Theatre
In the classroom and in production, theatre faculty and staff develop nurturing relationships with our students and give them personal, individualized attention in ways not possible in a large university. Students here don’t have to wait until their third or fourth year to get that big role in a play, or to have an opportunity to sit behind a modern light or sound board. Our academic offerings in theatre include a theatre minor and two interdisciplinary concentrations: theatre and performing arts. Each concentration is 24 credit hours. Under the interdisciplinary degree plan, students select two concentrations. They may choose to combine theatre and performing arts concentrations together in their interdisciplinary degree program, or they may elect to pair one of them with any other concentration of their choosing. Students who elect theatre and performing arts concentrations are well equipped for graduate school, conservatory, or professional training in theatre.
Theatre and Performing Arts (Interdisciplinary Studies Concentrations) 24 HOURS
Students who wish to study theatre may select a BA of BS in interdisciplinary studies which allows students to select two areas of study from several degree concentrations with emphases in liberal arts and sciences. The interdisciplinary core is designed to help students develop a philosophical foundation which will be useful in understanding, comparing, and integrating different disciplines of study and different aspects of the human experience. Students may select a concentration in “theatre” and/or “performing arts.” Students who wish to pursue a career in theatre should select both theatre and performing arts.
Theatre Concentration 24 Hours
No more than 3 hours from the following:
THE 1011 Stagecraft
THE 1021 Theatre Workshop
THE 1031 Ensemble Acting (Pied Pipers)
THE 1041 Theatre Practicum
Choose six from:
THE 1103 Acting I
THE 1113 Movement and Dance
THE 2103 Acting II
THE 2113 Technical Theatre
THE 3113 Theatre for Young Audiences
THE 3213 Dramaturgy
THE 3303 History of Western Theatre
THE 3313 Oral Interpretation of Literature
THE 3603 Dramatic Criticism
THE 4113 Directing
THE 4143 Theatre and Religion
Choose one:
THE 4813 Senior Writing Project
THE 4893 Internship
Performing Arts Concentration 24 Hours
MUS 1213 Theory I
MUS 1223 Theory II
MUE 3423 Production of the School Musical
Choose one from:
MUE 3403 Conducting
MUE 3603 Technology in Music
MUS 3313 History of Western Music I
MUS 3323 History of Western Music II
MUS 3333 World Music
MUS 3343 Music in America
THE 1103 Acting I
THE 1113 Movement and Dance
THE 2103 Acting II
Choose one from:
THE 3213 Dramaturgy
THE 3303 History of Western Theatre
THE 3313 Oral Interpretation of Literature
THE 3603 Dramatic Criticism
THE 4113 Directing
Find more details regarding the Interdisciplinary degree plan here.
Theatre Minor (BA or BS) 18 Hours
No more than 3 total hours in any combination from the following:
THE 1011 Stagecraft
THE 1021 Theatre Workshop
THE 1031 Ensemble Acting (Pied Pipers)
15 hours from these additional courses:
THE 1103 Beginning Acting
THE 2113 Technical Theatre
THE 3113 Theatre for Young Audiences
THE 3213 Dramaturgy
THE 3303 History of Western Theatre
THE 3313 Oral Interpretation of Literature
THE 3603 Dramatic Criticism
THE 4113 Directing
THE 4143 Theatre and Religion
THE 4813 Senior Writing Project
THE 4893 Internship
Theatre Course Descriptions:
THE 1011 Stagecraft
Technical theatre laboratory experience. Assigns students to technical role in a Rochester College theatre production: lighting, makeup, costumes, props, or set construction. Assignments based on experience and/or interest and job availability.
May require up to 75 hours of work.
THE 1021 Performance Workshop
Laboratory experience/credit for performing in a Rochester College theatre
production. Selection for roles is based on audition. PR: PI.
THE 1031 Ensemble Acting
Theory and practice in the dynamics of group performance. Requires membership
in Pied Pipers. PR: PI.
THE 1041 Theatre Practicum
Laboratory experience/credit for the following roles in a Rochester College theatre
production: Assistant director, assistant technical director, stage manager,
assistant stage manager, designer, dramaturge, or house manager. PR: PI.
THE 1103 Acting I
An introduction to acting including theory and application involving voice, movement,
improvisation, script analysis, and scene studies.
THE 1113 Movement & Dance
An introduction to movement for the actor and an overview of dance styles. Emphasis
is on preparation for roles in musical theatre.
THE 2103 Acting II
Continuation of the work begun in Acting I. Physical, vocal, and emotional
approaches to a characterization for a variety of roles in the theatre. PR. THE 1103
or PI.
THE 2113 Technical Theatre
Basic principles of stage design, set construction, lighting, properties, costumes,
and makeup in relation to the production concept of a particular genre. Laboratory
experience in Rochester College theatrical production.
THE 3113 Theatre for Young Audiences
Explores cognitive and emotional characteristics of young audiences and age appropriate
dramatic material. Exposes variations of dramatic literature for child
and adolescent audiences. Discusses performance of literature adaptation as well
as text creation from improvised scenes. PR: ENG 1123.
THE 3213 Dramatugy
A study of the practice of dramaturgy, the process of transforming a dramatic text
into a performance piece. Students will create dramaturgical plans or “protocols” for
campus productions as well as for selected classical texts.
THE 3303 History of Western Theatre
A survey of major historical periods of the theatre from Greeks to the present.
THE 3313 Oral Interpretation of Literature
Instruction in analysis and performance of literary genre. Includes oral
interpretation of forms such as poetry, scripture, prose, children’s literature, and
drama. PR: COM 1013.
THE 3603 Dramatic Criticism
Critical writing approaches used to analyze both theatre performance and dramatic
literature.
THE 4113 Directing
Process of play direction from production concept to performance. Includes written
play analyses, conducting auditions, casting, rehearsing, and working with
technical staff. Students required to direct scenes or one-act plays, possibly in
conjunction with a campus theatre production. PR: One of the following – THE
1103, 2103, 2113, 3213, 3303, or 3603.
THE 4143 Theatre and Religion
Surveys the historical relationship between theatre and religion including pagan
worship, liturgical presentations, and mystery plays. Discusses current conflicting
views regarding the role of theatre in the 21st century church, including drama in
evangelism (and in the teaching of children), and Christian participation in secular
theatre. PR: Any THE course.
THE 4813 Senior Project in Theatre
Preparation of a major creative or research project in an area of the student’s
interest. PR: Senior status and Theatre or Performing Arts IDS Concentration.
THE 4893 Theatre Internship
Supervised field experience in theatre context with application of theoretical
knowledge. Includes outside reading and a written report. PR: Junior status.