THTR 1011 Exploring Theatre    3 Credits

Attributes: MWAC Magis Core: Writing Across Curriculum

When we can download any movie we want to our computer and watch it from the comfort of the residence hall, why do live theatre? Why see live theatre? Does live theatre have anything to offer that movies and TV cannot? Is it worth doing or seeing? Actually, the act of witnessing live theatre challenges us to think more deeply, more critically, and more thoughtfully about our society and ourselves. Theatre can change the world. This course is about understanding why we need theatre in our lives, and becoming more active, more engaged, more attentive audience members. Previously TA 0011.

THTR 1030 Acting I    3 Credits

This class is an intensive introduction to technique and training essential to acting. Manifesting the understanding of key concepts through demonstrating skills is the primary focus of the course. Physical openness and responsiveness are explored and developed in pursuit of performance that is dynamically immediate and wholly engages audience, ensemble, and performer. Students will learn and practice Viewpoints, an approach to performance that allows performers to develop stage presence, play as a member of an ensemble, and make exciting performance choices. The class also introduces vocal technique for stage, the key ingredient to theatrical storytelling. Previously TA 0030.

THTR 1106 Theatre Management    3 Credits

When considering a theatre event, we usually think of actors performing for an audience. Yet, there is a network of factors ensuring a successful actor/audience connection. On the management side, there is the stage manager, making sure that every moment of the performance runs smoothly. On the administration side, there are other issues: Where did the money come from? How did the audience learn about the production? What is the overriding purpose of the theatre company? This course introduces the numerous managerial and administrative matters that are necessary for theatre production. Previously TA 0106.

THTR 1111 Great Theatre of the World: Sophocles, Shoguns and Shakespeare    3 Credits

We explore the Great Theatre of the World from ancient Greece (Sophocles) to medieval Japan (Shōguns) to the Renaissance (Shakespeare) as social justice. All theatre is social justice theatre, galvanizing audiences to empathize with characters braving injustices through great entertainment. We begin with the hit Broadway musical, Hamilton, and then trace our steps back to Ancient Greece, which produced the first musical dramas about societal injustice. Our journey through the world’s great theatres will identify and analyze the values, beliefs, practices, and privileges of our own and other societies and what makes compelling entertainment. Six theatre performances, live and online, included. Previously TA 0110.

THTR 1112 Great Theatre of the World: Henrik, Hanuman, and Hamilton    3 Credits

We explore the Great Theatre of the World from nineteenth-century European modernism (Henrik) to the epic theatres of Asia (Hanuman) to hit Broadway musicals (Hamilton) through the lens of social justice. All theatre is social justice theatre, designed to galvanize audiences to empathize with characters braving injustices through compelling entertainment that engages both hearts and minds. Theatre provides a window into the people of our own and other times and places—their passions, their needs, their troubles—by dramatizing conflicts of power, oppression, race, gender, and class. Six theatre performances, live and online, are included. Previously TA 0111.

THTR 1135 Modern and Contemporary Dance    3 Credits

This course explores the movement principles of the major dance figures in the 20th century, including Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Hanya Holm, Jose Limon, and Merce Cunningham. Students complete research, compositional assignments, and structured improvisations to support the classroom activity. Overall, students gain a historical perspective of modern dance as an art form and improve their own dance technique in terms of strength, alignment, and flexibility. Previously TA 0135.

THTR 1137 Acting for the Camera    3 Credits

This course is an introduction to the specialized techniques used in successful on-camera acting. On-camera exercises emphasize the importance of listening, truthful moment-to-moment response, and effective communication skills. Initial classes examine the difference between acting for the stage and acting for the camera. Students practice a variety of on-camera styles including comedy, crime drama, and commercials. The course builds towards longer scene work from a screenplay. Topics include script analysis, nuance and depth of performance, relaxation, and confidence on-camera. Cross-listed with FTMA 1137. Previously TA 0231.

THTR 1138 Folk and Social Dance    3 Credits

This course explores dance as social interaction and communal activity. Students discuss and participate in various kinds of folk dances originating from different ethnic cultures and explore their common roots in primitive rituals, religious worship, courtship, recreation, celebration, and therapeutic or healing experiences. The course also explores contemporary forms of ballroom, disco, and club dancing. Students complete research, compositional assignments, and structured improvisations to support classroom activity. Previously TA 0138.

THTR 1150 Entertainment Technology    3 Credits

This course is an introduction to the technical aspects of theatre, film, and television. Students learn basic techniques of scenic construction, rigging, sound, projection and stage lighting. Lectures serve as foundational information for a series of lab sessions held throughout the semester in the Scene Shop. The required labs provide hands-on learning for construction, lighting, and other aspects of technology used in live entertainment. Lab schedules are created during the first weeks of class, in consultation with instructor. Cross-listed with FTMA 1150. Previously TA 0150.

THTR 1152 Costume Construction for Stage & Screen    3 Credits

Attributes: MEVP Magis Core Exploration: VPA

Learn to make amazing garments, for the stage, for film, or for your own purposes! Costume construction is a vital career in the entertainment industry, combining creativity and hands-on craftmanship. Through readings, lecture, discussion, and hands-on lab work, students will be introduced to the principles of theatrical garment construction, and learn basic costume-making techniques. Using the textbook as a lab notebook, students will collect sewing samples, notes, textile samples, measurement charts and paper pattern-making, which will then inform their final project: a sewn garment. Students will participate on Wardrobe Crew for a Theatre Fairfield production or a Capstone Film.

THTR 1154 Theatrical Makeup for Stage & Screen    3 Credits

Attributes: MEVP Magis Core Exploration: VPA

Expert application of theatrical makeup is a critical tool for the professional actor, and a rewarding career path in theatre and film. Through lecture, discussion, and hands-on lab work you will be introduced to the principles of stage makeup design and application. Combining research, critical analysis, and hands-on techniques, students will develop makeup application skills using their own faces. Whether as a theatre artist or as an audience member, this class will lead to more sophisticated understanding of makeup in both theatre and film. Students will participate on Makeup/Hair Crew for a Theatre Fairfield production or a Capstone Film.

THTR 1155 Design for Stage & Screen    3 Credits

Attributes: GDTA Graphic Design: Theatre

This class explores the visual work of theatre and film designers: how costumes communicate a character's personality, how scenery establishes an atmosphere, and how lighting illuminates both literally and metaphorically. Students study how design functions by working on a series of design projects for both stage and film scripts. In addition, the course closely examines the creative process that underpins the work of all artists. Crosslisted with FTMA 1155. Previously TA 0155.

THTR 1158 Scene Painting    3 Credits

Attributes: GDTA Graphic Design: Theatre

This workshop introduces the basic principles, skills, and techniques of the scenic artist. Through a series of painting projects, students explore common painting techniques. The course gives special attention to matching the paint project to the paint elevation, as well as developing creative thinking skills. Projects emphasize craftsmanship and the ability to work as part of a team in addition to dealing with the time factors of actual production. Students research various techniques, styles, and visual textures in addition to hands-on work in the class. Students serve as members of a paint crew for a Theatre Fairfield production. Previously TA 0158.

THTR 1200 American Women Playwrights    3 Credits

Attributes: ASGW American Studies: Gateway, ASVP American Studies: Visual and Performing Arts, ENAM American Literature, E_AF English Literature After 1800, WSGF Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies: Gender Focused

This course traces the evolution of plays by women from the Revolutionary War to plays reflecting the 21st-century concerns of African American, Asian, American, and Latina playwrights. Plays are discussed in light of the social, political, and economic climates that produced them. Special emphasis is given to questions of sex, gender, race, ethnicity, and class, as we explore how American women, despite considerable obstacles, have developed their own theatrical voices. Our study is further informed by the work of feminist performance theorists. Crosslisted with ENGL 1200. Previously TA 0123.

THTR 1250 American Drama    3 Credits

Attributes: ASGW American Studies: Gateway, ASVP American Studies: Visual and Performing Arts, E_AF English Literature After 1800, MSJ1 Magis Core: Social Justice I

This course examines the development of American theatre from the 18th through the 21st centuries. It includes a study and analysis of the special problems affecting the development and changes in American society as seen through American playwriting and theatre production. Students read and see over fifteen plays that grapple with issues of race, ethnicity, gender, class, and what it means to be an American. The course includes theatre trips. Previously TA 0120.

THTR 1951 Theatre Fairfield Performance Practicum    1 Credit

Students gain first-hand training in performance under the guidance of theatre professionals. Everyone cast in a Theatre Fairfield production is automatically enrolled in this one-credit practicum. Students may also earn credit by enrolling in weekly Performance Workshops, which focus each semester on introducing a particular performance skill. Some of the topics covered in previous Performance Workshops include: clowning, stage combat, physical performance, and puppetry. This course may be repeated but may not be included in the 120 credits required for graduation. Previously TA 0094.

THTR 1952 Theatre Fairfield Production Practicum    1 Credit

Students gain first-hand training in theatre production under the guidance of theatre professionals. Everyone working on a crew of a Theatre Fairfield production is automatically enrolled in this one-credit practicum. Students must consult with theatre faculty regarding placement as a crew head in stage management, technical, or front-of-house duties. This course may be repeated but may not be included in the 120 credits required for graduation. Previously TA 0095.

THTR 2210 Theatre in Production    3 Credits

Students take this course in conjunction with a particular Theatre Fairfield production. This course offers an immersion experience, as students engage in focused theatrical research in the classroom and immediately apply the concepts in the production. The class/production format makes particularly challenging scripts and/or artistic approaches possible. Some of the topics covered in previous semesters include Restoration comedy, performing Shakespeare, and devised theatre. Previously TA 0210.

THTR 2215 American Musical Theatre: History and Practice    3 Credits

Prerequisite: One music or theatre course.

Musical theatre is a complex genre that has developed in tandem with the developing American nation. It is a serious art form that, in its finest iterations, represents total works of art unique in and of themselves. This course expands students' knowledge of the range and diversity of the genre as codified in the middle 20th century by Rodgers and Hammerstein and their imitators. Embedded in great musical theatre pieces is the essence of what it means to be an American living in the United States at a particular time in history. Previously TA 0215.

THTR 2230 Advanced Acting    3 Credits

Prerequisite: THTR 1030.

This is an intensive acting course that builds upon the basic acting principles taught in Acting I. In this course, students apply what they have learned about the art, analysis, and interpretation of acting to a variety of dramatic styles. Students explore several period acting styles through exercises, scenes and monologues. Students gain a well-rounded and thoughtful understanding of acting as a practical and intellectual art that prepares them for further work in theatre and related performing arts. Previously TA 0230.

THTR 2250 Fashion Forward: A History of Fashionable Dress in Global Context    3 Credits

Attributes: MEVP Magis Core Exploration: VPA

This course examines how clothes are a tool of identity and power, by exploring fashions of both Europe and the Global South. The history of fashion is the history of humanity. What we choose to wear, how we style our hair, and how we decorate our bodies, has been a factor of our daily lives for millennia. Fashion is never "just clothes." Our clothes tell ourselves and the world who we are, where we see ourselves in our community, and how our fellow humans view us. Through readings, discussions, research and writings, students will discover the incredible power of dress. Cross-listed with AHST 2250.

THTR 2253 Costume Design    3 Credits

Attributes: GDTA Graphic Design: Theatre

Before a character even speaks, we have a strong sense of who that person is, based on our impression of the costume design. This class focuses on how costume designers engineer strong connections between the world of the play or film, and the audience's experience. Play analysis, historical research, visual research, idea-generation, design development and rendering styles are addressed. Emphasis is placed on a sound creative process, as well as grounding designs in historical accuracy or consistent world-building. Previously TA 0253.

THTR 2256 Stage Lighting    3 Credits

Attributes: GDTA Graphic Design: Theatre

Prerequisite: THTR 1150 or THTR 1155.

With light on stage, we create a vast array of environmental moods. In order to accomplish these effects, students must grasp two separate fields of information. First, there are technical elements: the nature of light, electricity, reflection, refraction, lighting instruments and control systems. Then there is light in the context of the theatrical production. This involves play analysis, visual research, and manipulating light in the theatre space. Both the technical and aesthetic aspects are covered in this class. Safe use of electricity and lighting equipment is emphasized. Previously TA 0256.

THTR 2288 Scene Design    3 Credits

Attributes: GDTA Graphic Design: Theatre

Prerequisite: THTR 1155.

In a play, scenery provides the context, allowing the audience to connect to the characters and their dramatic journey. Not merely locale, scenery is a visual accompaniment to the action of the play. In this course, students develop their drafting, rendering and model-making skills, as these are the designer's principle communication tools. The course includes play reading, analysis and historical research. Emphasis is placed on a sound creative process, as well as grounding designs with historical accuracy. Previously TA 0288.

THTR 2900 Special Topics    3 Credits

In this class, students undertake an in-depth study of a specific problem. This might include period research, dramaturgy, a particular style of acting, a particular style of design, or other aspect of production. The course is conducted by a leading scholar/practitioner in the field. Previously TA 0300.

THTR 3240 Directing    3 Credits

This course for advanced students covers the theory, practice, and history of directing for the theatre. In a workshop format, students explore various ways of bringing a play script from conception to full production. The course includes sessions in text analysis, working with actors and designers, and the role and responsibility of the director to the overall production. Students direct several in-class scenes and a one-act play that is produced in Director's Cut, part of Theatre Fairfield's season. Previously TA 0240.

THTR 3980 Internship    1-3 Credits

With faculty sponsorship, students work with professional theatre companies and theatre artists. Students develop their skills in real-world situations, while networking and gaining invaluable work experience. Internships are also available on-campus, within Theatre Fairfield. Students interested in becoming interns must consult with theatre faculty well in advance of the desired internship semester. Internships for summer work are encouraged. Previously TA 0395.

THTR 3990 Independent Study    1-4 Credits

This course allows students to intensively explore a particular aspect of stage management, design, acting, directing or dramaturgy under the guidance of a faculty member. Students must have the approval of the theatre faculty before registering for this course. Previously TA 0399.

THTR 4999 Theatre Capstone    3 Credits

All Theatre majors, and interested minors, complete a Capstone Project designed to showcase their artistry, intellect, and expertise. The Project is normally completed in the senior years and is a major component of each student's graduation portfolio. Previously TA 0310.