic Theatre Practice (0-8)
(Common Course Number DRAM 1220)
Play production experience in faculty directed drama productions. All cast and crew members of such productions are eligible to enroll for the appropriate number of hours of credit after consultation with the undergraduate advisor in Theatre Arts. This course may be taken only as a free elective.
1303 Voice and Articulation (3-0)
(Common Course Number DRAM 2336)
A course designed to improve the student's speech. Includes the study of and personal application to the speech anatomy and the processes of speech, phonetics, and the major dialects of American English and stage diction. The required laboratory is
THEA 1103. Credit will not be given for 1303 unless 1103 is taken and passed at the same time. May not be counted as a fine arts distribution requirement.
1310 Theatre Co. & Production Process (0-12)
(Common Course Number DRAM 1323)
This is a sequence of courses through which the major drama productions of the season will be realized. Entering freshman drama majors should take
THEA 1310 in their first semester.
1313 Introduction to Theatre (3-0)
(Common Course Number DRAM 1310)
Analysis of the principles and techniques involved in representing human experience in a play; the relationship of acting, directing, staging, lighting, costuming, and other Theatre arts to one another and to the written word. The course is designed to serve not only as an introduction to drama for departmental majors, but as a general survey for non-majors. Course fee required.
2121 Stagecraft Lab (0-1)
A laboratory used to practice the theatrical techniques acquired in the lecture portion of this course (
THEA 2321/Stagecraft). Corequisite:
THEA 2321. Prerequisites:
THEA 1313 and department approval.
2310 Theatre Co. & Production Process (0-12)
(Common Course Number DRAM 1320)
This is a sequence of courses through which the major drama productions of the season will be realized. Entering freshman drama majors should take
THEA 1310 in their first semester.
2315 Theatre Workshop Laboratory (0-9)
A Practicum course giving the student experience in all phases of Theatre production, and involving one or more major productions depending upon the University Theatre's production schedule. Open to all university students. May be repeated for credit. An elective course for Theatre Arts majors and minors.
2321 Stagecraft (3-0)
(Common Course Number DRAM 1330)
An introduction to Theatre architecture, stage rigging, scenic construction, painting, hardware, shop tools, scene shifting mechanisms, and operating techniques. Course fee required.
2322 Makeup (3-0)
(Common Course Number DRAM 1341)
Study of the history of makeup, types and kinds of makeup, and techniques of application for stage, film, and television. Course fee required.
2390 Introduction to the Art of the Motion Picture (3-0)
Understanding and appreciating film as a unique medium for communication and artistic expression. Introduces students to a broad range of types of films. Basic theory presented in class. Films viewed in class and on campus and discussed in class. Course fee required.
2396 Video as Personal Expression (3-1)
Conceptualizing and production of a series of short individual and group projects in video. Under the guidance of the instructor, the student will be exposed to key practitioners in the field and will engage in intensive viewing and feedback sessions with the instructor and classmates. Theatre Arts majors only. Prerequisites:
THEA 2390 and department approval. Course fee required.
2413 Acting I (3-3)
(Common Course Number DRAM 1351)
A lecture-laboratory course in which a student may develop ability to analyze a character and create a role.
3302 Chicano Cinema (3-0)
An examination of the American film industry with respect to the Chicano's role, historically and culturally, in the genre. A series of films, including Hollywood commercial and Chicano made films, will be screened, as part of an analysis of Chicano images and their impact on American popular culture. This is an interdisciplinary course that employs analytical constructs and techniques used in cultural anthropology, sociology, film criticism, and history. Course fee is required.
3303 The Border Image in Mexican Film (3-0)
Analysis of the U.S.-Mexico Border image in Mexican cinema, to include the salient demographic, cultural, linguistic, and political characteristics of the region. Course Fee required. Course will be taught in Spanish.
3310 Theatre Company and Production Process (0-12)
This is a sequence of courses through which the major drama productions of the season will be realized. Entering freshman drama majors should take
THEA 1310 in their first semester.
3320 Introduction to Playwriting (3-0)
Introduction to Playwriting will expose students to the rudiments of dramatic forms, structure, and styles, as a foundation for general theatre study.
3325 Directing I (3-0)
Study of techniques in various styles, modes, and periods together with analysis of the problems of the producer and Theatre manager. Scene work required. Prerequisite:
THEA 2413 or instructor approval.
3332 Scene Design (3-0)
An introduction to the specific design needs of the performing arts, including scenic drafting, period ornament, scenic styles, decor, perspective sketching, and rendering in watercolor. Prerequisite:
THEA 2321.
3335 Chicano Theatre and Drama (2-4)
Examination of the Chicano and Chicanismo through drama and theatrical presentations. Chicano Theatre and drama is studied as literature, as a political statement, and as a social and ethnic phenomenon. Several short plays of the Chicano Theatre are prepared for presentation to the public.
3336 Theatre in Spanish (2-4)
Study of a specific Hispanic play each semester from literary and theatrical points of view. The play is mounted and staged, in Spanish, for the public. May be repeated once for credit.
3340 A History of Costume Design (3-0)
A study of costume from the earliest time to the present and its use on the stage. Practical experience in designing and executing costumes for actual production.
3341 Costume Production (3-0)
The study of costume technology including design analysis, pattern development, fabric selection and modification, and construction techniques. Offers experience in executing costumes for theatrical production. Course fee required.
3342 Lighting Design (3-0)
A history of lighting and an analysis of contemporary lighting practice as applied to Theatre and television lighting including a study of lighting instruments, use of color media, control equipment, and designing for different staging and studio configurations. Course fee required.
3343 Scenic Painting (3-7)
Discussion of the formulation and handling of scene paints and dyes, brushes and tools, and painting techniques. Practical laboratory work in problems of the realistic representation of a variety of textures and materials at scenic scale leads to fully developed illusionistic and pictorial stage scenery. Theatre Arts majors only. Prerequisites:
THEA 3332 and department approval. Course fee required.
3344 Costume Design (3-7)
This course introduces the student to interpreting theatrical works, and transforming concepts into visual aesthetics for costume design. Prerequisite:
THEA 2321 (may be taken concurrently).
3350 Creative Drama (3-0)
Methods of developing original dramatizations with children and creating plays from children's literature. Discussion of basic skills for the teaching of creative Theatre and drama. Recommended for Education majors.
3351 History of the Theatre I: The Early Theatre (3-0)
Historical survey of Theatre and drama from earliest times through the close of the Middle Ages.
3352 History of the Theatre II: Renaissance Through Romanticism (3-0)
Historical survey of Theatre and drama from the beginning of the Renaissance through the Romantic Movement.
3353 History of the Theatre III: The Modern Theatre (3-0)
Historical survey of Theatre and drama from the rise of Realism to the present.
3355 The Musical Theatre (3-0)
A survey of the American Musical Theatre as evolved since the mid-nineteenth century to the present. With the use of film-videos, recorded material, and slides. This course will explore the historical and aesthetic contributions of the genre to the American Theatre.
3356 Women in Drama (3-0)
This course will investigate the writings of feminist playwrights who are committed to the development and vision of women in the Theatre. These dramatic works will be examined in light of the sociological and humanistic realities that are a part of contemporary American life.
3390 Cinematic Director and Genres (3-0)
An examination of the stylistic cinematic works of modern and contemporary European and American film directors and their aesthetic relationship to their political, religious, socio-cultural, and commercial environment. Prerequisite:
THEA 2390 or instructor approval. Course fee required.
3391 African-American Filmmakers (3-0)
The unique contributions to independent and studio film production by African-Americans will be the focus of this course. By incorporating a historical perspective of the roles of African-Americans in movies and behind the camera, the course will offer students an opportunity through reading and writing assignments to increase their awareness of the sociological, political, and artistic associations between the film industry and American society.
3392 Radio, TV, and Film Scripting (2-3)
Radio, TV, and Film Scripting will expose students to techniques in writing for each medium, provide some historical background in each medium, and, with the assistance of both KTEP-Radio and KCOS-TV, will create practical experience as selected short scripts are actually produced at these facilities under the direction of their professional staff members.
3393 American Avant-Garde Film (3-0)
The development and significance of the experimental, or avant-garde film, that evolved in direct opposition to the hegemony of the commercial narrative film, will be studied. Through the viewing, study, and critical discussion of the works of such artists as Stan Brakhage, Andy Warhol, Jonas Mekas, Maya Deren, and many others, students will gain an awareness of and appreciation for America's alternative cinema. Prerequisite:
THEA 2390 or instructor approval.
3394 Documentary Cinema (3-0)
This course will concentrate on an examination of the aesthetics, history, cultural context, social significance, and critical methodologies of the documentary film. Study will begin with the earliest examples of this form, including the pioneering works of such documentarians as Robert Flaherty and Leni Riefenstahl, and continue through the most recent extensions of this form as exemplified in the work of the Maysles Brothers and Frederick Wiseman. Students will investigate the ideological and formal principles of the non-fiction narrative film. Prerequisite:
THEA 2390 or instructor approval.
3395 Women and Film (3-0)
The significant participation of women in front of and behind the camera will be studied in this course. Emphasis will be placed on the historical contributions of women writers, producers, and directors and the recent increase in the number of women actively involved in the production of feature films. Attention will also be given to screen images of women and how they reflect American culture. Prerequisite:
THEA 2390 or instructor approval.
3413 Acting II (3-3)
Detailed study of characterization and styles of acting through assignment of individual roles and group rehearsal of scenes. Prerequisite:
THEA 2413.
4310 Theatre Co. & Production Process (0-12)
This is a sequence of courses through which the major drama productions of the season will be realized. Entering freshman drama majors should take
THEA 1310 in their first semester.
4318 Playwriting (3-0)
Playwriting is a workshop course in the basics of writing for the stage. It includes techniques for the development of dialogue, plot, character, and structure, and provides practical experience in each area. Students undertake the creation of plays of varying lengths; these plays are given readings in class and may be selected in addition for public presentations as readings or productions.
4332 Advanced Scene Design (3-7)
Basic techniques are incorporated into a comprehensive approach to scene design with the emphasis on aesthetics. Script analysis in visual terms, visual research methods, style in the theatre, and the development of a design concept, are studied through projects in contrasting styles of stage designs. Theatre Arts majors only. Prerequisites:
THEA 3342 and department approval. Course fee required.
4340 Selected Topics in Drama and Theatre (3-0)
Special research and production projects--individual or group--under the supervision of a faculty member. Prerequisite: Instructor approval.
4350 Playwriting for Young Audiences (3-0)
A course which explores current theatre literature for young audiences and which will
expose students to practical experience in writing short plays for young audiences. May
be taken for graduate credit.
4390 Film Theory and Criticism (3-0)
To identify the philosophical ideas and theoretical approaches that have influenced filmmakers and film scholars and to study the writings of some of the best exponents of film criticism in its popular and scholarly forms. Prerequisite:
THEA 2390 or instructor approval. Course fee required.
See the Graduate Studies Catalog for graduate programs and courses.
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