Theatre 102 Play Analysis
Associate Professor Richard Kalinoski
Fall, 2009
8 AM to 9:30 AM Tuesdays and Thursdays
Arts and Communication W-18 moving to N. Halsey 270

“The Educated differ from the Uneducated as much as the living from the dead.”
Aristotle

Theatre as a part of the Liberal Arts

The liberal arts engage students in the study of the human condition by exploring the disciplines broadly defined by the sciences, the arts, culture, literature and history. THEATRE is a small component of these human endeavors but its reach is ambitious. Theatre has been historically dedicated to the act of imitating, replicating and representing our lives. In many ways it is the ultimate “liberal” art if one understands the word “liberal” to mean generous or broadly encompassing. In the Western world theatre evolved from religious practice and story telling….and was afforded a place of reverence and respect by early civilizations: The Greeks, the Romans, the Egyptians.

Theatre’s mandate is to explore any and all facets of our lives. It demands intellectual rigor and multifarious artistic inspiration because theatre is primarily interested in uncovering the truth about how we live. It is this search for truth that puts theatre into the very core of liberal pursuits. Theatre is a genuine liberal art.

Office Hours

Tuesday and Thursday 1:15 to 3 PM 218 ACW (arts communication west) and by appointment: 920 424 0937 e-mail: kalinosk@uwosh.edu

Student are encouraged to speak to me during office hours to discuss their progress in the course. The office hours are for you…you should make use of them.

Texts:

1.The COMPACT BEDFORD INTRODUCTION TO DRAMA, 6^TH EDITION published by Bedford/St. Martin’s Isbn-13: 978-0-312-47489-8; selected plays.

2.Two main stages plays: Picasso at the Lapin Agile by Steve Martin September 30 thru October 3 at 7:30 PM and October 4 at 2 PM in the Fredric March Theatre; A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, December 2 thru 5 at 7:30 PM and December 6 at 2:00 PM.

On play analysis in general : The act of reading plays is an act of the imagination—there is more to a play than what is suggested on the printed page. There is performance.

Performance of a play causes the play to come into its intended existence. Merely reading a play is always going to be insufficient for realizing the play’s potential. A script of a play is in some ways a plan for it. Not until actors motivate, move and speak the lines and actions of a play can a play be said to be realized. Our work in this class fortunately combines both reading plays and witnessing them. The plays presented by the theatre department this semester will be critical to our ANALYSIS of what a play is.

OBJECTIVES OF THE CLASS:

In simple language the most important objective of this class is to help students improve and increase their understanding of the way a play works. In educational terms this can be expressed as follows:

a. students will be able to articulate the meaning of plot, character, thought, spectacle, diction and music—the essential components of a play.

b. students will be able to write competently about the components of a performance of a play by attending two main stage productions, thinking about them, discussing them and completing an essay about them.

c. students will be able to demonstrate (by speaking and writing) an understanding of the implications of the interpreters of the playwright’s craft---actors, directors and designers.

GRADING:

The breakdown of grades in this class.

Note: particular emphasis is given to written responses to the plays you will see because performance is a key ingredient in the class.

GRADING of tests, quizzes and written responses.
TEST and QUIZZES:

A = 90-100
B = 80-89
C = 70-79
D = 59-69
F = 58 or less

ESSAY RESPONSES TO PLAYS:

You will earn a letter grade on your responses to the performed plays. The letter grade will be shaped by both your insights and the mechanics of your written communication with approximately 60% insights and 40% mechanics (spelling, proofreading, usage, diction etc.).

Attendance: This is an 8 AM class. A class which starts so early in the day is a challenge to some students. I urge you to accept the challenge and come on time. If you are ill don’t come to class. If you accrue more than 3 unexcused absences your entire grade will be lowered by one increment (an a turns into a b, a b turns into a c…..). Come to class.

THE SCHEDULE OF CLASS LEARNING :

September 10 Introduction to the class. Student profiles ( a set of questions).
Discussion of syllabus. Introduction to the text. No formal assignment yet.

September 15 Lecture on the nature of play analysis—the Aristotelean concept of a play; the component parts. Theatre in America today. Assignment: Read pages one thru 6 in Bedford text.

September 17 Discussion of Bedford reading assignment. Lecture and discussion regarding the viewing of a play. Reading a play as opposed to seeing a play.
Assignment: Pages 23 thru 29, intro.on Lady Gregory and her play, The Rising of the Moon.

September 22 No class. Students prepare 4 to 8 line speech for reading and explication.

September 24 QUIZ 1 on The Rising of the Moon (10 short questions). Discussion of
Lady Gregory and the The Rising of the Moon. Students will present their 4 to 8 line speech. Assignment: Pages 80 thru 87, Aristophanes and Lysistrata.

September 29 Reading from The Rising of the Moon in class. Discussion of Greeks and comedy. Discussion of Aristophanes. Reminder, September 30 thru October 4, see Picasso… Asssignment : 87 thru 95 in Lysistrata. Guidelines for responses handed out.
Responses due October 6, 2009.

October 1 Reading from Lysistrata—discussion of same. Assignment: read 95-103 in Lysistrata.

October 6 Collect responses to Picasso…Discussion of Picasso…production. Reading from Lysistrata. Assignment: review Lysistrata.

October 8 Reading Lysistrata in class. Assignment: Read pages 167 thru 175—notes and first act of Midsummer Night’s Dream.

October 13 Quiz 2 on Lysistrata and discussion/class notes. Lecture on Shakespeare. Reading from Midsummer. Assignment: Read Act 2 and 3 to 192 in Midsummer.

October 15 Reading from Midsummer. Discussion of same. Assignment: Read Acts 4 and 5.

October 20 Reading in class of sections of Midsummer. Discussion of Midsummer. Assignment: 1. Read pages 490 to 498, The Importance of Being Earnest. 2. Choose a play from the canon of plays—prepare a talk about your play—guidelines for talk to follow.

October 22 Quiz 3 on Midsummer. Discussion and reading of The Importance…
Assignment: read 498—505 in Importance.

October 27 Discussion and reading of Importance. Assignment : read 505 thru 512 in Importance.

October 29 Discussion and reading of Importance. Assignment: read 512 thru 517—end of play.

November 3 Reading and discussion of Importance. Assignment: Read all of Death of a Salesman; prepare a 12 line speech from same for presentation on November 17.

November 5 TEST 1—all material to date. Deadline for approval of chosen plays. Guidelines distributed for oral presentations.

November 10 no class read and prepare presentations from Death…

November 12 no class read and prepare presentations from Death…

November 17 Presentation of speeches from Death of a Salesman. Discussion of play.

November 19 Film of Death of a Salesman

November 24 Film of Death of a Salesman

November 26 Thanksgiving no class.

December 1 Review for 2^nd TEST Reminder: See Midsummer, prepare written response to play/performance.

December 3 Test on Death of a Salesman (primarily essay).

December 8 Discussion of Midsummer performance. Collection of responses to Midsummer. Oral presentations

December 10 Oral presentations

December 15 Oral presentations

December 17 Oral presentations.