University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Fall, 2009
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR RICHARD KALINOSKI
Creative Drama
TH-389-01
Room W-18 moving to EX. THEATRE
Fredric March Theatre Building
Mondays 4-7 PM
Richard Kalinoski
424 0937 218 acw kalinosk@uwosh.edu

“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.

TEXTS: In this class you will create one of the texts—in the form of a log which you will write and hand in for assessment. The LOG is going to be a compilation of theatre games which you will list and explain.

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.


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

Students 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.

About Creative Drama

This is a course which emphasizes play—in the form of theatre games. The course is designed for the would-be teacher, or actor of person interested in the theatre as an art form. This is not an acting class. You will not be judged on your talent. You are expected to be an avid learner and an enthusiastic participant. Your presence in the class is vital to its success---you will all be working together to create a play---and to perform it. There are only 14 class sessions---and a lot has to be accomplished by the performance date on the 14th of December, 2009 (or other TBA).


Objectives of the Class:
Class participation is fundamental to this class; in fact it is most of what this class is.

THE OBJECTIVES:

  1. Students will demonstrate effective organization skills by cooperating in class activities

  2. Students will learn by participating in group projects as those groups invent,
    explore, discuss, write, devise, emote and play.

  1. Students will build confidence in using kinesthetic learning strategies by practicing them.

  2. Students will develop a collection of theatre games to be used in classroom settings by playing, recording and teaching those games.

GRADING AND GRADES:

The several components which make up your grade follow.

  1. attendance (if you miss more than one class (unexcused) your grade will drop by one whole increment (a to b, b to c, etc.)

  1. responses to the two plays---graded essays in response to the performances listed above.

  1. class participation—your contribution to the class. Of course this is a subjective judgement---so you will have a chance to describe your contribution in a written statement….at mid-term and near the end of the class.

  1. theatre game logs—from the start students in the class will use a notebook to record the theatre games they learn and teach. The notebook will be checked twice.

Definition of creative drama:

“an improvisational, non-exhibitional, process-centered form of drama in which participants are guided by a leader to imagine, enact, and reflect upon human experience” . From the American Alliance for Theatre and Education.

Special note: As a participant in this class you will be expected to experiment and participate as a would-be elementary school student---at least some of the time. The definition above uses the phrase “non-exhibitional”….this class, however, will be

at least partly “exhibitional”. One of the main reasons for this “exhibitional” aspect is the reality that there are those of you in this class who are expecting to be teachers---teachers are expected to be exhibitional---it’s part of the job.

CREATING A PLAY:

One of the few major requirements for this class is the PLAY you will create as a group. You will be asked to write (somewhat improvisationally), rehearse and perform a play. The play will be meant for students in the upper grades of elementary school---and one or more of you will be expected to contact a local elementary school to establish the POSSIBILITY of performing for students at that school.


Classroom activities/projects/schedule:

September 14 Introduction to class. Profiles of students. Writing about elementary school. Discussion of syllabus and purpose of the class. Discussion of theatre games log. Lecture on the uses of fantasy—fairy tales…Bettleheim. Exercises to include machine, create a monster, introduction of students to students. Time for log entries. Notes on the performance project; preparation for September 21 class.

September 21 TBA Students to work on 3 prospective scenarios.

September 28 Warm ups. Presentation of scenarios. Learning some warm-up theatre games including name zing and tug of war. Discussion of story. Reminder to attend Picasso at the Lapin Agile. Formal assignment of scripted play. Last hour used for students to meet, discuss and create. THE VARIOUS GOALS OF CREATIVE DRAMA.

Guidelines for responding to PICASSO AT THE…

October 5 Warm ups. Responses to Picasso due. Discussion of Picasso. Some basics of classroom setting and creative drama uses. Who is the leader? Explosion tag; part of a whole—relationship, occupation. Meetings of groups.

October 12 Warm ups; mirror exercise—couples and trios. Incident with color (improvisation). Meetings of groups. TWO scenarios due.

October 19 Warm ups. Discussion of proposed scenarios. Theatre games.

October 26 Warm ups, theatre games; meeting of large group to discuss and refine chosen scenario.

November 2 Collection of logs; personal statements due. Theatre games. First draft of play due—copies distributed and read. Casting of same.

November 9 TBA Students rehearse.

November 16 Warm ups. Theatre games. Exercises and rehearsal.

November 23 Warm ups Theatre games. Exercises and Rehearsal

November 30 Warm ups. Exercises and Rehearsal; discussion of Midsummer Night’s Dream.

December 7 Warm ups. Responses to Midsummer due. Collection of logs. Discussion of Midsummer Night’s Dream. Rehearsal (dress?)

December 14 Warm ups. Performance and personal statements; logs returned.