Major
Minor

PROGRAM COORDINATOR: JAMES R. MILLER
FACULTY: Hanssen, Hasekoester, Hooker, McIntyre, Soare
 

The Bachelor of Fine Arts curriculum in Theatre can be varied to allow an emphasis in performance - with music and dance or radio and television, scenic or costume design, or theatre technology.

All Theatre majors are required to be registered for THR 114 or 314 for six semesters. Musical Theatre majors with a theatre emphasis are required to register for four semesters hours of production crew. Musical Theatre majors with a dance or music emphasis are required to register for two hours of production crew. These semester hours do not reduce the requirements for 3-hour courses necessary for the major.

Any Theatre course will satisfy a fine arts requirement except the one-hour workshop course. Three one-hour workshops may not be combined as a block to satisfy this requirement.
Theatre Minor. A minor in Theatre will usually consist of the following courses: THR 160, 161, 164, 230, 231, 268, 460, 466 and three hours of THR 114 or 314.
University Theatre: Auditions for productions are open to all students. The Theatre operates in conjunction with Theatre Workshop for which one hour of credit per semester may be received.

THEATRE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
THR 114 THEATRE WORKSHOP. One semester hour of credit may be received per semester for work done in this practical workshop consisting of actual work on productions. May be repeated for credit. Credit 1.
THR 160 TECHNICAL THEATRE I. An introduction to technical practices in set construction, basic drafting, and the building of stage properties. Students are required to participate as a crew member in productions during the semester in which they are enrolled in the course. Credit 3.
THR 161 TECHNICAL THEATRE II. A study of the basic techniques of theatre lighting. Students are required to participate as a crew member in productions during the semester in which they are enrolled in the course. Credit 3.
THR 164 ACTING I. [DRAM 1351] A study of basic techniques in body and voice as they are applied to the performance of stage tasks by the actor. Credit 3.
THR 166 THEATRE APPRECIATION. [DRAM 1310] An analysis of the theatrical experience for the viewer and of the various forms it takes. Examination of theatre’s relation to the broad contemporary scene and its relation to past eras. Examination of the production elements necessary to provide the theatrical experience. Credit 3.
THR 230 STAGE MAKE-UP. [DRAM 1341] A survey of the reasons for stage make-up and the types of make-up available. Principles of designing make-up for characters in a play. Intensive practical application. Credit 3.
THR 231 THEATRE SPEECH I. Beginning training in the release of the voice for effective communication. Work on breathing, projection, placement, articulation, resonance, and quality. Credit 3.
THR 232 THEATRE SPEECH II. Advanced training in application of appropriate vocal techniques to produce optimum control of quality, projection, and precision in diction. Ultimately the application is in fusing technique with the actor’s interpretation of roles. Prerequisites: SCM 162 or THR 231, 164, or consent of the instructor. Credit 3.
THR 235 TECHNICAL THEATRE III. A study of the basic techniques of costuming. Students are required to participate as a crew member in productions during the semester in which they are enrolled in the course. Credit 3.
THR 265 STAGE AND THEATRE MANAGEMENT. Study of theatre management with focus on organizational and technical responsibilities of the stage manager as well as the public relations responsibility of the production team and the theatre manager. Credit 3.
THR 268 ACTING II. A concentration on the techniques of freeing the body, body language, and movement in the development of the actor. Prerequisite: THR 164 or consent of instructor. Credit 3.
THR 314 THEATRE WORKSHOP. Practical workshop consisting of actual play rehearsal and production. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. May be repeated for credit. Credit 1.
THR 330 ADVANCED STAGE MAKE-UP. Investigation of and experimentation with three-dimensional make-up constructions to provide drastic alteration of the actor’s face for stage, film, and television. Prerequisite:THR 230 or consent of the instructor. Credit 3.
THR 334 STAGE COSTUME DESIGN. A survey of historical costume; contrast of general clothing with stage costume; and consideration of all elements involved in designing costumes for an entire production. Students must work on one costume crew for a theatrical production as a laboratory. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. Credit 3.
THR 335 COSTUME CONSTRUCTION. Cutting and construction techniques for period costumes and underpropping (bodices, skirts, corsets, panniers, bustles, crinolines, and 18th and 19th century men’s coats). Prerequisites: THR 334, 337 and work on at least one costume crew or consent of the instructor. Credit 3.
THR 337 HISTORY OF COSTUME. A survey of historical costumes and accessories by periods from ancient Egypt to the present day; contrast of general clothing with stage costumes. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor. Credit 3.
THR 360 HISTORY OF THE THEATRE I. A survey of the origins of the theatre, with major concentration thereafter centered upon the development of the western theatre from the Greeks to the Renaissance. Credit 3.
THR 361 HISTORY OF THE THEATRE II. A continuation of THR 360, covering the period from the Renaissance to the twentieth century. Credit 3.
THR 369 ACTING III. Detailed study of action and characterization through scene study, research, and self-use, utilizing interior and exterior methods to develop a working method for each actor. Prerequisite: THR 164, 268 or consent of instructor. Credit 3.
THR 370 ACTING IV. Advanced scene study with concentration on textual analysis, structure, diction, and rhythm of the script. Prerequisite: 9 hours of acting courses or consent of instructor. Credit 3.
THR 430 SCENE DESIGN. Elements of scene design that are used to capture the mood, atmosphere, and idea of a play. Students will be extensively involved in sketching, perspective drawing, and creating designs to scale. Prerequisites: THR 160, junior standing, or consent of the instructor. Credit 3.
THR 431 ACTING FOR THE CAMERA. An intensive and practical study of the special techniques of acting for film and television; extensive scene work in front of the camera. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor. Credit 3.
THR 432 AUDITIONING FOR THE COMMERCIAL THEATRE. The preparation of audition materials which suit the variety of demands in the commercial world of theatre, musical theatre, cinema, and television. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor. Credit 3.
THR 433 PERIOD ACTING STYLES. Scripts, manners, customs, and movement characteristics of Greek, Elizabethan, Jacobean and Restoration periods will be studied through scenes from plays of those times. Credit 3.
THR 460 HISTORY OF THE THEATRE III. Innovations of the twentieth century theatre, with concentration on events and developments since World War II. Credit 3.
THR 461 STAGE LIGHTING. The study of lighting design as an art; the history of stage lighting and a study of contemporary stage lighting techniques, practices, and equipment. Students must work one light crew for a theatrical production as a laboratory.
Credit 3.
THR 462 PLAYWRITING. A study of the elements of playwriting through writing exercises designed to enhance the understanding of structure, style, character and dialogue. Prerequisite: Junior standing or consent of instructor. Credit 3.
THR 463 DRAMATIC THEORY AND CRITICISM. A study of the principles of various styles and periods of dramaturgy, involving a history of criticism from Aristotle to the present. Representative plays will be analyzed for theme, structure, characterization and dialogue with a view to their influences on contemporary theatre. Emphasis is placed on written student criticism and evaluation of plays. Credit 3.
THR 465 PRACTICUM IN ADVANCED THEATRE DESIGN. A course in advanced rendering and design to prepare the costume, scenery, or lighting design student for the competitive marketplace. Prerequisite: two of the following design courses: THR 334, 430, or 461; consent of instructor. Credit 3. 7
THR 466:467 PLAY DIRECTING. Fundamental theories and elements of play directing; director’s consideration of style, type of play, and mood; individual and group exercises are stressed. There is actual direction of short scenes, which increase in length and complexity during the year. Prerequisite: Junior standing. Credit 3 each.
THR 468 EXPERIMENTAL THEATRE PRODUCTION. Analysis of plays that depart from the realistic genre and examination of new production possibilities arising out of developments in theatre technology that will complement the experiments of the playwrights. Application of theory in laboratory productions. Credit 3.
THR 469 DIALECTS AND ACCENTS FOR THE THEATRE. Emphasis is placed upon the regional dialects of the United States and Great Britain and upon the accents which characterize English as spoken by the natives of the various European countries. Intensive practical application in rehearsing appropriate scenes from plays. Prerequisite: THR 164, 268, 369 or consent of the instructor. Credit 3.
THR 471 THE AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE. The history of the development of musical theatre (excluding opera) in America. Emphasis is placed on written student criticism and evaluation of musical theatre. Credit 3.
THR 475 SCENE PAINTING. Hands-on projects develop technical information in creating illusionistic environments for theatrical productions. Credit 3.
THR 487 WORKSHOP IN CHILDREN’S CREATIVE DRAMATICS. Fundamental theories and elements of creative drama, with emphasis in developing and guiding creative drama activities such as storytelling, improvisation, rhythmic and interpretative movement, puppetry, theatre in education techniques and pantomime. The course is designed for teachers grades K-12. Credit 3.
THR 489 REPERTORY THEATRE. A unified approach to theatre, contrasted with the compartmentalized division of labor used more frequently, allowing the self-contained group to do all of the production work as well as the acting. May be repeated for credit. Offered in summer terms. Credit 3.
THR 492 UNDERGRADUATE SEMINAR IN DRAMA. A course for the undergraduate student which will allow a student to pursue particular problems beyond the limits of current course offerings. The problem, however, will be within the student’s area of specialization. Prerequisite: Permission of the Program Coordinator. May be repeated for credit. Credit 3.

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