ACTING STUDIO I

Theatre #97-308
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Theatre Department
Course Syllabus Fall 2011

Professors: Merlaine Angwall and Jane Purse-Wiedenhoeft

Emails: pursewij@uwosh.edu angwall@uwosh.edu

Office Phones: Purse-Wiedenhoeft:  (920) 424-4425            Angwall: (920) 424-7050

Office Locations: Purse-Wiedenhoeft = ACW 119 and Angwall = ACW 120

Jane’s Office Hours: Mon, Tu, Wed and Thurs from 1:00-1:50 and by appointment

Merlaine’s Office Hours: Tu & Thurs 1:00-1:50p.m. in ACW120 and by appointment.

Merlaine will also have office hours in the Theatre Office Wed. 10-12:00

Class Meets: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday @1:50p.m.

Location: Classroom W18 and Lab work in the Experimental Theatre

Required Texts, Fees and materials

-The syllabus for the class.

-Read the plays from which monologues and scenes are selected.

-Additional reading assignments will be distributed and/or announced in class.

-Pay for admission to required play performances.

-For voice and movement work a yoga mat is required. A meditation pillow is optional.

(These items will be discussed in class. They aren’t needed the first week of classes.)

Course Objectives

1.            Establish an effective working ensemble which will serve as a stimulating and creative environment for the four semester acting sequence.

2.            Perform simple actions in a truthful and convincing manner in improvised and scripted scenes.

3.            Demonstrate and gain expertise in the ability to use images to stimulate responses in the self through a performed monologue.

4.            Demonstrate an understanding of the basic objectives used in the acting process in improvised and scripted work.

5.            Develop basic skills in voice and movement for the actor.

6.            Develop analytical skills of the actor through written papers and class discussions of the actor process.

Course Requirements

Script Analysis class already completed or taking it this semester, two open/non-scripted scenes, a monologue, a performance response, a character analysis, two scripted scenes, voice and movement assignments, departmental auditions, attendance at productions and commitment to the expectations listed later in this document.

-Script Analysis is a prerequisite for all the Acting Studio Courses.  If the student has been allowed to take Script Analysis in the same semester as Acting Studio I that student must successfully complete and pass Script Analysis before being allowed into Acting Studio II.  If a student drops Script Analysis during the semester that they are taking Acting Studio I, they will be required to drop Acting Studio I as well.

-Attendance at a performance of each of the following productions is required:

University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Theatre Department productions: The Thousand Pound Marriage, September 28^th - October ^2nd and The Children’s Hour, November 9^th - 13^th.  Attendance is also required at an off-campus production that the class will attend.  Students will need to pay for their own tickets – usually purchased at a student rate.  Students will be completing a performance paper regarding the performance.  As a class, we will discuss each of these performances.  Students will have 50 points deducted from their semester point total if a performance is missed.  Brief quizzes about the shows will be given in class to determine student’s attendance completion at the Theatre Department productions.

-Students are required to participate in departmental auditions to gain practical experience in the auditioning process. Theatre majors are expected to be available to participate in productions as cast.   The Children’s Hour will have auditions on September 12^th and 13^th.  Auditions for the February production of Almost, Maine will have auditions on November 14^th and 15^th. Students will have 50 points deducted from their semester point total if these requirements aren’t met.

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 3 absences for emergencies and illness. For any additional absences, the end of semester grade will be lowered one grade level.  For example: a student with a B+ for the semester who has had four absences will receive a final grade of B.  If you are scheduled to work with a partner on the day of an absence, please let your partner or the teacher know in advance of the class.  If a student arrives after class has begun, it is up to the student to inform the professor of his/her attendance immediately following the class to receive credit for that day. If a student is late to class on a regular basis or has a pattern of being late, points will be subtracted from the participation points earned for the semester at the discretion of the professors.  Arriving a ½ hour late to class is considered an absence unless preapproved.

If the weather conditions are questionable, the professors will follow the recommendations as recorded on the UW Oshkosh weather line, (920) 424-0000 and/or as announced on local television and radio stations regarding possible class cancellations.

There are no “make-ups” of in class performance assignments.

Expectations

-Attend class, be prepared for class and be punctual!

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

-Students are expected to rehearse outside of class with their scene partners.   Rehearsal time will also be available as part of the lab aspect of the class.

-Be dressed appropriately and ready to work at the beginning of class.

-Complete assignments on time.

-Participate in discussions.

-Specific assignment criteria and completion dates will be announced and/or distributed in class.

-All electronic devices must be turned off.  Cell phones, laptops, iPods, etc.  In case of an emergency, distribute the phone numbers of the Theatre Department office and campus security.

-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 us so we can discuss them or address them with the class.

-Treat other students, 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.

Class Attire:

Please wear clothes in which you can exercise such as work-out clothes that aren’t excessively revealing.  You will be spending time on the floor, doing warm-ups and improvisational acting that requires ease of movement.  No dresses, no tight fitting clothes such as jeans, no flip flops, high heels, baseball caps, hats, sunglasses etc.  If your hair blocks your face or line of vision, please bring something with which to secure it out of the way.

Continuation in Acting Studio Program

Registration in the Studio Acting Courses requires the permission of the professors.  (This requirement is waived for the first class in the sequence.)  Continuation in the program into the second studio course will require permission.  The decision will be made at the end of the first semester and will be based on a number of factors, the most important being attendance, discipline, quality of class participation and attitude.

Grading Criteria

Attitude, effort, class attendance, and completion of work – in and out of class - are the key components of the class.  Participation in and commitment to daily exercises, improvisational explorations, discussions, using a disciplined work ethic and being a supportive member of the class will inform the grades that are assigned.  This will especially inform the Participation points listed below. Students are graded on an individual basis, not against one another.  In scene and/or monologue work; supportive partnering work, growth in the application of feedback received from the professors and a willingness to take risks in the acting choices are of key importance to the academic and creative growth of each student in the class.

Assignments and Grading

Participation                                                                                                =   50

2 Open/non-scripted scenes @ 50 points each                                    = 100

1 Off-Campus Performance Response                                                =   50

1 Movement Assignment                                                                        =   50

1 Voice Assignment                                                                                    =   50

1 Contemporary Monologue                                                                        = 100

1 Character analysis of one of the scene assignments                        = 100

2 Scenes @100 points each                                                                        = 200

700 Total Points

Grading Scale:

General Information:

Papers will be graded on successful completion of criteria as assigned, grammar usage, spelling and general paper writing skills.  All papers must be word processed using black ink, contain consistent spacing-double spaced is preferred with a 10 or 12 point font.  Back to back pages are acceptable in order to save paper. Papers need to be turned in on time which is at the beginning of class on the due date. Late papers will have 25 points deducted from the total points earned per day late. (Once papers are collected, all remaining papers are considered late.  After class = one day late.)

No Class on the following dates:  Wednesday, September 28^th, Opening Night of The Thousand Pound Marriage, Wednesday, November 9^th, Opening Night of The Children’s Hour and Wednesday and Thursday November 23rd and 24^th for Thanksgiving Break.

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 well-rounded citizens.  Theatre holds a mirror to society and teaches us what it means to be human.  Theatre, as with all areas of the Liberal Arts, is most effectively employed when it is built on a broad base of knowledge.

The professors reserve the right to modify the syllabus to accommodate the needs of the class. If any such modifications are needed, they will be announced in class.

(This syllabus was developed by both Jane Purse-Wiedenhoeft and Merlaine Angwall.)