To identify and begin to develop the knowledge and skills necessary for successful directing. [Related departmental learning outcome: theoretical/conceptual knowledge and application]
To investigate and experience the role of the director in the theatrical process. [Related departmental learning outcome: professionalism]
To identify the dimensions of theatrical style and to consider how they translate into directorial choices. [Related departmental learning outcome: theoretical/conceptual knowledge and application]
To consider the artistic, economic, social, and ethical issues involved in choosing and interpreting a play for production. [Related departmental learning outcome: professionalism]
To define a variety of methods of play analysis and to consider how each contributes to the question “What is this play really about?” [Related departmental learning outcome: theoretical/conceptual knowledge and application]
To sense, analyze, and help actors communicate a play’s dynamics implicit in the playwright’s intention and the characters’ superintentions, intentions/relacoms, obstacles, tactics, and expectations. [Related departmental learning outcome: theoretical/conceptual knowledge and application]
To sense and help actors communicate a play’s rhythms, its high’s and low’s, its loud’s and soft’s, its “moments,” and its tonalities. [Related departmental learning outcome: theoretical/conceptual knowledge and application]
To develop a working comprehension of the basic tools for directing actors: blocking, pacing, physicalization, movement, business, vocal delivery, organic composition, and picturization. [Related departmental learning outcome: theoretical/conceptual knowledge and application]
To define “concept” and to begin to explore what is involved in establishing a conceptual throughline for a play. [Related departmental learning outcomes: (1) theoretical/conceptual knowledge and application and (2) professionalism]
To adopt a professional, collaborative working style in carrying out directing exercises. [Related departmental learning outcomes: (1) professionalism and (2) employability]
To begin to develop an effective, individual directing style. [Related departmental learning outcomes: (1) professionalism and (2) employability]
Required Texts and Script
Jim Patterson, Stage Directing: The First Experience (Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press, 2008).
Frank Hauser and Russell Reich, Notes on Directing: 130 Lessons in Leadership from the Director’s Chair (New York: Walker and Company, 2003)
David Auburn, Proof (New York: Dramatists Play Service, 2000)
Supplementary Readings
Supplementary readings will be provided from Stuart Vaughan’s Directing Plays: A Working Professional’s Method (New York: Longman Publishing Group, 1993)
Other Requirements:
Thorough reading, re-reading, and analysis of scripts from which scenes to be directed are drawn.
A panel presentation on an assigned topic—for example, the emergence of the modern director, direction involving psychological realism, direction involving unrealistic styles, directing in the postmodern theatre, a leading contemporary director.
Students are required to attend, or participate in, the MSU Theatre’s fall productions:
Students are also encouraged to attend the Winspear Opera House’s production of WarHorse (book by Michael Morpurgo, stage adaptation by Nick Stafford, September 12-23) and the Dallas Theatre Center’s production of Chad Deity by Kristoffer Diaz (October 19 through November 11) at the Wyly Theatre.
Graded Assignments
There will be several short written assignments and occasional quizzes.
Two tests covering class discussions and experiences, as well as textbook assignments, will be administered.
Each student will participate in a 20-minute panel presentation on an assigned topic.
A paper will be required reacting to the MSU Theatre’s production of Almost, Maine.
Each student will direct two scenes, the first 3-5 minutes long, the second 3-4 minutes long. The first scene will be drawn from a play studied in class. The second scene will be chosen by the student director with the approval of the instructor. Neither scene should require more than two or three actors, preferably two. The individual directors will be responsible for casting their scenes. If actors are drawn from the class, no class member should be required to perform in more than one scene per round. Because of time constraints, auditions for the scenes will not be held unless a student director elects to arrange private readings. Each scene should be done with workable props and costume items necessary for character development. The props and costumes used need not be authentic, and sound and lighting effects need not be used. Makeup will not be used for the scenes. The goal is to keep the emphasis on directing and performance and to avoid getting carried away with technical concerns. Both scenes should be staged for a proscenium stage environment. For each scene, the director should prepare, both as a tool for rehearsal and as an assignment to be evaluated, an analysis and promptscript including the following:
I. FIRST SECTION OF PROMPTBOOK: The playwright and the play
A. Notes on the playwright
1. Dates
2. Background
3. Extent and nature of writing
4. Playwright’s thematic concerns in general and themes explored in the play
5. Playwright’s intention in writing the play (spine of the play)
6. Dramatic style (realism, expressionism, symbolism, surrealism, absurdism, eclecticism)
NOTE: Information taken from the Internet is acceptable, but the student
director should mark it to indicate points that “speak” to the work being
rehearsed and make notes that show that the information has been imbibed
and processed. SIMPLY COPYING INFORMATION AND INSERTING IT INTO THE
PROMPTBOOK IS UNACCEPTABLE.
B. Notes on play as related to the scene.
1. Synopsis putting the scene in perspective and illuminating its importance and function in the play
whole.
2. Images (scripted and/or directorial)
3. Description and analysis of characters in the scene
a. Physical characteristics (dress, appearance, grooming, carriage, movement, gesture, mannerisms)
b. Psychological characteristics (introvert/extrovert, intelligence, philosophy of life, likes, dislikes, aspirations, fears, phobias)
c. Social characteristics (feelings toward, and interactions with, other characters)
e. Intentions (for the scene being directed)
f. Obstacles faced by the characters
g. Tactics employed by the characters in the scene in attempting to realize their intentions (tactics should also be noted at appropriate points in the script, i.e. the beats)
h. Answering of Uta Hagen’s “Nine Questions” for each character in the scene: (1) Who am I?, (2) What time is it?, (3) Where am I?, (4) What surrounds me?, (5) What are the given circumstances?, (6) What is my relationship?, (7) What do I want?, (8) What is in my way?, (9) What do I do to get what I want?
C. Special performance problems within the scene and ideas for solving
them
II. SECOND SECTION OF PROMPTBOOK: Technical aspects
A. Props list denoting careful and accurate placement of props for performance
B. Sound effects notes, if necessary (generally, none need be used)
C. Costume notes for each character (sketches are most helpful)
D. Scaled ground plan of set on ¼” graph paper with explanatory notes (the
ground plan for the first scene will be provided)
E. Special technical problems within the scene and ideas for surmounting
III. THIRD SECTION OF PROMPTBOOK: Rehearsal notes
A. Rehearsal schedule
B. Division of scene into beats with notes indicating tactics, obstacles,
subtexts, cutbacks, telescoping, hooks, argument enders, trail-offs,
builds, climaxes, transitions, discoveries, and moments
C. Blocking symbols and notes
D. Special interpretations
IV. FOURTH SECTION OF PROMPTBOOK: Diary
The student director should maintain a rehearsal diary. At the end of each rehearsal, he/she should record the date of the rehearsal. He/she should then write a few statements concerning problems he/she encountered, breakthroughs that were achieved, problems that remained unsolved, and things he/she learned about the process, the actors, or himself/herself. These observations can serve as springboards for class discussion or for an exchange of ideas when the instructor visits rehearsals.
Attendance/participation ................................................................................................. 100
0 misses = 100 points
1 miss = 95 points
2 misses = 85 points
3 misses = 75 points
4 misses = 60 points
5 misses = 40 points
More than 5 misses = 0 points
Quizzes and/or short written assignments........................................................................ 100
Test 1............................................................................................................................... 125
Test 2.. ............................................................................................................................ 125
Rehearsal schedule for Scene 1.......................................................................................... 25
Ground plan for second scene............................................................................................ 75..
Scene 1 (50 for analysis/promptscript, 100 for performance)............................................. 150
Scene 2 (75 for analysis/promptscript, 100 for performance)............................................. 175
Paper on MSU Theatre’s production of Almost Maine......................................................... 75
Panel Presentation............................................................................................................ 50
*Total 1000
Final grade: 895-1000 = A, 795-894 = B, 695-794 = C, 595-694 = D, 0-594 = F
Scale for grading daily work (grades assigned to nearest percentage point):
A (96-100%) B+ (87-89%) C+ (77-79%) D+ (67-69%)
A- (90-95%) B (83-86%) C (73-76%) D (63-66%)
B- (80-82%) C- (70-72%) D- (60-62%)
F (below 60%)
*Note: 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 of 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 scale outlined above.
(1) Students should follow the syllabus to keep track of assignments and should
take notes during lectures and discussions. Keeping up with reading and
notes is imperative to doing well on written assignments, quizzes, tests, and directing
projects.
(2) Attendance at class sessions is expected. Upon his/her fifth absence,
excused or not, the student may be dropped from the class by the instructor.
(3) The instructor will not be held responsible for recording attendance for a
tardy student. The instructor reserves the right to disallow counting a
student present who is extremely tardy.
(4) Make-up work may be given if—and only if:
(a) The student notifies the instructor before the missed class or presents a
doctor’s excuse upon returning, and
(b) The student takes responsibility for scheduling a make-up test (or other
missed graded assignment) with the instructor on the first day of return.
(5) All graded assignments should be submitted on or before the deadline. The
instructor reserves the right to reject late assignments. Grade deductions
will be applied to late assignments that are accepted
Student Rights and Responsibilities
PRIVACY:
Federal law prohibits the instructor from releasing information about students to parties outside of the university without the signed consent of the student. Thus, in almost all cases the instructor will not discuss a student’s academic progress or other matters with his/her parents.
ADAPTATIONS AND ACCOMMODATIONS:
If a student (1) needs course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, (2) has emergency medical information that needs sharing, or (3) requires special accommodations in case the building must be evacuated, he/she should make anappointment with the professor as soon as possible.
CONDUCT:
Classroom behavior that interferes with either the instructor’s ability to conduct the class or the ability of other students to profit from the instruction will result in the instructor’s removing the disruptive student(s) from the class.
SOCIAL JUSTICE:
Social justice is one of Midwestern State University’s stated core values, and the professor considers the classroom to be a place where students will be treated with respect as human beings, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, political beliefs, age, or ability. Moreover, diversity of thought is appreciated and encouraged, provided the student can agree to disagree. It is the professor’s expectation that ALL students be able to consider the classroom a safe environment.
PLAGIARISM:
Plagiarism is (1) the use of source material of other persons (either published or unpublished, including the Internet) without following the accepted techniques of giving credit or (2) the submission for credit of work not the individual’s to whom credit is given. If a student in the class is caught plagiarizing, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken. The Student Creed developed and adopted by the MSU Student Government reinforces the discouragement of plagiarism and other unethical behaviors. The first statement of the creed reads, “As an MSU student, I pledge not to lie, cheat, steal, or help anyone else to do so.” Plagiarism is lying, cheating, and stealing.
CELL PHONES AND COMPUTERS
The use of cell phones in any way during class is forbidden. The use of computers to take notes is permissible unless the student is tempted to take the opportunity to go online and “disconnect” from class activities and discussions.