ACTING STUDIO II
Theatre #97-309
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Theatre Department
Course Syllabus
Spring 2012

Professors: Merlaine Angwall and Jane Purse-Wiedenhoeft
Emails: , angwall@uwosh.edu
Office Phones: Purse-Wiedenhoeft: (920) 424-4425 Angwall: (920) 424-7050
Office Locations: Purse-Wiedenhoeft = ACW 119 and Angwall=ACW 120 & ACW 101
Jane’s Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 1:00p.m.-1:50p.m. and by appointment.
Merlaine’s Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 1:00p.m.-1:50p.m. and by appointment.

Class Meets: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday @ 1:50-3:50p.m.
Location: ACW 18 and the theatres as laboratories.

Required Text, Fees and/or Materials

-The syllabus for the class.

-Locate/buy and 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 movement and voice 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. Further develop an effective working ensemble that will continue to serve as a stimulating and creative basis for the remaining semesters of the acting sequence.

2. Perform advanced actions in a truthful and convincing manner in both scenes and monologues.

3. Continue to demonstrate and gain expertise in the ability to use images to stimulate responses in the self through a performed monologue audition piece.

4. Continue to demonstrate an understanding of the objectives used in the acting process and applying it to performance situations.

5. Continue to develop skills in voice and movement work and apply them.

6. Continue to develop analytical skills of the actor through written papers and class discussions of the actor process.

Course Requirements

-Successful completion of Acting Studio I, two monologues, a performance response, a character analysis, two contemporary realism scenes, voice and movement assignments, attendance at required productions, completion of required auditions, effective participation in the class and commitment to the expectations of the class.

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

University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Theatre productions: Almost, Maine, The Student Directed One-Acts and Tartuffe. Brief quizzes about the shows will be given in class to determine student’s attendance completion at the Theatre Department productions.

-Attendance is also required at the off-campus production of Doubt on February 21^st at the Performing Arts Center in Appleton. 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.

The class will discuss each of these performances. Students will have 50 points deducted from their semester point total per each required performance not attended.

-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. Tartuffe auditions are on Wednesday and Thursday, February 1^st and 2^nd. A second set of auditions will take place at the end of the semester for the fall 2013 production. Students will have 50 points deducted from their semester point total if this requirement isn’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 three absences for emergencies and illness. For each absence beyond the three allowed 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 five 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 an hour late to class is considered an absence unless preapproved.

If the weather conditions are questionable, the professors will follow 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” for missed class performances.

Expectations

-Attend class, be punctual and start warming up when you arrive!

-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 time although there will be some lab time available for scene partners to rehearse.

-Specific assignment criteria and due dates will be distributed in class as needed.

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

-Complete assignments on time.

-Participate in discussions.

-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 & 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.

Continuation in Acting Studio Program

Continuation in the acting studio program and into the next studio course will require permission. The decision will be made at the end of the semester and will be based on a number of factors including 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

1 Performance Response = 50

1 Movement Assignment = 50

1 Voice Assignment = 50

2 Contemporary Monologues @ 100 points each = 200

1 Character analysis of an assigned scene = 100

2 Contemporary Scene-Final = 200

TOTAL POINTS = 700

Grading Scale:

General Information:

-Papers will be graded on successful completion of criteria, 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, any paper turned in after that is considered late. After class = one day.)

-NO CLASS DATES: Wednesday, February 15^th, Opening of Almost, Maine

Spring Break: Monday-Thursday, March 19^th through the 22^nd and Wednesday, April 25^th Opening of Tartuffe.

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 jointly developed by Jane Purse-Wiedenhoeft and Merlaine Angwall.)