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Advanced Drama

Course Outline 08/09 

2 Weeks: Ensemble Building and Review

  • Theatre Terminology
  • Stage Geography
  • Types of Theatres and Stages
  • Quiz

3 Weeks: Voice & Movement

  • Creating a character: CROW
  • Vocal Control & Variety
  • Movement and Space
  • Mini Scene or Monologue

3 Weeks: The Greeks

  • Origins of Theatre
  • Aristotle's Poetics
  • Tragic Hero, Catharsis, The Greek Chorus
  • Oedipus The King, understanding Greek Tragedy
  • Quiz, Greek Chorus Presentation

3 Weeks: Commedia Dell' Arte

  • Characters and Masks
  • Lazzi: Character & Ensemble Study
  • Influences on Modern Theatre & TV: Stock characters & Lazzi
  • Overview of Theatre History (Rome-Realism)
  • Quiz

1 Week: Contest Drama

3 Weeks:  Bertold Brecht

  • Epic Theatre
  • Three Penny Opera, Caucasian Chalk Circle, Mother Courage
  • Scene performances of Brechtian Works
  • Quiz

3 Weeks: Farce & Satire

  • Plot devices: dues ex machine, innuendo, mistaken identity, slapstick
  • British & US Examples: Wilde, Shakespeare, Simon, Coward
  • Influences on Modern Theatre & TV
  • Farcical/Satirical Scene Presentation
  • Quiz

Second Semester

3 ½  Weeks: Character and Scene Study

  • CROW (Character, Relationship, Objective, Where)
  • Script Analysis: Beats, Subtext & Interior Monologue
  • Open Scenes

2 ½ Weeks: Festival Prep & Rehearsal

  • Festival Showcase
  • Fullerton Festival

4 Weeks: Directing

  • Roles & Responsibilities
  • Student Directed Scenes

6 Weeks: Dinner Theatre (Murder Mystery or One-Acts)

  • Character & Script Analysis
  • Rehearsals
  • Production & Performance

2 Weeks: Improvisational Theatre