Thea 35: INTRO TO ACTING & DIRECTING
Rosemary McLaughlin, Instructor Spring 1999
Office: Commons 110; 408-3678; Email rmclaugh
Office Hours Tue
Rehearsal
Priority hours in Studio
You must sign up ahead of time and arrange ahead of time to get door unlocked.
THEA 35 provides a basic approach to the practical and aesthetic
aspects of acting and directing, from preparation through rehearsal and
performance. It is designed to encourage and support the collaborative nature
of the art as well as the explorations and discoveries of the individual
artist.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
-Aristotle on a bulletin board in
REQUIRED TEXTS: The Presence of the Actor,
Joseph Chaikin; The Director's Vision, Louis Catron;
A Sense of Direction, William Ball; Sunday New York Times Arts &
Entertainment section; available online, free subscription.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1. Four Acting and Two Directing Assignments, to be prepared and rehearsed
outside of class. Scenes must be presented on the assigned date. NO EXCEPTIONS.
2. Three Reaction Papers: Read, report on and discuss Presence of the Actor,
The Director's Vision and A Sense of Direction.
3. Written analysis as DIRECTOR of Round I scene.
4. Written analysis as DIRECTOR of Round II scene.
5. DIRECTOR Reaction paper, due class following scene.
6. Analysis as ACTOR of your choice of one of your two Round II
characters, due date of presentation.
7. Attend all DUDS shows and discuss acting/directing in class.
8. It is expected that all students will participate fully in every class,
arriving promptly and full of energy. As an actor your body is your instrument.
Treat it well. Come to class, to quote John Lahr, prepared to "Astonish
me."
NB: Full schedule will be provided on Tuesday, with Round One scenes and partners selected.
FOR TUE.: Prepare 2-minute contemporary monologue.
The art of acting consists in keeping people from coughing.
-Sir. Ralph Richardson
THUR.
1/28 INTRO
ASSIGNMENT: Read Sunday NY Times Arts & Entertainment
Theatre articles; This is an ongoing assignment.
Find Monologue & begin
practicing; bring to each class. Memorize for Tue. 2/9
TUE. 2/2 Do
Monologues; Dramatic Structure; Personal
objectives/wants;
ASSIGNMENT: For Thur. Read Ball on OBJECTIVES; begin
reading Chaikin
PRESENCE OF THE ACTOR;
THUR.
2/4 Discuss
Ball/OBJECTIVES; Explore physical space; How to
analyze a scene; Round One Directing Assignments assigned; DIRECTOR’S
ANALYSIS Round One DUE TUE. 2/9.
TUE. 2/9 Hand in
Written Director’s Analysis; Memorized Monologues;
Approaching directing/Approaching Acting; ASSIGNMENT:
Rehearse!
THUR.
2/11 REHEARSE!
OK to sign up to use classroom space;
ASSIGNMENT: Finish Chaikin book; Write 3-4 page
Reaction Paper. Start
Reading the following chapters of Catron’s THE
DIRECTOR’S VISION: Ch. 1
Developing Vision; Ch. 2 Director’s Functions &
Responsibilities; Ch. 3 Intro to
Play Analysis; Ch 4 Plot; Ch 5 Character; Ch 14 & Ch 15 Working with
Actors;
Ch. 17 & 18 Blocking
Round One Scenes Revised 2/9/99
Please note various re-arrangements, sex
changes, etc. Sorry for the
inconvenience, but when someone has to drop out, everything shifts.
TUE. 2/16 ILANA; 1; MATT
& BILL; BROOKE; 2; MANSOOR & JESSICA
Discuss CHAIKIN book & hand in Reaction Paper.
THUR 2/18 DAVID 1 JAMES
& BRAD
Ilana & Brooke hand in Director’s Reaction to Round 1 Scene
TUE 2/23 ROB 1
MANSOOR & ILANA; HEATHER 2
DANIEL & UTA
Discuss NY Times
THUR 2/25 CESAR 1 BROOKE & DAVID; UTA 2 ROB
& JESSICA
Discuss Catron Ch 1, 2, 3,4
TUE 3/2 ***BRAD 1DANIEL &
***ILANA; ***BILL 2 HEATHER & CESAR
Round 2 Scene assignments given out.
THUR 3/4 JESSICA 1; DAVID & HEATHER;
JAMES 2 MATT & BILL
Discuss Catron
==========================================================
TUE 3/9 ***MANSOOR 2 CESAR &
UTA*** DANIEL 1 JAMES & BROOKE;
MATT 2 BRAD & ROB
Hand in Catron paper
REVISED SYLLABUS
THUR 3/11 MANSOOR, ROB, JESSICA’S Round I scenes
Hand in Round 2 Director Analysis & Have a GREAT BREAK!
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SPRING BREAK: 3/16 3/18
====================================================================
TUE 3/23 Voice work; be sure to have Classical Monologue.
THUR 3/25 Voice & Body work; Have Classical
Monologue memorized for this class.
=====================================================
TUE 3/30 Discuss William Ball book— No
paper necessary!
Bring Costume pieces for improv &
movement work.
16. THUR 4/1 ROUND TWO SCENES BEGIN
ILANA Heidi Chronicles w/Brooke & Brad
=======================
17. TUE 4/6 DAVID
Voices Carry w/Dan & Matt
18. THUR 4/8 UTA Mrs. Klein
w/Ilana & Heather
========================
19. TUE 4/13 BROOKE Top
Girls w/ Uta & Heather
CESAR American Buffalo w/Bill & David
20. THUR 4/15 JESSICA The Dance and the Railroad w/Rob &
Brad
ROB Man of Destiny w/Mansoor &
Dan
=============================
21. TUE 4/20 BILL The Odd Couple w/Cesar & Rob
HEATHER Horsefeathers w/Ilana & Uta
22. THUR 4/22 JAMES The
BRAD House of Corrections w/Cesar & David
===========================
23. TUE 4/27 MANSOOR Mooncussers w/James & Brooke
24. THUR 4/29 MATT Hello, Goodbye, w/Jess & Bill
===========================
25. TUE 5/4 COMPLETE Round II Scenes
DANIEL Bloodknot w/James & Mansoor
26. THUR 5/6 LAST DAY; Closing Party; Talent Show???
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ROUND ONE DIRECTING ASSIGNMENT
You will be assigned to direct one of the following scripts. The production
must be realized as fully as possible, given the limitations of the studio
space. All action, activity, behavior and emotion must be realistic and
believable. Use of props is encouraged; mime is not. Use the entire script
AS WRITTEN-- no changes, no cuts, no additions.
Make sure the situation, characters, setting, mood, given circumstances and all
the details of your scene are as specific as possible.
SCRIPT A
CHRIS How do you do this?
PAT I just got here.
CHRIS Hand me the thing
PAT My feet are still cold.
CHRIS I'd like to get out of here sometime soon.
PAT Is there a towel handy?
CHRIS You said you were going to bring the thing.
PAT What thing?
CHRIS You're doing it again.
PAT I always do.
CHRIS I could be in Montreal by now.
PAT With me?
CHRIS With you?
PAT I'll bring the car around.
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