T-Th 9:30am-10:50am
At the conclusion of the semester each student is expected to have a firm grasp on the basic terminology and theories associated with acting as outlined in the course. The student is also expected to be able to demonstrateand articulatetheir facility with the coursework through presentation of scenes and exercises in class.
Four focuses for study in Intro to Acting:
Focus 1:
-Moment to moment awareness -Self Observation
-Being Present and outward focus exercises
-Primary and secondary concentration
-Sensory involvement
-Object endowment
-Place
Focus 2:
-Given Circumstances
-Development of moment-to-moment/real-life concentrations
-Inner and Outer “objects”
-Inner Monologue
Focus 3:
-Particularization
-Research
-Substitution
-Personalization techniques to enhance givens
Focus 4:
-Objectives and Actions
-Super Objectives (Spine)
-“Scoring” a role
At the conclusion of the semester each student is expected to have a firm grasp on the basic terminology and theories associated with acting as outlined in the course. The student is also expected to be able to demonstrate and articulate their facility with the coursework through presentation of scenes and exercises in class.
-Moment to moment awareness
-Self Observation
Rehearsals:
Rehearsal outside of class will be required to fully develop the skills required for class. This is HOMEWORK!! I recommend spending at LEAST five hours a week outside of class, in a rehearsal room, working the week’s assignments. This may require you to schedule and reserve rehearsal rooms. It is your responsibility to work out a schedule with your scene partner that is mutually conducive. Be respectful of your classmates 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—However, if you are not rehearsing it will affect the grade of both students.
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. Each time the journal is turned in there should be a MINIMUMof one entry per week. An entry is to be of at least one page in length (150 words). These are the minimum requirements and will not necessarily constitute an “A” grade. Journal entries can range in topics: character analysis, research, response to reading, response to class exercises, personalization, etc. Please do not “vent”, pontificate on existence, or speculate about the meaning of life in your ACTING journal. Use the time for reflection, critical thinking, and planning out improvement in your performances. Journal grades are based on quality andquantity. Students are encouraged to write journal entries in addition to the minimum requirement of one per week.
Quizzes:
There may be quizzes given at random intervals during the semester to test students on their comprehension of the lecture materials, exercises, plays, or the textbook. These quizzes are in addition to any quizzes outlined in the syllabus.
Papers:
Each student will be expected to write one character analysis paper for each scene study he or she is in. The specific requirements of each paper will be given, in writing, on the day scenes partners are assigned.
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 accept late work at his discretion, but will penalize students 15 points per day on any late assignments.
Attendance is mandatory. There are NO unexcused 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 will affect the progression and dynamic of the rest of the class. You will receive a two-point grade deduction off of your final grade for your first absence. Each subsequent unexcused absence will deduct FIVE points from your final average. There are no exceptions to this policy.
Dress Code:
Due to the nature of the class work, 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. Be prepared for class, inappropriate clothing is not an excuse not to work. Remember participation is part of your grade. Please ask TODAY (DAY #1) if you have any questions regarding appropriate dress.
Participation and Conduct:
Students are expected to be on time to class everyday. Respect will be given to everyone at all times. If you are disrespectful to someone (especially during a presentation) the instructor reserves the right to ask you to leave the room and receive an absence for the day. You will be required to complete assignments on or before the due date. You must submit an official form before a university sponsored event for the absence to be excused.
In this class we will be performing in front of one another. It is the hope of the instructor that each student will carefully consider the content of their material before presenting any assignment to the class. The instructor will provide each student with guidelines for choosing/creating scenes. In a university environment, an environment in which all are encouraged to grow and develop to their ultimate potential, it is not beneficial to present material that is derogatory to an individual or a group of people because of race, ethnicity, religion, age, gender, or sexual orientation. For that reason, students should avoid anything that might be offensive to others in the classroom. There is a whole world of marvelous literature from which to choose-let us treat each other with the respect due to all persons.
Honesty is paramount. Dishonest work on homework and tests will not be tolerated. Expect disciplinary action to be sought in the event that the instructor discovers dishonesty or cheating. The instructor reserves the right to drop any student engaging in academic dishonesty from the course. Students dropped from the course by the instructor for failure to attend classes or for academic dishonesty may receive an F for the semester. By enrolling in this course, the student expressly grants MSU a “limited right” in all intellectual property created by the student for the purpose of this course. The “limited right” shall include but shall not be limited to the right to reproduce the student’s work product in order to verify originality and authenticity, and educational purposes.
Cell phone use in class is prohibited. If your cell phone goes off during a class you may be asked to leave the classroom and receive and absence for the day.
No texting; Again, you may be asked to leave the classroom. Please don’t make this an issue, just turn off the phone during our class. If other commitments are so pressing that they can not wait until the end of the class session, it may be in the student’s best interests to reconsider the priority placed on being this class. In any case, the instructor reserves the right to ask you to leave immediately or to embarrass you mercilessly if your phone/pager/beeper/ etc. makes noise during class.
Students with disabilities or special needs should see the instructor as early in the semester as possible. Please note that in order to qualify for consideration of special accommodations, the student must be registered with the MSU Office of Disability Services, and the instructor must receive a memo on file from that office, along with a Special Accommodations Request form.
Please note that work, non-emergency medical and dental appointments, intramural games, and all other forms of personal engagements do NOT constitute an excused absence.
Rehearsal outside of class will be required to fully develop the skills required for class. This is HOMEWORK!! I recommend spending at LEAST five hours a week outside of class, in a rehearsal room, working the week’s assignments. This may require you to schedule and reserve rehearsal rooms. It is your responsibility to work out a schedule with your scene partner that is mutually conducive. Be respectful of your classmates 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 cannot be resolved by the two of you, alert me ASAP. Each partner will be graded separately—However, if you are not rehearsing it will affect the grade of both students.