Download th315 world drama

TH315 WORLD DRAMA!
Fall 2013
Syllabus
Instructor: Leigh Kennicott
Office Hours: T/Th 1:00 – 2:00
Phone: Hm: (818) 244-6349
& by appointment
Theatre ofc: (818) 677-3086
e-mail: [email protected]
Course Description !An exploration of world dramatic literature from the origins
of theatre to the present through study of “Masterpieces” of drama from Asia,
Europe, Africa, and the Americas. This course is a part of the GE Global
Studies path (a certificate program).
Student Learning Outcomes !By the end of the semester you will have developed
an understanding and appreciation for dramatic literature, having utilized
resources available on the Web to enhance knowledge of how theatrical forms
function throughout the world. This course meets the General Education
requirement for research and writing.
Students can expect:
1. To recognize a variety of globalized political, economic, socio-cultural, and
aesthetic forms.
2. To analyze the diverse consequences of globalization including its impacts on
various social formations (e.g. identity, culture, art, communities, media, markets,
nation-states, among other examples) and/or the environment.
Course objectives The means to fulfill outcomes above are achieved through
strengthening these skills:
To explain and reflect critically upon the human search for meaning, values, discourse
and expression in one or more eras/stylistic periods or cultures;
To analyze, interpret, and reflect critically upon ideas of value, meaning, discourse and
expression from a variety of perspectives in the arts and/or humanities;
To. demonstrate ability to engage and reflect upon their intellectual and creative
development within the arts and humanities;
To use appropriate critical vocabulary to describe and analyze works of artistic
expression, literature, philosophy, or religion and a comprehension of the historical
context within which a body of work was created or a tradition emerged;
Prerequisites: !Upper division standing and COMPLETION of Lower Division
Writing Requirement. IMPORTANT NOTE: This course is NOT recommended
to theatre majors unless required to satisfy a core class. You are still responsible
to take commensurate classes covering material that is designated specifically for
Theatre majors.
Course activities: !You will success by completing readings in the text, play
reading and analysis, two quizzes and a final, participation in discussions,
scavenger hunts, and two 1,500-word papers. In addition, there will be at least
one extra credit class excursion to see a play, (dates TBA). This activity provides
an excellent opportunity to see drama in action, so I hope you’ll make every
effort to attend.
!Text(s) available at the bookstore:
Worthen, W.B. The Wadsworth Anthology of Drama. Brief 6th Ed.
(Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2011.)
Ball, David. Backwards and Forwards: A Technical Manual for Reading Plays (1983)
For written work, refer to: MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7th
Ed. (can be access online)
Grading Criteria:
My number system, adding up to 100, translates to letter grades with pluses and
minuses. Sorry: but if you do not complete the work this semester, I cannot offer
incompletes since I am a part-time instructor. Grading will be based on your
performance in the following:*
40% Two papers on designated topics
35 % 2 quizzes (@10) & final (15)
15% Miscellaneous assignments
5% Scavenger hunts
5% Active participation in discussions and shared classroom activities
CLASSROOM POLICIES:
This class is one of a dying breed: a hands-on, lecture-discussion format. Please
treasure the experience by arriving promptly, having read the requisite material,
ready to participate in presentations and or discussions.
Arriving more than 20 minutes late disrupts the class and inconveniences others.
Similarly, leaving early has a deflating effect. Try to avoid these circumstances.
If you have an emergency right before an assignment is due or a quiz is about to
begin, please e-mail me BEFORE the event. Or you may call me at home, since I
always receive messages there: (818) 244-6349.
Americans With Disabilities Act: The University will make reasonable
accommodations for persons with documented disabilities, including invisible
disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury and
attention deficit/hyperactive disorder. Those with documentation should
discuss their needs with me during my office hours within the first two weeks of
the semester. For a formal determination of your status, please notify the
Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES)
Phone: (818) 677-2684
Email: [email protected].
Innovations: I am constantly experimenting with the format of the class, so there
never are two editions of Th 315 that are exactly the same. This semester, we
have an entirely new set of plays to discuss (You will read a total of 17 including
the plays incorporated in your papers). I will try to designate appropriate plays
for you to read based on you responses during the first class session. Track A is
more traditional; I recommend it if you have never read a great many of the
plays. Track B will introduce plays that are slightly off the beaten path. Welcome
to exploration!
Helpful Tips: Scavenger hunts encourage you to search for a specific item on the
web. I ask you to avoid Wikipedia, and other general sources such as
Sparknotes. However, these sources make good starting points to find books
and articles with more in-depth information. Find more guidelines for this
activity online.
Potential Plagiarism: The writing exercises I assign are structured in such a way
that “borrowing” is difficult to pull off. However, please note in advance, that
cut and pasting biographical information is not only uninteresting, but very easy
to check. Again, it may be useful to pick up a copy of the latest MLA handbook
for more reference.
*All scavenger hunts and some other assignments must be submitted as Word
files within Moodle. I will NEVER accept emailed submissions. Please note that
Moodle works best with word documents. If you must (and it’s a good idea), use
the library computers or the writing lab to format and send those documents.
* NOTE that a grade of “C” is considered average work. I will define over-all letter
grades in the following way:
A
AB+
B
95-100
89-94
85-88
78-84
BC+
C
C-
76-78
73-75
68-73
62-67
D
58-61
D52-57
F below 52
Theatre 315 Weekly Schedule
Fall 2013
*Note: This schedule constitutes the overview of the course. But it is possible that some
changes may be made so stay tuned….
WEEK ONE 8/27-29 Introduction to Theatre 315
Conduct the assessment & share your answers with each other.
Read: Introduction: pp. 1-8; Susan Glaspell “A Jury of her Peers” (660 ff).
In class: Reading of Trifles (669 ff)
CLASSICAL EUROPEAN THEATRE & DRAMA
TWO 9/3-5 The Greeks: Roots of Western Tragedy & Comedy.
Read: On Greek Drama: (13-19) Aristotle: From the Poetics (88 ff)
Track A: Oedipus the King (28 ff)
Track B: Medea (48)
Scavenger Hunt: Look up dithyramb and share a sample or explanation of what you
found on our Moodle site. Build on what has gone before. No repeats, so get your
entry in early! Then: post at least one comment or question on someone else’s entry.
Your challenge is to find something new to say or show.
THREE 9/10 -12 The Romans: A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum
READ: Roman Drama: (21-27); Horace On the Art of Poetry (96 ff)
All read The Twin Manaechmi (64)
Scavenger Hunt: Find samples of costuming and descriptions of Greek or Roman
performance. Please remember to determine whether your find is Greek OR Roman.
No duplications, please! Sadly, you will not receive the point.
FOUR 9/17 -19 Medieval Theatre and Drama
READ: Drama and Theatre in Medieval England (159-160); The York Crucifixion (179
ff.)
Scavenger Hunt: Who was Roswitha (also spelled Hrostvitha) and what is her
importance? Check for particulars about her style of writing.
Assignment: “Aristotle’s Six Elements” analysis (Instructions separately)
Extra Credit #1: Aeschylus – Prometheus Bound (Getty Villa, Wed. 9/18 – 4 pm)
EARLY MODERN THEATRE
FIVE 9/24-26 Asian Theatre and Drama
READ: Descriptive pages (105-118); Critical Contexts (146 ff.)
Track A: Chushingura: The Forty Seven Samurai (126 ff.)
Track B: Matsukaze: (119)
Scavenger Hunt: Look for clips on Chinese Opera; share its costumes and/or
makeup.
SIX 10/1-3 Renaissance England And Shakespeare
Online Quiz #1 10/3-6: On The Greeks to Asian Theatre
READ: Drama and Theatre in Elizabethan England (162-176).
Plays: Track A Hamlet (219 ff.).
Track B A Midsummer Night’s Dream (185 ff.)
Scavenger Hunt: What is the Christopher Marlowe conspiracy?
Extra Credit #2: Shakespeare - Hamlet (Campus: Fri, Sat. 10/4, 5 – 8 pm)
SEVEN 10/8-10 Early Modern Theatre in Europe
READ: On European Theatre 1600-1750 (269-282)
All read: Tartuffe (310 ff.) & Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz: Loa to the Divine Narcissus
(378 ff.)
Scavenger Hunt: Find examples of commedia dell’ arte or share images of commedia
stock characters. How many can you find?
Turn In: “Backwards and Forwards” analysis (assignment separately).
MODERN EUROPEAN THEATRE
EIGHT 10/15-17 Early Influences
Paper #1 Due this week: Aristotle’s Analysis (from Greeks to Early Modern Drama)
READ: Theater and Culture and structural forms (395-404); Critical Contexts (622-631)
Track A A Doll House (435 ff.).
Track B A Dream Play (459 ff.)
Scavenger Hunt: Find the Preface to Miss Julie (Strindberg) online and react to one of
Strindberg’s concepts. There is plenty to go around!
NINE 10/22 - 24 Early 20th Century
READ: Critical Contexts (636-641)
All read: Mother Courage and Her Children (519 ff.)
Scavenger Hunt: What role did Marguerite Steffen (there are various spellings) play
in Bertolt Brecht’s life? What was the specific work that she did for him?
TEN 10/29-31 Mid- 20th Century America
Online Quiz #2 10/31-11/3: Elizabethan to Early 20th Century Theater
READ: Theater and Culture Since 1950 (405 - 408 ff.); Drama, ‘The’ American
Theater?, etc. (649 – 652); Critical Contexts: Tragedy & The Common Man (868)
Plays: Track A Death of a Salesman (729 ff.)
Track B The Glass Menagerie (703 ff. )
Scavenger Hunt: Research Orson Welles’ famous production of MacBeth for the
Federal Theatre Project. Contrast what was once considered revolutionary with
your reaction today.
ELEVEN 11/5 -7 - 20th Century Experiments
READ: Theater and the “Postmodern” (408-410)
All read: Endgame (548 ff.)
Scavenger Hunt: Find Samuel Beckett’s shortest play. Why do you think he went to
this size in his later plays?
GLOBAL CONTEXTS IN THEATRE
TWELVE 11/12-14 The African Diaspora
READ: African-American Drama and Theater (653); Amiri Baraka - The Revolutionary
Theatre (869); Analyzing Postcolonial Theater and Drama (894); Critical Contexts (1047
-1063)
Track A Death and the King’s Horseman (920 ff.)
Track B Dutchman (764 ff.)
Scavenger Hunt: Find images and more detail about Yoruban mythology. How
might these relate to both plays?
THIRTEEN 11/19-21 Chicano and Latin American Theatre
READ: A Global Theater? (875 – 891); Theatre of the Oppressed (1057 ff.)
Track A Los Vendidos (775 ff.)
Track B Information for Foreigners (899 ff.)
Scavenger Hunt: Look up the website for Teatro Campesino to find its latest theatrical
offerings
FOURTEEN 11/26 Global Mythologies
READ: Intercultural Performance (895 ff.); Performance Art (658);
Plays: Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing (987 ff.)
Scavenger Hunt: Find examples of U.S. Native American storytelling and
contrast/compare with Big Joey’s descriptions of hockey from the play.
Thanksgiving! (November 28-December 1)
FIFTEEN 12/3-5 Building on Global Mythologies
Paper #2 Due: Brechtian Analysis (from Modernity to Present)
READ: Theatre and Its Double (641ff.); A Mirror Held to a Flower (146)
Track A The Other Shore (971 ff.)
Track B Harvest (1016 ff.)
Scavenger Hunt: Now’s our chance to examine globalized India and/or insular
Chinese theatre. Try to find videos and posters for post-Cultural Revolution Chinese
opera, or examples of Indian Folk Kathakali performances on youtube.
SIXTEEN 12/10 Falling to Back to Earth
READ: Fires in the Mirror (837)
FINAL EXAM: Tuesday, 12/17/2013. 10:15 am to 12:15 pm.
Be There!