Download TA 100 Introduction to the Theatre Spring 2016 • Sections #0544/3460

LA Mission College Arts/Media/Humanities Department
TA 100 Introduction to the Theatre
Spring 2016 • Sections #0544/3460
3 Units – No prerequisite 0544 meets: T Th 1:55-3:20 in INST 1008
3460 meets: T 6:50-10:00 in INST 1008
Instructor: Robert Cucuzza
E-mail: [email protected]
COURSE ENTRANCE SKILLS
No previous theater experience is necessary! You should be able to demonstrate
basic reading, writing, comprehension, and problem solving skills. There is no
pre-requisite for this course.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Assess the historical, artistic, social, and philosophical context in which theatre
exists.
2. Analyze how individual design elements (costume, set, lights, props and
sound) contribute to the storytelling and overall aesthetic impact of a production.
COURSE EXPECTATIONS
Have you ever been to see theater? Yes? I’ll bet that you’ve never seen the kind
of theatre that I’m gonna show you. No? Well, that’s about to change, not
because it’s an assignment in the class, but because you’re gonna wanna go see
theatre once I show you what it can do. My goal is to blow your mind. You see, I
watch a lot of the same things you do: The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad,
Adventure Time, superhero movies, rom-coms. sitcoms, Adult Swim … I talk
about these things a lot in this class. It’s my way of helping you to understand
each of the lessons. I can take pretty much anything that you watch and teach
you how it all stems from theatre. I will learn your name. I will speak to you. I
don’t lecture as much as I engage. I show A LOT of videos. Ask anyone who has
taken this class and they’ll probably tell you that it’s not what they expected from
an Intro to Theatre class. I try to make it fun. I want everyone to pass this class.
As long as you show up, take notes and do the assignments, you’ll do so. And I
make people laugh as much as I can. So there.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The primary goal of this course is to explore, appreciate, and evaluate all of the
arts that make go into the creation of live theatre. Topics will include acting,
directing, playwriting, producing, criticism, design, architecture, audience,
historical periods, and theatre’s relationship to film and television. Students will
exit this course with knowledge and insight into the process of theatrical creation.
This will help them analyze, evaluate and articulate responses to works of theatre
artists; develop an appreciation for theatrical arts; demonstrate knowledge of
theatre’s relationship to life, art, and performance; understand its role in society
and culture; and become informed audience members so that theatre can enrich
their lives and help them recognize how theatre is an integral component of the
human condition.
TEXTBOOK: The Theatre Experience by Edwin Wilson (13th edition) The
textbook is mandatory and there will be three quizzes and a final exam
covering its contents.
CLASS POLICIES
• You are responsible to be on time and fully prepared to be engaged in the
class.
• You are responsible to read and comprehend the information contained in
this syllabus and in the assigned readings, as well as the information
discussed in class.
• If you miss class, you are responsible to make up what you missed from a
fellow student.
• You are responsible for turning your work in by the stated deadlines. I do
not guarantee that I will accept late work, unless the student provides a
reason that is deemed legitimate by me. If I agree to accept late work, your
grade may be affected.
• If, for any reason, you are unable to complete reading or written
assignments due to mitigating circumstances, please tell me.
• Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be dealt with according
to school policies.
EMAIL
Your world may run on texting. The world that you are entering runs on email. I
will be sending out mass emails to the class, which may go to your LA Mission
email account (I don’t have a choice where I send it). You need to check this
email regularly to pass the class.
HANDOUTS
All assignments and documents related to this class will be uploaded to TA100
directory on my Mission College web site. I won’t be handing these out in class.
NOTE-TAKING
In order to pass this class, you will need to take notes with a pen in a notebook.
Here’s why: All of my quizzes and exams are open notes. If your notes are on
your computer, so is the ENTIRE INTERNET and I can’t let students do that.
ATTENDANCE
• I take attendance at the beginning of class — on the dot — for the entire
semester.
• If you miss three classes, it becomes my decision to exclude you from the
class.
• Theatre is a visual art form, therefore I show a lot of cools videos of
theatre, film and TV, the content of which will appear on quizzes. If you’re
not in class to see the videos, you’re not gonna do well on the quizzes.
TARDINESS
• Tardiness is unacceptable in any situation, especially in this class. You
disrupt the class and throw off my lecture.
• Again, I take attendance at the beginning of class. I will not stop class to
mark you present if you show up late.
• Some of the most important information about assignments, changes to
the class schedule and general business all take place in the first five
minutes of class.
ATTENDANCE AND EXCLUSION POLICY: The student is expected to attend
every meeting of all classes for which he or she is registered. A student absent
from classes for emergency reasons must inform his or her instructor of the
reason for the absence. Students who have preregistered for a class and who do
not attend the first meeting of the class may forfeit their right to a place in the
class. Students should inform the instructor of the circumstances related to the
absence. The instructor will then decide if the reasons provided for the absence
are appropriate for allowing the student to remain in class. Mitigating
circumstances may be considered by the instructor. Whenever absences “in
hours” exceed the number of hours the class meets per week, the student may
be excluded from class by the instructor. It is the student’s responsibility to
officially drop from any class he/she does not plan to continue to attend. Any
drops or exclusions that occur between the end of the 4th week and the end of
the 14th week will result in a “W” on the student’s record. Drops are not permitted
beyond the end of the 14th week. An evaluative grade (“A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” “F,” “P,”
or “NP”) will be assigned to students who are enrolled past the end of the 14th
week. After the last day of the 14th week (or 75 percent of the time the class is
scheduled, whichever is less) the student may petition to withdraw from class
demonstrating extenuating circumstances.
CLASS ETIQUETTE:
Please follow these simple guidelines
1. Arrive on time. If you must be late, please enter quietly.
2. Do not leave while class is in session unless absolutely necessary.
3. Silence all noise-making devices before entering the classroom.
4. Don’t bring food or drinks into class, except for water.
5. Listen. Participate. Engage. Ask questions.
A FEW THINGS THAT MOST COLLEGE PROFESSORS DON’T LIKE
1. Don’t use unprofessional correspondence. Your instructors are not your
friends. Correspond with us as if you’re in a workplace, because you are.
We’re not saying that you can’t ever write like this, but you do need to
demonstrate that you know when such communication is and isn’t
appropriate. You don’t wear pajamas to a job interview, right? Same thing.
2. Don’t ask if you “missed anything important” during an absence. No, you didn’t
miss anything important. We spent the whole hour watching cat videos on
YouTube. Of course you missed something important! We’re college
professors! Here’s an alternative way to phrase it: “I’m so sorry I missed class.
I’m sure it was awesome.” If you’re concerned about what you missed, try this
instead: Do the reading, get notes from a classmate (if you don’t have any
friends in class, ask the professor if they’ll send an email to help you find a
partner to swap notes with), read them over, and drop by office hours to
discuss anything you didn’t understand.
3. Don’t pack up your things as the class is ending. We get it. The minute hand
is closing in on the end of class, there’s a shift in the instructor’s voice, and
you hear something like “For next time …” That’s the cue for the students to
start putting their stuff away. Once one person does it, it’s like an avalanche of
notebooks slapping closed, backpack zippers zipping, and cell phones coming
out. Don’t do it. Just wait 10 more seconds until the class is actually over. If
you don’t, it makes it seem as if you are dying to get out of there and, hey, that
hurts our feelings!
4. Don’t ask a question about the readings or assignments until checking the
syllabus first. It’s easy to send off an email asking your instructor a quick
question, but that person put a lot of effort into the syllabus for a reason.
Remember, each professor has dozens or hundreds of students. What seems
like a small thing on your end can add up to death-by-a-thousand-paper-cuts
on our end. Make a good-faith effort to figure out the answer before you ask
the professor.
5. Don’t futz with paper formatting. Paper isn’t long enough? Think you can
make the font a teensy bit bigger or the margins a tad bit wider? Think we
won’t notice if you use a 12-point font that’s just a little more widely spaced?
Don’t do it. We’ve been staring at the printed page for thousands of hours. We
have an eagle eye for these kinds of things. Whatever your motivation, here’s
what they say to us: “Hi Prof!, I’m trying to trick you into thinking that I’m
fulfilling the assignment requirements. I’m lazy and you’re stupid!” Work on the
assignment, not the document settings.
[Taken from this article: http://www.businessinsider.com/10-things-every-collegeprofessor-hates-2014-8]
ASSIGNMENTS
• Reading of text as assigned by instructor and indicated on class schedule
• One written PERFORMANCE REPORT. You will report upon a live
performance that you have seen in the past.
• One written THEATRE REVIEW. You will report upon a live, scripted
performance that you will have seen after the first day of class.
• Participation in a CREATIVE PROJECT with your peers. This project will
be outlined in more detail in a separate handout and presented in class
near the end of the semester. Here are the basics:
1. You will be part of a team that will create a 10-12 minute live
performance.
2. You will serve as either an actor, playwright, director, stage manager,
designer, or technician on this performance.
3. You will meet with a group of your peers outside of class time to create
and rehearse this performance.
4. You will write a summary essay on your individual role in this
performance.
5. You will perform this Creative Project on the final day of class in front of
your peers. There will be a formal critique to follow.
GRADING EVALUATION
Your final grade will be based upon class attendance, completion of individual
assignments, the Creative Project, and grades on quizzes and the final exam.
3 Quizzes (100 points each)
300 points
Written Performance Report
100 points
Written Theatre Review
100 points
Creative Project
200 points
Final Exam
200 points
Participation
100 points
TOTAL POSSIBLE
1000 points
**100 Extra Credit Points may be earned by writing an extra Performance Review
A NOTE ABOUT PARTICIPATION
Participation will count for 100 points or 10% of your grade. Points will be
deducted if you are unengaged, asleep, side-talking, distracting the instructor or
your classmates, uninterested, or spending the class looking at a digital device.
Final grade breakdown from your total number of points:
900-1000 points — 90-100% — Grade A. Exceptional. All assignments
completed and on time. Quality of work was well executed, organized and
thoughful. Quizzes and final exam had excellent scores. Work on Creative
Project showed pride and enthusiasm. Attended the vast majority of classes.
800-899 points — 80-89% — Grade B. Very Good. Met all objectives and
expectations of this course. Projects were completed on time and execution was
good, but organization and neatness could improve. Test scores were above
average. Participated with enthusiasm on the Creative Project. Attended the
majority of classes.
700-799 points — 70-79% — Grace C. Average. Did work that met the minimum
objectives and expectations of the course. Missed assignments, quizzes or
numerous classes. Quality of work on Creative Project was average. Quiz and
exam scores were average. Many unexcused absences.
600-699 points — 60-69% — Grade D. Below Average. Many absences,
incomplete projects, and several assignments and quizzes missed. Below
average scores on the quizzes and exam. Little or no participation in the Creative
project. Not up to college level standards.
Grade D
0-599 points — 0-59% — Grade F. Failure. Excessive absences, very few or
none of the projects or assignments completed. Quizzes and final exam were
either missed or received a failure level of points. Did not meet minimum
standards and objectives of the course. Definitely not college level work.
PLAGIARISM
• Plagiarism is the use of the written work of others (either direct copies or
close paraphrases) as one’s own original work. If quotations and/or
passages from other works are used in papers, they must be accorded the
proper citation in order to avoid any misunderstandings about plagiarism. In
other words, all written work is to be written by you.
• When there is evidence that a student has committed plagiarism, he or she
will receive a zero for the assignment and will be reported to Academic
Affairs. A second incident of plagiarism could result in expulsion from the
class.
• Plagiarism is a serious offense. If you have any questions about what might
be considered plagiarism, please ask me.
DISABLED STUDENTS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSP&S) at Los Angeles Mission
College is a support system that enables students to fully participate in the
college’s regular programs and activities. DSP&S provides a variety of services
from academic and vocational support to assistance with Financial Aid. If you are
a disabled student and need a modification, special assistance or
accommodation in order to participate in this class, alert the instructor promptly
and contact the DSP&S office at 818 364-7732 or 818 364-7861. Modifications,
special assistance or accommodations can only be made with proper
documentation and coordination with DSP&S.