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Hawaii Pacific University
THEA 2320 Acting I Section ____
Semester and year, meeting times
Course description: A course that explores the theory and techniques of acting, with special focus on
freeing the imagination and strengthening concentration and observation. This is done through theater
games and exercises, pantomimes, improvisation, short dialogue scenes, and monologues.
Course prerequisite: None
General Education Requirement: This course is classified under the Communication Skills Theme and
meets the requirement for a course in Communication Skills C: Other Communication Skills Courses.
The course also satisfies the Art, Aesthetics and Creativity requirement.
Instructor: Name, contact information and other relevant information about the instructor.
General Education Student Learning Outcomes and the Five Themes: HPU’s general education
curriculum is focused around five themes. This course emphasizes the Communication Skills Theme and
provides students with opportunities to achieve the following related general education student
learning outcomes.
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Students will compare, contrast, and interact within the various communication contexts,
such as intrapersonal, interpersonal, small group, public, and mass communication. The
introspection needed for students to explore their own experiences and emotions leads to
understanding motivation and is expressed in the personal monologues. Skills at the
interpersonal level are practiced through the dialogue and improvisation exercises.
Participation in class discussion and critiquing of others’ work develops the honesty,
authenticity, and consideration necessary for effective group communication. Analysis of
public and mass communication are exercised not only in the presentation of solo and
team projects to the audience of peers, but the study and practice of criticism after
viewing the assigned film and play.
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Students will demonstrate critical reasoning in organizing thoughts, feelings, concepts,
and information for effective, clear, and accurate oral, written, non-verbal, visual, and
electronic communication. Planning and organizational skills are as critical components of
success in communication through acting as are the performing skills themselves. Without
proper research and critical analysis of the emotional, intellectual, and conceptual
components of a work to be interpreted, the actor cannot convey to an audience the
insights gained about character and life. Preparing the personal monologue, the dialogue
scene and the final project all require careful planning, analysis, and synthesis of these
multiple components before the performance can be undertaken, much less presented
effectively. The process of viewing the film and play, studying the model review, and
interpreting and applying the skills gained to the required written critiques requires all
these organizational skills.
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Students will demonstrate appropriate uses of verbal, visual, dramatic, numeric and
graphic modes of presentation in various combinations. The ability to synthesize these
varied modes of expression is the ultimate goal of the performing artist, essential to
effective communication with an audience. Although actors appear to convey their
message and emotion through verbal skills and body movement, in fact they must
incorporate in their performance a full awareness of their surroundings – the environment
they inhabit, its color, texture, sounds and smells; the clothes they wear; the things they
carry or fling or abandon. Only the combination of all these elements results in a fully
realized dramatic communication.
The course also addresses the Values and Choices theme and provides students with opportunities to
achieve the following related general education student learning outcome:

Students will develop an appreciation for aesthetic expression and achievement through
the study, performance and production of the arts. The study aspect occurs in the
observation and analysis of the play, film, and class monologues and dialogues. The
performance process incorporates the challenges of research, selection, preparation, and
presentation of monologues and dialogues, both personal and literary. Planning the varied
components of a full theatre production, as required for the students’ own final project,
and critiquing their peers’ presentations with that awareness can do more to enhance
appreciation of performing arts than many hours of simple viewing.
Note: Purple text shows places where specific course information must be filled in. Red text contains
explanatory notes to the instructor which should be deleted before using the syllabus. Blue explanations
above should be rephrased by the individual instructor to reflect the specific approach in that section of
the course. Course-specific outcomes below are an example and may also be rephrased or modified by
the instructor.
Course-Specific Student Learning Outcomes for THEA 2320 Acting I
By the end of this course students will
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Acquire a better understanding of the acting process.
Overcome shyness and performers’ anxiety (stage fright).
Develop skills and ease in self expression, both oral and written, to naturally, accurately, and
effectively convey your own thoughts, feelings and intentions.
Learn or enhance skills such as relaxation, observation, movement, voice, imagination,
memorization, concentration, emotional and sensory recall, and listening.
Understand and use effective communication techniques in interpersonal relations.
Enhance ability to understand human motivation and create different characters through the above
skills.
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Master techniques for critiquing others’ work and contributing to discussion, debate, and supportive
criticism.
Better understand the techniques used in interpersonal relations and the tools used in
communication.
For the rest of these required syllabus items see the details in the faculty handbook. Delete this note once
the syllabus is complete. For online courses there are some additional requirements given at this link.
Please note that element 4 (relation of the course to the five themes) on the sample syllabus at the link
is not needed on general education syllabi because it is covered under the “General Education Student
Learning Outcomes and the Five Themes” section.
Texts
Assignments and mode of evaluation
Summary of important dates and deadlines (if the schedule is a separate document and due dates are
not given with the description of the assignments).
Class rules and policies (including regarding attendance, late work and academic dishonesty)
Schedule of events (may be attached separately)