McDaniel, Matthew T.

English

University of Montana

University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Syllabi Course Syllabi Spring 1-2016 THTR 101L.50: Introduction to Theatre Matthew T. McDaniel University of Montana, Missoula Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi Let us know how access to this document benefits you. Recommended Citation McDaniel, Matthew T., "THTR 101L.50: Introduction to Theatre" (2016). Syllabi. 4572. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi/4572 This Syllabus is brought to you for free and open access by the Course Syllabi at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Syllabi by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact scholarworks@mso.umt.edu.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Introduction to Theatre 	      University of Montana        Literary, Culture & Artistic Studies Course     Instructor: Matthew McDaniel  Email: matthew.mcdaniel@umconnect.umt.edu Office Hours: Monday & Wednesdays 11:30am-12:30pm  Location:  Education Building Lobby THTR101LY-50Spring 20153 Credit HoursCOURSE DESCRIPTIONThe purpose of this course is to provide students with a foundational understanding of THEATRE as a creative art form, practical craft, and critical field of cultural study. It isdesigned to introduce the student to historical and contemporary forms of theatrical art andpractice within the American and European tradition. Students will explore the collaborativenature of theatre through the integration of various methods of acting, directing, dramaturgy,design (lighting, set, properties, and costume), and production. Students will also explore andcompare differing objectives of theatrical performance (for instance, theatre as ritual, worship,activism, entertainment, or education). They will experience selected European andAmerican canonical theatre texts through reading research, writing, scriptanalysis, scene study and performance review. Students will thereby gain theskills to analyze classical and contemporary theatrical traditions throughreading, research, and the shared experience of attending live theatre.COURSE OBJECTIVESThrough in-class exercises, live demonstrations by practitioners, and regular attendance at andanalysis of live performances students will learn to:•	 Understand theatricality and performance as it pertains to their own life, be it what theysee on stage, screen, or in line at the grocery store;•	 Analyze the structure and significance of theatrical works of art within their respectivecontext including movements and forms within the American and European theatricaltradition;•	 Critique the work of significant practitioners throughout history, as well as that of contemporary artists;•	 Develop coherent arguments that critique these works from a variety of approaches,such as historical, aesthetic, cultural, psychological, political, and philosophical; and•	 Apply theoretical approaches to theatre through script analysis and critical essays thatfoster an appreciation of their own significant role as audience members and critics.ATTENDANCE GUIDELINESIntroduction to Theatre (THTR101L-50) is an Online/ Distant Learning Course. Attendancewill be determined by each student’s participation in weekly; Assignments, Virtual DiscussionForums, Written Responses, and Personal/Group Projects through the University of Montana’sOnline Course Platform, Moodle. Each week, all students must log into Moodle to complete thegiven week’s assignments. ALL assignments must be completed to receive full attendance forthat week.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     WEEKLY ASSIGNMENT STRUCTURE This class will operate on a MONDAY - FRIDAY schedule, meaning that each of our lessonswill begin on MONDAYS at 12:00am and end on a FRIDAY at 11:59pm.New assignments will be available to the class starting at 12:00pm each SUNDAY, beginningJanuary 25, 2015. Each weeks’ assignments will vary and their respective due dates and timesfor each will be provided when the assignment becomes available.(There will be set assignments that will be due on WEDNESDAY at 11:59pm of each week and there will be secondary assignments that will be due FRIDAY at 11:59pm of the same week depending on the time required to complete the assignment.) All assignments with a required due date for submission will NOT be accepted any later than11:59pm. IN NORMAL SCENARIOS, THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THISPOLICY UNLESS STATED PRIOR TO DUE DATE!ABSENTEE POLICYDue to the fact that this course is an Online Section, as stated above, course work completion isthe only measure for attendance. More than ONE (1) week without submittingassignments will result in your final grade being lowered one full letter grade.If for some reason you will be unable to complete a given assignment deadline you mustcontact me immediately via E-Mail. If you do have advanced notice of your inability tocomplete an assignment and gain attendance, you will need to provided me with at least 72 hours (3 days) notice to give you the opportunity to either complete the assignment prior to“absence” or schedule a “make up” assignment for you to complete with a new deadline.If you have an emergency and are unable to complete an assignment to gain attendance pleasecontact me via E-mail as soon as you are able to so that we may discuss your situation andoptions to “make up” your assignments. If possible, please provide documentation as to yourabsence, Ex: Doctors Note.FINAL EXAMINATIONThis Project/Presentation will count as the Final Examination for this course. The assignmentwill consist of a project where you will delve into a specific area of theatre that most interests you. During week 11, you will have access to the Final Project Assignment where you willselect or propose a project for approval. THIS PROJECT MUST BE SUBMITTED FORAPPROVAL NO LATER THAN May 11th, 2015. The sooner you submit your concept forapproval, the more time you will have to complete the project.The Final Project will be due no later than 11:59pm on May 11th, 2015.REQUIRED TEXTS & COURSE MATERIALSWhat We Do: Working in the TheatreBy: Bo MetzlerPublisher: Infinity Publishing (November 21, 2008) ISBN-10: 0741450046 ISBN-13: 978-0741450043                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           MedeaBy: EuripidesPublisher: Dover Publications; Rep Una edition (April 19, 1993)ISBN-10: 0486275485ISBN-13: 978-0486275482PoeticsBy: AristotlePublisher: Penguin Classics (March 1, 1997)ISBN-10: 0140446362ISBN-13: 978-0140446364Romeo & Juliet By: William ShakespearePublisher: Yale University Press; New edition edition (July 11, 2004)ISBN-10: 0300104537ISBN-13: 978-0300104530All in the TimingBy: David IvesPublisher: Vintage; A Vintage Original 1st ed edition (November 8, 1994)ISBN-10: 067975928XISBN-13: 978-0679759287There will be copies of these texts available at the University of Montana Bookstore under thecourse code and section, THTR 101-LY. You can also find copies of this script online forpurchase through Amazon. Amazon has all of these texts for $16 or less.*You have been provided with the ISBN numbers so that you may purchase the specific text from which I willbe working. A majority of the assignments will provide the page number or section to be read from thesespecific texts. It is VERY important that you purchase the specific text provided to insure you are reading the correct materials.There will also be small personal projects that will require personal supplies to complete; craftsupplies, found objects and other resources. (If this is an expense that you are unable to makeplease contact me so we can discuss options for alternative projects.) COURSE GRADING TIERA = 90-100 B = 80-89 C= 70-79 D = 60-69 F = 59 and below(You will have 4 opportunities to gain extra credit. These extra credit projects will be builtinto the course throughout the semester.) COURSE GRADE COMPONENTS  This is a list of the individual components of the course and the percentage each component will account toward your final grade.  Discussion Board Responses & Concept Checks      20% Personal Expression Projects          10% Semester Reading Assignments & Quizzes       20%                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Critical Response Essays (3)         25% Final Personal Project/Presentation         25%  PRODUCTION ATTENDANCEAs a student of the Introduction to Theatre Course, you are required to attend three of theUniversity of Montana’s, School of Theatre & Dance’s theatrical performances produced thissemester. This is a mandatory element of this course. The Materials Fee you paid when youregistered for this course allows you to obtain ONE ticket for these shows at no additionalexpense. We do encourage you to bring friends and family, however the cost of additionaltickets must be purchased at the student’s or other patron’s expense.If a student misses one performance, that student’s final average will be dropped ONE FULL LETTER GRADE.If a student misses two performances, that student’s final average will be dropped TWO FULL LETTER GRADES.If a student does not attend ANY of the performances, that student will receive aFAILING GRADE for the entire course.THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY!!!Ticket Information:Each student must pick up their ticket, in person, at the UMArts Box Office, located in thelobby of the PARTVCenter. The Box Office hours are Monday-Friday; 10 AM and 6 PM. Each student is allotted ONE ticket for each of the three productions you will attend. (No student can pick up any other student(s) or classmate(s) tickets!) Exchange Policy:If you need to exchange a ticket that you have already picked up and it is BEFORE the performance datelisted on the ticket, there is a $2.00 Exchange Fee that is assessed.If you need to exchange a ticket and the performance date is AFTER the date listed on the ticket and youneed a new ticket, you will need to purchase a NEW ticket at the FULL STUDENT PRICE.You must present your “Griz Card” to pick up your ticket and you must identify which class youare taking. Therefore, you must know your section number and instructor’s name.You are in section: THTR101LY:Section 50Your instructor’s name is: Matthew McDanielSeating in the Masquer Theatre is general admission. Seating in the Montana Theatre isreserved. The fee that you have paid does not guarantee you a ticket on a particular night, nordoes it guarantee that you will be able to get a ticket if the show sells out. Do not wait until theevening of the performance you plan to attend to pick up a ticket. ** Any student(s) taking this course as a distance learning course and have nomeans of attending the productions performed at the main University ofMontana’s, Missoula campus need to contact me as soon as the course begins todetermine an appropriate alternative to attending the productions on campus.**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               REQUIRED PRODUCTIONS This semester’s required productions are as follows:All My SonsBy Authur MillerLocation: The Montana TheatreDates: Jan. 28-30 & Feb. 4 & 6Hot N’ ThrobbingBy Paula Vogal Location: The Masquer TheatreDates: Feb. 23-27 & March 1-5Romeo and Juliet By William ShakespeareLocation: The Montana TheatreDates: April 27-30 & May 3-7Optional Performances for Extra Credit:All in the TimingBy David IvesLocation: The Montana TheatreDates: March 15-19 The traditional performance times are as follows:All performances will begin at 7:30pm and the House will be open 30 minutes prior to theperformance. (It is advised that you plan to arrive to the performance early to insure you are not late.)There is a chance that once the performance begins you will be unable to enter the theater for any reason. If youare unable to attend the full performance due to tardiness you will have to purchase a new ticketfor the full student ticket price.ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT & THE STUDENT CONDUCT CODEAll students must practice academic honesty. Academic misconduct is subject to an academicpenalty by the course instructor and/or disciplinary sanction by the University. All studentsneed to be familiar with the student conduct code.COURSE ACCOMMODATIONStudents with disabilities may request reasonable modifications by contacting me. The University of Montanaassures equal access to instruction through collaboration between students with disabilities, instructors, and Disability Services for Students (DSS). “Reasonable” means the University permits no fundamental alterationsof academic standards or retroactive modifications. For more information, please consulthttp://life.umt.edu/dss/. The University of Montana assures equal access to instruction through collaboration between students with disabilities, instructors, and Disability Services for Students (DSS). If you think you may have a disabilityadversely affecting your academic performance, and you have not already registered with DSS, please contact DSSin Lommasson 154. I will work with you and DSS to provide an appropriate accommodation.                                                                                                                                                                                                   	THEATER & DANCE DEPARTMENT POLICIES All Theatre & Dance students must have an in-depth knowledge of the practices and procedures outlined in theSchool of Theatre & Dance Student Handbook. The Handbook is available online athttp://www.umt.edu/umarts/theatredance/About/handbook.php. There is inherent risk involved in many Theatre & Dance classes as they are very physical in nature. Pleaseproceed through class, shop time, or rehearsal with caution. Always be mindful of your personal safety and thesafety of others. Students participating in class/shop/rehearsal/performance do so at their own risk.* Due to safety considerations, at no point during a student’s time spent in class or serving on a production (in anycapacity) should non-enrolled persons be guests of that student without my consent. Presence of suchunauthorized persons in a class, shop, or any backstage/off-stage area will negatively affect a student’s grade.*(This course is an Online/Distance Learning based course. As a student taking a course with theSchool of Theatre & Dance you must be aware and abide by ALL of these policies. You may notbe entering a classroom, studio, shop or rehearsal but if for some reason you are to visit theTheatre and Dance Department’s buildings aside from attending productions please respect thecode of conduct.) 

THTR 101L.50: Introduction to Theatre

University of MontanaScholarWorks at University of MontanaSyllabi Course SyllabiSpring 2-1-2017THTR 101L.50: Introduction to TheatreMatthew T. McDanielUniversity of Montana, MissoulaLet us know how access to this document benefits you.Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabiThis Syllabus is brought to you for free and open access by the Course Syllabi at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted forinclusion in Syllabi by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contactscholarworks@mso.umt.edu.Recommended CitationMcDaniel, Matthew T., "THTR 101L.50: Introduction to Theatre" (2017). Syllabi. 8829.https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi/8829Introduction to Theatre THTR 101LY - 50 – 3 Credits – Online  School of Theatre & Dance University of Montana  Spring 2017 Literary, Culture & Artistic Studies Course Instructor - Matt McDaniel  Email - matthew.mcdaniel@umontana.edu  Office – The Education Building Lobby  Office Hours - Tuesdays, 1:15-2:15pm PM & Thursdays 11:00AM-12:00 PM Phone-406-243-4481  COURSE DESCRIPTION The purpose of this course is to provide students with a foundational understanding of THEATRE as a creative art form, practical craft, and critical field of cultural study. It is designed to introduce the student to historical and contemporary forms of theatrical art and practice within the American and European tradition. Students will explore the collaborative nature of theatre through the integration of various methods of acting, directing, dramaturgy, design (lighting, set, properties, and costume), and production. Students will also explore and compare differing objectives of theatrical performance (for instance, theatre as ritual, worship, activism, entertainment, or education). They will experience selected European and American canonical theatre texts through reading research, writing, script analysis, scene study and performance review. Students will thereby gain the skills to analyze classical and contemporary theatrical traditions through reading, research, and the shared experience of attending live theatre. COURSE OBJECTIVES Through in-class exercises, live demonstrations by practitioners, and regular attendance at and analysis of live performances students will learn to: •  Understand theatricality and performance as it pertains to their own life, be it what they see on stage, screen, or in line at the grocery store; •  Analyze the structure and significance of theatrical works of art within their respective context including movements and forms within the American and European theatrical tradition; •  Critique the work of significant practitioners throughout history, as well as that of contemporary artists; •  Develop coherent arguments that critique these works from a variety of approaches, such as historical, aesthetic, cultural, psychological, political, and philosophical; and •  Apply theoretical approaches to theatre through script analysis and critical essays that foster an appreciation of their own significant role as audience members and critics. ATTENDANCE GUIDELINES Introduction to Theatre (THTR101LY-51) is an Online/ Distance Learning Course. Attendance will be determined by each student’s participation in weekly Assignments, Virtual Discussion Forums, Written Responses, and Personal/Group Projects through the University of Montana’s Online Course Platform, Moodle. Each week, all students must log into Moodle to complete the given week’s assignments. ALL assignments must be completed to receive full attendance for that week. WEEKLY ASSIGNMENT STRUCTURE This class will operate on a MONDAY - SUNDAY schedule, meaning that each of our lessons will begin on MONDAYS at 12:00am and end on a SUNDAYS at 11:55 pm. New assignments will be available to the class starting at 12:00am each MONDAY, beginning August 29, 2016. Each week’s assignments will vary and their respective due dates and times for each will be provided  when the assignment becomes available. There will be set assignments that will be due on WEDNESDAY at 11:55pm of each week and there will be secondary assignments that will be due SUNDAY at 11:55pm of the same week, depending on the time required to complete the assignment. All assignments with a required due date for submission will NOT be accepted any later than 11:55pm. This policy includes assignment submissions of all types, including quiz answers. IN NORMAL SCENARIOS, THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY UNLESS STATED PRIOR TO DUE DATE. Students are responsible for knowing how to properly use Moodle to complete all assignments. There is a link to the MoodlelOl course provided for this purpose. Incomplete assignments (such as “draft” uploads) due to incorrect usage of Moodle will not be accepted and will receive zero credit. EMAIL & ANNOUNCEMENTS POLICY As this is an online course, students are required to check their university email daily for announcements or personal emails (if students choose not to check their university email, they should have their university email forwarded to an account they do check daily). Most announcements will also be posted on Sundays or Wednesdays, in the announcements forum on the Moodle page. If you have general questions please post in the forum and I will answer as promptly as possible in the forum discussion. Please use my email for individual questions. I typically check email at least once a day during school hours (M-F, 9 am - 4 pm). Please make sure you email with enough time to allow me at least 24 hours to reply. ABSENTEE POLICY Completion of course work is the only measure for attendance in this online class. More than ONE (1) week without submitting assignments will result in your final grade being lowered one full letter grade. If for some reason you are unable to complete a given assignment deadline you must contact me immediately via university email. If you do have advance notice of your inability to complete an assignment and gain attendance, you will need to provide me with at least 72 hours (3 days) notice to give you the opportunity to either complete the assignment prior to “absence” or schedule a “make up” assignment for you to complete with a new deadline. If you have an emergency and are unable to complete an assignment to gain attendance please contact me via university email as soon as you are able to so that we may discuss your situation and options to “make up” your assignments. If possible, please provide documentation as to your absence, Ex: Doctors Note. FINAL EXAMINATION A Project/Presentation will count as the Final Examination for this course. The assignment will consist of a project where you will delve into a specific area of theatre that most interests you. As of December 5th, you will have access to the Final Project Assignment. The Final Project will be due no later than 11:55 pm on December 18th, 2016. REQUIRED TEXTS & COURSE MATERIALS ***You have been provided with the ISBN numbers so that you may purchase the specific text from which I will be working. A majority of the assignments will provide the page number or section to be read from these specific texts. It is VERY important that you purchase the specific text provided to insure you are reading the correct materials.  What We Do: Working in the Theatre By: Bo Metzler Publisher: Infinity Publishing     (November 21, 2008) ISBN-10: 0741450046 ISBN-13: 978-0741450043 –  Medea By: Euripides Publisher: Dover Publications; Rep Una edition (April 19, 1993)    ISBN-10: 0486275485 ISBN-13: 978-0486275482 Poetics By: Aristotle Publisher: Dover Publications (Mar 12, 1997)   ISBN-10: 048629577X ISBN-13: 9780486295770 Noises Off By: Michael Frayn; Samuel French Publishing: (1985):   ISBN 9780573619694  Thinner Than Water By: Melissa Ross; Dramatist Play Services: (2015):    ISBN: 978-0822232193  There will be copies of these texts available at the University of Montana Bookstore under the course code and section, THTR 101-LY. You can also find copies of this script online for purchase through Amazon. Amazon has all of these texts for $16 or less. Students must have access to a working computer with consistent word processing and internet access, as well as working audio and audio/visual recording devices (smart phones or webcams are sufficient). There will also be small personal projects that will require personal supplies to complete; craft supplies, found objects and other resources. (If this is an expense that you are unable to make please contact me so we can discuss options for alternative projects.) COURSE GRADING TIER A=90-100; B=80-89; C=70-79; D=60-69; F=59 and below (You will have some small opportunities to gain extra credit. These extra credit projects will be built into the course throughout the semester.) COURSE GRADE COMPONENTS This is a list of the individual components of the course and the percentage each component will account toward your final grade. • Discussion Board Responses & Concept Checks: 20% • Personal Expression Projects: 10% • Semester Reading Assignment & Quizzes: 20% • Critical Response Essays: 25% • Final Personal Project/Presentation: 25% PRODUCTION ATTENDANCE As a student of the Introduction to Theatre Course, you are required to attend three of UM School of Theatre & Dance’s theatrical performances produced this semester. This is a mandatory element of this course. The Materials Fee you paid when you registered for this course allows you to obtain ONE ticket for these shows at no additional expense. We do encourage you to bring friends and family; however the cost of additional tickets must be purchased at the student’s or other patron’s expense. ** Any student(s) taking this course as a distance learning course and have no means of attending the productions performed at the main University of Montana’s, Missoula campus need to contact me as soon as the course begins to discuss procedures. Students will be required to find and attend productions in their area, at their own expense, and must get them approved by me prior to attendance. ** If you miss one performance, your final average will be dropped ONE FULL LETTER GRADE. If you miss two performances, your final average will be dropped TWO FULL LETTER GRADES.If you do not attend ANY of the performances, you will receive a FAILING GRADE for the entire course. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY. Ticket Information: Each student must pick up their ticket, in person, at the UMArts Box Office, located in the lobby of the PARTV Center. The Box Office hours is open August 23-December 20 and January 17-May 12, Tuesdays-Fridays from noon-6P plus one hour before a performance. Each student is allotted ONE ticket for each of the three productions you will attend. (No student can pick up any other student(s) ticket(s)!) You must present your Griz Card to pick up your ticket and you must identify which class you are taking. Therefore you must know your section number and instructor’s name. You are in: THTR101LY: Section 50. Your instructor’s name is: Matt McDaniel Seating in the Masquer Theatre is open. Seating in the Montana Theatre is assigned. The fee that you have paid does not guarantee you a ticket on a particular night, nor does it guarantee that you will be able to get a ticket if the show sells out. Do not wait until the evening of the performance you plan to attend to pick up a ticket. Exchange Policy: If you need to exchange a ticket that you have already picked up and it is BEFORE the performance date listed on the ticket there is a $2 Exchange Fee that is assessed. If you need to exchange a ticket and the performance date is AFTER the date listed on the ticket and you need a new ticket, you will need to purchase a NEW ticket at the FULL STUDENT PRICE. REQUIRED PRODUCTIONS • Required Productions (You have free tickets to these shows!) The three productions you will be seeing this semester are:   Barefoot in the Park : January 21, 26-28, February 2, 4, 2017 / Montana Theatre  Thinner Than Water : February 22-26, March 1-5, 2017/ Masquer Theatre  Noises Off : April 19-23 and 26-30, 2017/ Masquer Theatre  All evening performances will begin at 7:30pm. Occasionally matinee performances are also available. The House will be open 30 minutes prior to the performance. (It is advised that you plan to arrive to the performance early to ensure you are not late.) There is a chance that once the performance begins you will be unable to enter the theater for any reason. If you are unable to attend the full performance due to tardiness you will have to purchase a new ticket for the full student ticket price. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT & THE STUDENT CONDUCT CODE All students must practice academic honesty. Academic misconduct is subject to an academic penalty by the course instructor and/or disciplinary sanction by the University. All students need to be familiar with the Student Conduct Code. The Code is available for review online at http://www.umt.edu/vpsa/policies/student_conduct.php.  COURSE ACCOMMODATION Students with disabilities may request reasonable modifications by contacting me. The University of Montana assures equal access to instruction through collaboration between students with disabilities, instructors, and Disability Services for Students (DSS). “Reasonable” means the University permits no fundamental alterations of academic standards or retroactive modifications. For more information, please consult http://life.umt.edu/dss/. The University of Montana assures equal access to instruction through collaboration between students with disabilities, instructors, and Disability Services for Students (DSS). If you think you may have a disability adversely affecting your academic performance, and you have not already registered with DSS, please contact DSS in Lommasson 154.1 will work with you and DSS to provide an appropriate accommodation. THEATER & DANCE POLICIES All Theatre & Dance students must have an in-depth knowledge of the practices and procedures outlined in the School of Theatre & Dance Student Handbook. The Handbook is available online at http://www.umt.edu/umarts/theatredance/About/handbook.php. There is inherent risk involved in many Theatre & Dance classes as they are very physical in nature. Please proceed through class, shop time, or rehearsal with caution. Always be mindful of your personal safety and the safety of others. Students participating in class/shop/rehearsal/performance do so at their own risk.* Due to safety considerations, at no point during a student’s time spent in class or serving on a production (in any capacity) should non-enrolled persons be guests of that student without my consent. Presence of such unauthorized persons in a class, shop, or any backstage/off-stage area will negatively affect a student’s grade. *(This course is an Online/Distance Learning based course. As a student taking a course with the School of Theatre & Dance you must be aware and abide by ALL of these policies. You may not be entering a classroom, studio, shop or rehearsal but if for some reason you are to visit Theatre & Dance’s buildings, such as while attending productions, please respect the code of conduct.) 

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THTR 101L.50: Introduction to Theatre

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