University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Theatre Department
ACTING STUDIO IV
Course Syllabus Theatre #97-410
Spring 2009

Professor: Jane Purse-Wiedenhoeft   Credits: 3
Office phone: (920) 424-4425     Class Location: ACW18 & Studio
Email: pursewij@uwosh.edu     Time: Mon, Tues and Thurs @1:50p.m.
Office Location: ACW119     Office Hours: Monday, Tues and Thurs from 10:00a.m. – 11:30a.m.and by appointment.

Texts

No required texts for this class. Reading assignments will be distributed from a variety of texts. We will be referencing Michael Shurtleff’s book, Audition when using his guideposts as a tool in preparing effective audition pieces. Students will need to access plays by Shakespeare that are available in collections of his work and in anthologies.

Course Objectives

The students in this class will continue to build upon, develop and apply the analytical and characterization work that was introduced in previous Acting Studio classes. The student will have hands on experience analyzing, rehearsing and performing both scenes and monologues from the works of Shakespeare. The students will also gain experience in selecting and rehearsing an acting audition package and will gain experience in preparing for and doing cold reading auditions. Emphasis will be placed on identifying specific acting choices based in the texts and then actively communicating those choices in performance. Additional information to be covered will be the skills and information needed when pursuing graduate school, apprenticeships/internships and community and professional theatre after graduation including resume preparation.

Course Requirements

The students will be required to attend the following three UW Oshkosh productions: Doubt, Student Directed One Acts and The Grapes of Wrath. Students are also required to audition for the three shows listed above to gain practical experience in the auditioning process. Students need to fulfill the assignments as listed below and on the next page.

Attendance Policy

Attendance is mandatory. Students are expected to attend class and to be on time. Participation is an integral part of the work being done in this class. Everyone is allowed one absence for an emergency-if needed. If you are sick, you may call Jane’s office phone, the theatre department office @ (920) 424-7042 or email Jane. This must occur the day of the absence. If a student arrives after attendance has been taken, it is up to the student to inform the professor immediately following the class. For every three late arrivals to class a student’s total semester points will be deducted 15 points. Unexcused absences will result in a 25 point deduction from the total semester points. If there are questionable weather conditions, the professor will follow the recommendations as recorded on the UW Oshkosh weather line which is (920) 424-0000 and/or as announced on local television. There are no “make-ups” on performances.

Expectations

-Commitment: Listen, focus on the work at hand, be a supportive member of the class and disciplined in your work ethic.

-Attend class regularly and punctually!
-The student is expected to rehearse outside of class time although there will be class time available for scene partners to rehearse. Specific dates and assignment criteria will be given to you in class.
-Be dressed appropriately and ready to work at the beginning of class. Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely. No high heels unless the character you are portraying would influence that choice.
-Complete assignments on time.
-Participate in discussions.
-All electronic devices must be turned off. Cell phones, laptops, iPods, etc. If you need to be contacted in case of an emergency, then give the phone numbers of the theatre office and campus security and they can find you if it is indeed an emergency.
-No eating or gum chewing in class. They interfere with the actor’s instrument.
-If there are concerns about any aspect of the class, please make an appointment to meet with me to discuss them so they can be addressed.
-Treat others in the class, the professor and yourself with respect. Harassment of any form won’t be tolerated! Use good judgment and appropriate behavior in class.
-Academic honesty and integrity is expected at all times. Plagiarism or other cheating will result in a zero on the assignment and appropriate official steps will be taken.

General Information:

-All papers must be typed using black ink and contain consistent spacing, fonts and margins. Papers will be graded for content as well as general writing skills. Two sided pages are acceptable as long as they are neat and easy to follow.
-Papers need to be turned in on time which is at the beginning of class. Late papers will have 25 points deducted from them per day.
-Dates that class won’t meet: March 5^th - professor is presenting at a conference and March 23^rd, 24^th and 26^th - Spring Break.

Assignments and Grading

Participation =100
(Participation in and commitment to daily exercises, improvisational explorations, discussions, using a disciplined work ethic and to being a supportive member of the class are the items that are covered under this category.)
2 Monologues 100 points each = 200
2 Scenes 100 points each = 200
1 Character analysis = 100
1 Shakespeare scansion assignment = 100

700 Total Points

Grading Scale:

A=700-650, AB=649-599, B=598-548, BC=547-497, C=496-446, CD=445-395,

D=394-344 and F=343 or less.

Liberal Arts Statement

Theatre is a collaborative creative process requiring a broad knowledge of the human condition to be successful. The importance of theatre in society is well documented and understanding the role it plays in society contributes to the development of a well rounded citizen. Theatre holds a mirror to society and communicates to us what it means or can mean to be human in this diverse and challenging world. Theatre, as with all areas of the Liberal Arts, is most effectively employed when it is built on a broad base of knowledge. A quote by Michel Saint-Denis defines theatre as follows, “The purpose of theatre is to illuminate the human spirit.” Students who have successfully completed this class will appreciate theater as a unique discipline – as a pure art form that is performance based. Once students are able to appreciate theater’s uniqueness they should then be able to apply theatre skills to other situations as a communication or learning tool. Theatre does truly illuminate the human spirit through its use of imagination, concentration and discipline as well as through its collaborative creative processes and reflections of humans’ daily interactions in both professional and personal settings.

(Components of this syllabus and class were originally developed by Merlaine Angwall.)

The professor reserves the right to modify the syllabus to accommodate the needs of students in the class. If any such modification is needed, it will be announced to the class.