Theatre 533: Theatre Repertory III: Survey of representative theatre and drama since the rise of Realism. Shattering the Norm: expanding theatre beyond commercial Broadway/West End productions and interests MW 11:30 a.m. – 1:18 p.m. DR 2068
Instructor: Dr. Alan Woods, 1433
Woods.1@osu.edu
Office hours: M 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
T 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. and by appointment
The course will explore efforts – sometimes violent, sometimes subtle -- to expand the concept of “theatre” over the course of the twentieth century from a professional commercial entertainment industry to something capable of expressing artistic, political, social, and ethnic concerns. We will also survey the changing definition of reality in theatrical performance, through an exploration of performance conventions, theatrical texts, theories of acting and design, theatre architecture, and the shifting role of the audience.
1. To discover how the concept of the real has shifted over the past century or so.
2. To study the ways in which theatrical conventions adjust to shifts in hegemonic structures
3. To explore the ways in which the tensions between experimentation and commercialism both benefit and harm the role of theatrical art in society
4. To give students the opportunity to gain a richer comprehension of the interrelations among cultural, commercial, social, and political currents shaping the nature of theatrical performance.
All theatrical performance is a lie: the audience knows that it’s fictive; we know that the handsome man we see at
Course Requirements:
It is assumed that participants will complete readings as assigned; readings and due dates are listed on the course schedule below. Most readings can be found in the required texts; several additional readings will be available on the course’s Carmen site (www.carmen.osu.edu), which also has various other course materials. Each participant will submit short papers exploring the conventions at play in three radically differing theatrical experiences in central
Additional Course Guidelines:
All written work must be submitted in processed form or via e-mail. Handwritten work will not be accepted.
Texts:
Most plays are in William B. Worthen’s The Harcourt Brace Anthology of Drama; historical background is provided by assigned chapters from the Brockett and Hildy History of Theatre. General texts are available at the usual bookstores; additional copies are on reserve through the Ohio State University Libraries. Additional copies will be available in the reading room of the Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute, 14th floor of
Grading Scale:
Your grade will be based on a combination of the following:
Conventions in central
Research project oral presentation: 60 points
research project written report: 60 points
active participation in class sessions: 20 points
TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS: 200
Grading Points:
A 185 and above A- 180-184 B+ 174-179
B 166-173 B- 160-165 C+ 154-159
C 146-153 C- 140-145 D+ 130-139
D 120-129 E 119 and below
Class Schedule:
W 3/28 have read Henrik Ibsen: A Doll House 1879
M 4/2 have read Lottie Blair Parker: Way Down East 1898~; Brockett and Hildy Ch. 16
W 4/4 submit venue for Conventions Paper 1; have read Anton Chekhov: The Cherry Orchard 1904
W 4/11 submit venue for Conventions Paper 2; have read Eugene O’Neill: The Hairy Ape 1922
W 4/18 have read Ena Lamont Stewart: Men Should Weep 1947*
W 4/25 Research Topic proposal due; have read Harold Pinter: The Homecoming 1965
W 5/2 submit venue for Conventions Paper 3; have read Sam Shepard: True West 1980
W 5/9 have read Jack Davis: No Sugar 1985
M 5/14 have read Liz Lochhead: Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off 1987*
W 5/16 have read Timberlake Wertenbaker: Our Country’s Good 1988
M 5/21 have read
Research Reports; Research Format Proposal Due
W 5/23 have read Ken Weitzman: As If Body Loops 2007*; Research Reports
W 5/30 Summary and Conclusions;