Introduction to Acting

To create performers who:

• acknowledge the craft of acting,
• demonstrate physical, vocal and mental comfort onstage,
• communicate with their director and fellow actors efficiently,
• use Robert Cohen’s GOTE technique to perform in a believable way, and
• understand the discipline and commitment required to be a professional actor.

• This is a performance class. This is also a creative class. Always arrive on time and be prepared to stay the entire time scheduled for the course. Remember, too, that participation is a part of your grade. If you are not here, you cannot participate. After your first absence, 5 points per absence will be deducted from you participation grade. If you are more than 15 minutes late or leave more than 15 minutes before the end of class, you will be counted absent for that day. Work, non-emergency medical and dental appointments, intramural games, and all other forms of personal engagements do not constitute an excused absence.
• All outside assignments are due on or before the assigned due date at the beginning of class. No late work will be accepted without prior approval or official documentation.
• It is the responsibility of the student to keep all graded assignments if a grade is questioned.
• Since acting is about communicating effectively with your audience, correct English and grammar are necessary for all assignments.
• Classroom etiquette: if you violate any of the following rules, you may be asked to leave and counted absent for the day.

• Turn off cell phones at the beginning of class.
• Expect and give respect to the work being done in class at all times.
• Do not talk while performance work is in progress.
• Do not enter or leave the classroom during performance work.
• Choose material for class study based on constructive content, not subject matter.

• Dishonest work on any assignment or exam will not be tolerated. Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s thoughts, words, ideas, or lines of argument in your own work without appropriate documentation. Disciplinary action will be taken if the instructor discovers dishonesty or cheating. The instructor reserves the right to drop any student engaging in academic dishonesty from this 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.
• 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 Disability Support Services (Room 168 of the Clark Student Center 397-4140) and the instructor must receive a memo on file from that office, along with a Special Accommodations Request form.
• Each student is expected to read and to adhere to the academic standards laid out in the online Student Handbook.

 Scene & Monologue Rehearsals and Performances
One monologue and three scenes will be rehearsed and performed as graded assignments throughout the semester. These are the most important grades for this class. In addition to a grade for each final performance, each project will include preliminary grades for memorization and preparedness. Think of the final performances as major exams. Without strong supporting documentation, missed scene performances cannot be made up.

 Participation
Since acting is learned by doing, I will record each time you participate during in-class demonstrations or exercises. This willingness to work will be reflected as part of your final grade. You are also required to rehearse outside of class time. These specific rehearsal times will be recorded by you and your scene partner in your acting journal and will be reflected as part of your final grade.

 Written Work
During the semester, you will have multiple homework assignments. You will turn in documents before each of your performed scenes. If you do not have your documents, you will not be allowed to perform. You will be responsible for keeping an actor’s journal this semester. Finally, you are required to attend both MSU productions (Sweeney Todd, Feb. 28-Mar. 3 & the 2012-2013 Festival of Student Produced One-Act Plays, Apr. 12-May 4) and turn in written critiques.

 Exams & Quizzes
There will be a mid-term exam and a final exam plus multiple quizzes covering lecture and in-class concepts, reading assignments and vocabulary during the semester. Quizzes will be administered at the instructor’s discretion during the first ten minutes of class and cannot be made up. Without strong supporting documentation, missed exams cannot be made up.

Monologue & Scenes....................................... 40%
- Lines-off check & Preliminary Run: 15%
- Final Performances: 25%

Participation.................................................. 20%
- In-class: 10%
- Recorded Rehearsal Time: 10%

Written Work.................................................. 25%
- Homework, Journals & Scene Paperwork: 10%
- Critiques 1 & 2: 15%

Exams........................................................... 10%

Quizzes............................................................ 5% 

This is a performance class. This is also a creative class. Always arrive on time and be prepared to stay the entire time scheduled for the course. Remember, too, that participation is a part of your grade. If you are not here, you cannot participate. After your first absence, 5 points per absence will be deducted from you participation grade. If you are more than 15 minutes late or leave more than 15 minutes before the end of class, you will be counted absent for that day. Work, non-emergency medical and dental appointments, intramural games, and all other forms of personal engagements do not constitute an excused absence.

Excerpts from the Theatre Student Handbook, 11^th ed. pp. 4-5:

• No smoking, eating, or drinking will take place in the main theatre auditorium or studio theatre at any time.
• The Theatre Department wing of the Lamar D. Fain Fine Arts Center is without doubt one of the most beautiful, functional, and well-equipped theatre facilities in the world. We maintain the building by picking up after ourselves and by using the facility and equipment carefully.
• The greenroom will be checked continually; any and all items (shoes, coats, purses, books, etc.) left lying around will be disposed of.
• An ensemble feeling and genuine esprit de corps are essential for theatre as an art. While differences of opinion and open-minded discussion can lead to better solutions and better productions, bickering, bossing, blaming, complaining, and name-calling are always counterproductive. We must work together, for none of us can do it alone.
• The Department of Theatre will in no way be responsible for theft or loss of personal property. There are small lockers available for your use underneath the large worktables in the scene shop. The students using the lockers will supply locks.
• Any props, furniture, costumes, or sound equipment checked out for classroom work must be returned to proper areas, or a hold will be placed on the borrower’s grades and an “F” will be assigned for Rehearsal and Production (or in this case, acting class).