Advanced Acting

Course Details

Course Number: 3393 Section Number: 201

Spring 2011

Location: Fain Fine Arts Center

Classroom Number: Theatre Mainstage-B117

Days & Times:

Tuesday/Thursday-- 11am-12:20pm

Course Attachments

Class Schedule Tentative Class Schedule Adv. Acting 2011-20120327-143947.docx

Textbooks

MSU Faculty Member

Brandon Smith
view Profile »

Course Objectives

The course will work to develop specific strategies to deal with actor habits, framing scenes, and creating strong and dynamic acting choices. Actors will be expected to strengthen their skills by developing a repertoire for auditions, gaining comfort and skill related to working in front of a camera, and demonstrating proficiency in applying the theories of Scott Kaiser and David Hammond to Shakespearean texts. Tools like “orchestration”, scansion, marking speech measures, focal points, imaging, HHHG, and Laban Efforts, will also be incorporated into the “actor’s toolbox” as the semester progresses. The student is expected to be able to demonstrateand articulatetheir facility with the coursework through presentation of scenes, paperwork, and exercises in class.

Each student should spend a minimum of 4-6 hours rehearsing each week. NOTHING CAN REPLACE THIS REHEARSAL and students will be given plenty of time to prepare. PLEASE DO NOT resort to old methods of acting, tricks, assumptions of character, etc. This class is teaching a very specific set of tools for acting, you are expected to understand, be conversant, and apply these methods during the course of the semester.

All scene work should be from Shakespearean plays or modern realistic plays. Any exceptions to this rule should be cleared with me prior to your first rehearsal.

Course Expectations

Dress Code:

Due to the nature of the coursework, each student is expected to wear clothing that is appropriate for the exercises in class. Please wear something that is comfortable, allows you to move around, and that will not make you feel exposed. You may be asked to remove shoes if safety becomes an issue. Sweats, a tee-shirt, and tennis shoes will work for most students.

Be prepared for class. Students who make a habit of disregarding the dress-code will be asked to remove themselves from the classroom. Remember participation is part of your grade. Please ask TODAY (DAY #1) if you have any questions regarding appropriate dress.

Participation:

Each student must come to class Fully Preparedand ready to participate. You will be graded daily on your preparedness for class, as well as your willingness to participate in a positive and stimulating manner. Students will demonstrate this through participation in exercises, presentation of homework (of any kind), and articulate discussion that pertains to the course work.

Rehearsals:

Rehearsal outside of class will be required to develop the skills taught in this class. This is HOMEWORK!! I recommend spending at LEAST 4-6 hours a week outside of class, in a rehearsal room, working on the week’s assignments. This may require you to schedule and reserve rehearsal space. It is your responsibility to work out a schedule with your scene partner. Be respectful of your classmate’s schedule, their time is just as valuable as yours. Your scheduling problems are never a valid excuse for coming to class unprepared. If there is a problem with a fellow classmate’s unwillingness to rehearse that cannotbe resolved by the two of you, alert me ASAP. Each partner will be graded separately.

Journal:

Each student is expected to keep a detailed journal of his or her work for the class. The journals will be collected twice during the semester and graded. At the time of collection there should be a MINIMUMof one entry for each week of class passed. An entry is to be of at least one page in length (150 words). This journal may include character study, responses to reading, responses to lecture/exerciese, or response to rehearsals. What is listed is the minimumrequirement and will not necessarily constitute an “A” grade. Students are encouraged to write journal entries in addition to the minimum requirement.

Quizzes:

There will be quizzes given at random intervals during the semester to test students on their reading and understanding of concepts. There will be quizzes in addition to those outlined in the syllabus.

Papers:

Students will be expected to create a typed paper for each major role/project. The typed character study should include Uta’s nine questions along with any other pertinent information about the process the student followed. These papers should be a minimum of 800 words.

Final Exam:

The final exam will be a performance of scene-work and audition material.

Extra Credit:

There is NO EXTRA CREDIT.

Grading Standards

Grading Breakdown:(on a 1000 pt. Scale)

The Instructor reserves the right to adjust or cancel assignments as the course progresses. If, for some reason, assignments administered total somewhat more or fewer than 1,000 points, the method for obtaining the final grade will remain essentially the same: the total points achieved will be divided by the total points possible to obtain a percentage, and a grade will be assigned according to the percentage scale outlined below.

Assignments:

Homework, Participation		100 Points
Quizzes		150 Points
Journals		100 Points
Scene #1	“Your Best Work”	100 Points
Scene #2	Shakespeare	100 Points
Monologue #1	Shakespeare (2 monologues)	100 Points
Monologue #2	Mock Auditions	100 Points
Camera Work	Cold readings, Scene	100 Points
Final Scene		150 Points
	TOTAL	1000 Points

Grading Scale:

A= 90%-100%

B= 89%-80%

C=79%-70%

D=69%-60%

F= Below 60%

Final Exam5/10/2011 10:30am

Submission Format Policy

See above.

Note: You may not submit a paper for a grade in this class that already has been (or will be) submitted for a grade in another course, unless you obtain the explicit written permission of me and the other instructor involved in advance.

Late Paper Policy

Assignments will always be due at the beginning of class. Any assignment not turned in at the beginning of class will be considered late. Late work will not normally be accepted. The instructor reserves the right to accept late work at his discretion, but will penalize students a minimum of 15 points per day on any late assignments.

Plagiarism Policy Plagiarism is the use of someone else's thoughts, words, ideas, or lines of argument in your own work without appropriate documentation (a parenthetical citation at the end and a listing in "Works Cited")-whether you use that material in a quote, paraphrase, or summary. It is a theft of intellectual property and will not be tolerated, whether intentional or not.

Student Honor Creed

As an MSU Student, I pledge not to lie, cheat, steal, or help anyone else do so."

As students at MSU, we recognize that any great society must be composed of empowered, responsible citizens. We also recognize universities play an important role in helping mold these responsible citizens. We believe students themselves play an important part in developing responsible citizenship by maintaining a community where integrity and honorable character are the norm, not the exception. Thus, We, the Students of Midwestern State University, resolve to uphold the honor of the University by affirming our commitment to complete academic honesty. We resolve not only to be honest but also to hold our peers accountable for complete honesty in all university matters. We consider it dishonest to ask for, give, or receive help in examinations or quizzes, to use any unauthorized material in examinations, or to present, as one's own, work or ideas which are not entirely one's own. We recognize that any instructor has the right to expect that all student work is honest, original work. We accept and acknowledge that responsibility for lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty fundamentally rests within each individual student. We expect of ourselves academic integrity, personal professionalism, and ethical character. We appreciate steps taken by University officials to protect the honor of the University against any who would disgrace the MSU student body by violating the spirit of this creed. Written and adopted by the 2002-2003 MSU Student Senate.

Students with Disabilities The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Disability Support Services in Room 168 of the Clark Student Center, 397-4140.

Safe Zones Statement The professor considers this classroom to be a place where you will be treated with respect as a human being - regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, political beliefs, age, or ability. Additionally, diversity of thought is appreciated and encouraged, provided you can agree to disagree. It is the professor's expectation that ALL students consider the classroom a safe environment.

Contacting your Instructor All instructors in the Department have voicemail in their offices and MWSU e-mail addresses. Make sure you add your instructor's phone number and e-mail address to both email and cell phone lists of contacts.

Attendance Requirements

Attendance:

Attendance is MANDATORY!! There are NOunexcused absences. We have a substantial amount of material to cover and a limited amount of time. Each day we will be covering or presenting NEW material, and very often it is material that will require the assistance of a partner. Your absence willaffect the progression and dynamic of the rest of the class. You will receive a two-point grade deduction off of your final grade for each unexcused absence. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Punctuality:

Role will be taken at the beginning of each class. Each student is allowed ONE tardy (not to exceed 10 min) with no deduction during the semester. After the first tardy, if a student is not present at the time role is taken they are marked absent. No exceptions.

Writing Proficiency Requirement All students seeking a Bachelor's degree from Midwestern State University must satisfy a writing proficiency requirement once they've 1) passed English 1113 and English 1123 and 2) earned 60 hours. You may meet this requirement by passing either the Writing Proficiency Exam or English 2113. Please keep in mind that, once you've earned over 90 hours, you lose the opportunity to take the $25 exam and have no option but to enroll in the three-credit hour course. If you have any questions about the exam, visit the Writing Proficiency Office website at http://academics.mwsu.edu/wpr, or call 397-4131.