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Theatre 2337.001 Improvisation Fine Arts Room 137 Instructor: Joe Chapa M.F.A. Office : 152 FA Office # 817-272-2567 E-Mail- [email protected] Credit: 3 hours Class Meets: Tuesday/Thursday 9:30-10:50 Office Hours T-Thurs 11-12 Friday by appointment COURSE DESCRIPTION: The course is intended to provide students with an overview of modern improvisation techniques as taught by Viola Spolin, The Second City, The Groundlings, and The Improv Olympic. These core skills are useful to the performer and the director, as well as the instructor. Special emphasis will be placed on techniques used to build an ensemble Additionally, this class offers an introduction of improvisation as it has been used by the instructor in professional auditions and performances pertaining to commercials, mocumentary style pilots, improv and sketch comedy troupes, and script development. This is a hands-on participation class. The best way to learn to improve is to get up and fail! FAIL! FAIL! Only by failing can we truly understand how to succeed.If you have trouble with getting up in front of people and making a fool of yourself, then I suggest you look for another class. COURSE OBJECTIVES: 1. Given rules and instruction based on the various modern improv acting schools (Viola Spolin, The Second City, The Groundlings, The Improv Olympic,) students will be able to perform improv. 2. Students will have a through knowledge of exercises and techniques used in improvisational theater, as well as modern “short-form,” and “longform” improv games. 3. Students will have knowledge of the history of improvisation, and where it stands as an artform in our current culture. 4. Students will be able to reflect on the uses of improv and theatre games for the development of acting technique. 5. Students will be able to reflect on the use of improv to solve problems as directors, writers, or actors. 6. Students will be able to use improv techniques to develop characters for use in improvisations, as well as scripted work. 7. Students will be able to reflect on the uses of improv and theatre games to support their spiritual beliefs. 8. Students will be able to lead each other in improvisations and theatre games. 11. Students will be able to co-direct and perform an improvisational comedy show. COURSE REQUIREMENTS: 1. Students must attend class and participate in class activities. 2. Students must read the assigned textbooks and participate in class discussions. Students will observe improvisation exercises and provide constructive feedback or side-coaching when prompted. 3. Students will be required to keep a journal. The journal will include observations regarding improvisation techniques, exercises, and theatre games. ATTENDANCE: Students are expected to come to class on time and prepared for that day’s activities. Students are allowed three absences. Every absence after the third will result in a 7 point reduction in the final grade. It is the student’s responsibility to inquire about any missed information or assignments prior to the next class meeting. Two late arrivals constitute an absence. After ten minutes, a tardy is considered an absence. If class has begun, please enter as quietly as possible. Please be aware of what it is you are interrupting by your late arrival. RECOMMENDED TEXBOOKS: Salinsky and White. The Improv Handbook: Continuum International Publishing Halpern, Charna with Del Close and Howard Johnson. Truth in Comedy: The Manual of Improvisation. Meriwether Publishing LTD, 1994 SUGGESTED READING: Napier, Mick. Improvise: Scene from the inside out. Henniman Drama, 2004. Goldberg, Andy. Improv Comedy. Samuel French, 1992. Week One January 17-19 Rules of the Class What is Improvisation? What is comedy? Week 2 January 24-26 What was Improv? What should it be?How to Improvise: Getting Started. The importance of storytelling and spontaneity. Week 3 Jan 31=Feb 2 Say yes! And what comes next Week 4 Feb 7-9 Status/Going through an unusual door. Week 5 Feb 14-16 Learning to work together being changed Week 6 Feb 21-23 Twitching, topping and Paperflicking Week 7 Feb 28-March 2 Perform Group Project 2. Creating and playing Characters Week 8 March 7-9 Miming. MID TERM Maestro and Test 1 Week 9 March 14-18 SPRING BREAK!!!!! Assigment Create a character and monologue from Spring Break! There must be a story with the character. Week 10 March 21-23 Perform Character Monologue Tuesday. Breakfast social Thursday Week 11 March 28-30 Playing games and Control freak Week 12 April 4-6 One Mind Many Bodies. Working together How to Improvise in Public.Group Project # 3 Public scenes Week 13 April 11-13 Continued work on Public scene and practice for final Week 14 April 18-20 Week 15 April 25-27 Work on Final presentation and review terms for the final exam Week 16 May3-5 PERFORMANCE FINAL Rehearsal Performance/Final May 12 8-10:30 am Grading The Grade percentage of course requirements are as follows: Group Project research Improv. artists 50 points Group Performance 1 Maestro 25 points Mid-term Test 1 Mid-term Maestro Character monologue Breakfast Social Public Scene UTA Shows Performance Final Written Final Journal 50 points 25 points 50 points 20 points 50 points 20 points 50 points 50 points 10 points The Following Grading system will used for this class 100-90 =A 89-80=B 79-70=C 69-60=D anything below 59= F Americans with Disabilities Act University of Texas at Arlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation; to reference public law 93112, The Rehabilitation Act of 1973. With the passage of the new federal legislation entitled Americans with disabilities A D A, pursuant to section 504 of the rehabilitation act, there is renewed focus on providing this population with the same opportunities enjoyed them by all citizens. As a faculty member, I am required by law, to provide "reasonable accommodation" to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the bases of that disability. Student responsibility primarily rests with informing faculty at the beginning of this semester and in providing authorized documentation through the designated administrative channels. Academic Dishonesty It is the policy of the University of Texas at Arlington that academic dishonesty is a completely unacceptable mode of conduct and will not be tolerated in any form. All persons involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in accordance with university regulations and procedures. Discipline may include suspension or expulsion from the university. "Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating,plagerism,collusion, the submission in for credit off any work or materials that are attributable in whole are in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any Act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts hearing aid" (the Regents Rules and Regulations, Part one, chapter six, section 3.2, subdivision 3:22) Syllabus is subject to change depending on class progress