A student may complete the Theatre SCE in one ofseveral ways: a traditional research thesis in theareas of theatrical criticism, theory, or history;a playwriting thesis in which the student writes,workshops, and produces a rehearsed reading of afull-length play; a production thesis in which thestudent serves as dramaturg, stage manager,designer, performer, or director of a departmentalproduction. Students may also propose alternativeprojects not listed above, to be developed andapproved in collaboration with the faculty.Students are strongly encouraged to collaborate ontheir SCEs, either by folding multiple SCEs into asingle student-produced show (with all SCEstudents equitably sharing the duties and title ofproducer) or by completing the SCE as part of afaculty-directed production.

Analysis and discussion of the theoretical andpractical aspects of dramaturgy, with particularemphasis placed on script analysis and historicalresearch.

This course provides an opportunity for studenttechnicians (lighting/sound/projection operatorsand backstage/wardrobe/run crew) of departmentaltheatre & dance productions to receive credit fortheir work. Technicians typically must participatein load-in, technical rehearsals, performances,and strike; specific duties are determined basedon the needs of each production. Techniciansshould expect to devote a total of 20-50 hours,some of which may be during college breaks,adjacent semesters, weekends, holidays, and otherunusual times. Student technicians areautomatically enrolled (either for credit or asauditors) after their production closes. Practicumcourses may be repeated for credit (1,2)credit(s).

This course provides an opportunity for studentperformers in departmental theatre & danceproductions to receive credit for their work.Performers typically must participate inauditions, callbacks, rehearsals, load-in,technical rehearsals, performances, and strike;specific duties are determined based on the needsof each production. Performers should expect todevote a total of 60-100 hours, some of which maybe during college breaks, adjacent semesters,weekends, holidays, and other unusual times. Atthe beginning of each semester, all studentsinvolved in departmental productions areautomatically enrolled as auditors in the relevantpracticum course(s) and will be given anopportunity to request credit by contacting theinstructor. Practicum courses may be repeated forcredit (1,2) credit(s).

This course provides an opportunity for studentdesigners of departmental theatre & danceproductions to receive credit for their work.Designers typically must participate in aproduction orientation workshop (scenery, props,costumes, lighting, or sound), a design meetingwith the departmental faculty, productionmeetings, load-in, technical rehearsals, andstrike; specific duties are determined based onthe needs of the production. Designers shouldexpect to devote a total of 60-100 hours, some ofwhich may be during college breaks, adjacentsemesters, weekends, holidays, and other unusualtimes. At the beginning of each semester, allstudents involved in departmental productions areautomatically enrolled as auditors in the relevantpracticum course(s) and will be given anopportunity to request credit by contacting theinstructor. Practicum courses may be repeated forcredit (1,2) credit(s).

This course provides an opportunity for studentdramaturgs of departmental theatre & danceproductions to receive credit for their work.Students in these positions typically mustparticipate in production meetings, rehearsals,load-in, technical rehearsals, and strike;specific duties are determined based on the needsof the production. Students in these positionsshould expect to devote a total of 60-100 hours,some of which may be during college breaks,adjacent semesters, weekends, holidays, and otherunusual times. At the beginning of each semester,all students involved in departmental productionsare automatically enrolled as auditors in therelevant practicum course(s) and will be given anopportunity to request credit by contacting theinstructor. Practicum courses may be repeated forcredit (1,2) credit(s).

This course provides an opportunity for studentassistant stage managers of departmental theatreproductions to receive credit for their work.Assistant stage managers typically mustparticipate in production meetings, rehearsals,load-in, technical rehearsals, performances, andstrike; specific duties are determined based onthe needs of the production. Assistant stagemanagers should expect to devote a total of 60-100hours, some of which may be during college breaks,adjacent semesters, weekends, holidays, and otherunusual times. At the beginning of each semester,all students involved in departmental productionsare automatically enrolled as auditors in therelevant practicum course(s) and will be given anopportunity to request credit by contacting theinstructor. Practicum courses may be repeated forcredit (1,2) credit(s).

This course provides an opportunity for studentchoreographers (movement/dance/fight) ofdepartmental theatre productions to receive creditfor their work. Students in these positionstypically must participate in production meetings,rehearsals, load-in, technical rehearsals, andstrike; specific duties are determined based onthe needs of the production. Students in thesepositions should expect to devote a total of60-100 hours, some of which may be during collegebreaks, adjacent semesters, weekends, holidays,and other unusual times. At the beginning of eachsemester, all students involved in departmentalproductions are automatically enrolled as auditorsin the relevant practicum course(s) and will begiven an opportunity to request credit bycontacting the instructor. Practicum courses maybe repeated for credit (1,2) credit(s).

This course provides an opportunity for studentassistant directors of departmental theatre &dance productions to receive credit for theirwork. Students in these positions typically mustparticipate in production meetings, rehearsals,load-in, technical rehearsals, and strike;specific duties are determined based on the needsof the production. Students in these positionsshould expect to devote a total of 60-100 hours,some of which may be during college breaks,adjacent semesters, weekends, holidays, and otherunusual times. At the beginning of each semester,all students involved in departmental productionsare automatically enrolled as auditors in therelevant practicum course(s) and will be given anopportunity to request credit by contacting theinstructor. Practicum courses may be repeated forcredit (1,2) credit(s).

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This theatre history course examines thedevelopment of (primarily) Western drama againsta backdrop of historical and social change.Students read a variety of plays and discusstheatre history, dramatic theory, and criticismrepresenting the major currents in (primarily)Western theatre from its origins to the 18thcentury CE. We frequently employ one or more ofthe following lenses or viewpoints to focus ourlectures and discussions: the physical theatre(how the material artifacts of theater-buildings,documents, etc.-tell the story of theatre historyand influence dramaturgy); the social theatre (howthe theatre relates to its social context,including consideration of the audience); and theperforming theatre (the plays themselves and howthey were/are performed). Students are encouragedto draw connections between the material we coverin this course and the many intellectual andaesthetic parallels to be found in contemporaneoustrends in history, philosophy, literature, and thearts.

This theatre history course examines thedevelopment of (primarily) Western drama againsta backdrop of historical and social change.Students read a variety of plays and discusstheatre history, dramatic theory, and criticismrepresenting the major currents in (primarily)Western theatre from the 18th century to 1992. Wefrequently employ one or more of the followinglenses or viewpoints to focus our lectures anddiscussions: the physical theatre (how thematerial artifacts of theater-buildings,documents, etc.-tell the story of theatre historyand influence dramaturgy); the social theatre(how the theatre relates to its social context,including consideration of the audience); and theperforming theatre (the plays themselves and howthey were/are performed). Students are encouragedto draw connections between the material we coverin this course and the many intellectual andaesthetic parallels to be found in contemporaneoustrends in history, philosophy, literature, and thearts.

This course examines some of Shakespeare's bestknown earlier plays (those written before thedeath of Queen Elizabeth in 1603) both in thecontext of early modern English culture and asplay scripts/performances. Using films and liveproductions it considers the plays as they havebeen and could be interpreted for performance.This class examines a number of these excitingworks through a variety of lenses from gender toperformance history.

This course examines some of Shakespeare's bestknown later plays (those written after the deathof Queen Elizabeth in 1603) both in the context ofearly modern English culture and as playscripts/performances. Shakespeare's later playsare complicated portraits of people and societiesgoing through incredible change. This class willexamine a number of these exciting works through avariety of lenses from gender to performancehistory.

Analysis and application of basic actingtechniques with a concentration on scene studyand character analysis.

Study of the basic principles and practices ofdirecting, including interpretation, structuralanalysis, and investigation of basic stagingtechniques.

In this course, students engage in hands-oninvestigation of the tools, methods, and materialsused in the theatrical production process,including scenic & props construction, scenicpainting, rigging, scale drafting, shop safety,and lighting, sound, & projections technology.Required laboratory hours will be arranged inconsultation with the instructor.

This course gives an overview of major topicsin creativity: the pleasures and pitfalls as wellas effective strategies to use in creative work.Each week we tackle another issue and explore waysto approach creativity in the broadest sense. Atthe same time students work on self-directedprojects throughout the semester (largely outsideof class time), submit weekly progress updates,and periodically share with the class. By the endof the semester students have a range of tools andhands-on experiences to return to again and againin their future creative work. Prerequisite: Onecourse of Studio Art, Music, Theatre, Dance, orCreative Writing, or permission of the instructor.

This course offers a broad look at all aspects oftheatrical design, including scenery, properties,costume, lighting, and sound, with an emphasis oninter-disciplinary skills such as close reading(of texts and images), research and clearcommunication (written, visual and aural).Students learn to approach theatrical questionsfrom a variety of angles, and develop a basicunderstanding of all design elements and how theyfit together.

This course provides an opportunity for studentstage managers of departmental theatre & danceproductions to receive credit for their work.Stage managers typically must participate inweekly roundtable discussions with the faculty,auditions, callbacks, production meetings,rehearsals, load-in, technical rehearsals,performances, and strike; specific duties aredetermined based on the needs of the production.Stage managers should expect to devote a total of120-200 hours, some of which may be during collegebreaks, adjacent semesters, weekends, holidays,and other unusual times. At the beginning of eachsemester, all students involved in departmentalproductions are automatically enrolled asauditors in the relevant practicum course(s), andwill be given an opportunity to request credit bycontacting the instructor.

This course provides an opportunity for studentdirectors of departmental theatre & danceproductions to receive credit for their work.Students in these positions typically mustparticipate in production meetings, rehearsals,load-in, technical rehearsals, and strike;specific duties are determined based on the needsof the production. Students in these positionsshould expect to devote a total of 120-200 hours,some of which may be during college breaks,adjacent semesters, weekends, holidays, and otherunusual times. At the beginning of each semester,all students involved in departmental productionsare automatically enrolled as auditors in therelevant practicum course(s) and will be given anopportunity to request credit by contacting theinstructor.

A learning contract is developed prior toenrollment in an internship. Evaluation of studentperformance is completed by the faculty mentorbased on the fulfillment of the contract terms andwritten evaluation by the internship sitesupervisor. Students must work at least 45 hoursfor each internship credit and be enrolled in thecourse prior to beginning work. Graded A-F orPass/Fail.

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An agreement between a sponsoring faculty and astudent letting the student study a topic ofinterest not offered at WC. 45 hours are requiredper credit.

The study of musical theater in America from theturn of the century to the present with emphasison the form itself and its history. The courseexplores the structure of the musical and thedramatic functions of score, lyrics, and librettoas well as the political, societal, musical, andtheatrical reasons for changes in the form.

Using varying texts and performance styles, thiscourse builds upon the ideas and skills ofIntroduction to Acting, with a focus onincorporating characterization and givencircumstances with scene study. Students employaction-based techniques to determine theircharacters' objectives and to explore the tacticsthey use to overcome obstacles and achieve theirgoals. Performance texts and styles vary bysemester; details will be posted beforeregistration. Past offerings have included:Shakespeare, Contemporary Styles, Meisner, andActing for the Camera.

The course examines the history, theory, andpractice of theatrical improvisation as practicedin the United States and Canada since 1950.

This course will build upon the concepts initiallyexplored in Intro Directing. Through discussion,exercises, and scene work, students will delvedeeper into the craft of directing. Topics mayinclude leadership approaches, collaboration withactors / designers / stage managers, textanalysis, and exploration of different theatricalstyles.

Analysis and practical application of techniquesand styles employed in writing for the stage.

An introduction to the methodologies of scriptanalysis, as well as the theoretical and practicalaspects of dramaturgy. In this course, studentsstrengthen their communication skills byarticulating their ideas about plays and theatreproductions through the creation of short articlesand exercises, in-class presentations, andresearch papers, examining topics such as choosingplays for a theatre season, new play development,contextual research and its application in therehearsal room, and audience engagement.

This course explores the theory and practice ofadapting non-dramatic literature for the stage.Students examine the form through writing andstaging short story adaptations, whose size andscope allow students to learn and explore variousapproaches to this kind of theatricalstorytelling. The course provides students with astrong introduction to the theoretical andcritical body of knowledge in the area ofadaptation of literature. In addition, studentsdevelop skills in acting, directing, writing, anddramaturgy.

This course provides a thorough exploration of theroles and duties of the theatrical stage manager,from pre-production through closing night andbeyond. Using a mix of readings, discussion,paperwork assignments, and lab activities,students develop both hard skills (such asdocument design, scheduling, and preparedness) andsoft skills (such as communication, leadership,management, and collaboration). By the end of thesemester, students will be well prepared to stagemanage a fully-produced show. This course has nocurricular prerequisite, but requires a baselineunderstanding of the rehearsal and productionprocess; accordingly, enrolled students shouldhave some experience working in the theatre (as anactor, designer, crew member, etc.).

This course explores various aspects ofleadership, management, and entrepreneurship forthe visual and performing arts. Students learn howarts organizations define themselves, makedecisions, and plan for the future. Topics mayinclude leadership & governance, mission &strategy, program planning & evaluation,intellectual property & contracting, marketing &public relations, and/or budgeting & fundraising.This course requires a baseline interest in andunderstanding of the arts.

A learning contract is developed prior toenrollment in an internship. Evaluation of studentperformance is completed by the faculty mentorbased on the fulfillment of the contract terms andwritten evaluation by the internship sitesupervisor. Students must work at least 45 hoursfor each internship credit and be enrolled in thecourse prior to beginning work. Graded A-F orPass/Fail.

The course prepares theatre majors for the SCEthrough script analysis, critical thinking,synthesis of textual and performance analysis,research, readings, discussion, writing, andengagement with guest artists. Over the semester,students develop stronger oral and writtencommunication skills, develop the leadership andmanagement skills necessary for effectivecreative collaboration, and expand their ownimaginative tools and resources. Students spendpart of the semester writing and revisingchapters for the written SCE Production Book.(Learning objectives may vary slightly fromstudent to student, depending on the needs ofeach SCE project.) This course is required forall theatre majors, and must be taken in thespring of the junior year.

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An agreement between a sponsoring faculty and astudent letting the student study a topic ofinterest not offered at WC. 45 hours are requiredper credit.

Throughout history, thinkers have been variouslyexcited, enraged, bothered or bored by theater. Through the rigorous study of the writings andhistorical context of the major thinkers in theevolution of theater (from Aristotle to Ehn),students come to a greater understanding of thevarious changes, permutations and responses totheater in the Western World.

A learning contract is developed prior toenrollment in an internship. Evaluation of studentperformance is completed by the faculty mentorbased on the fulfillment of the contract terms andwritten evaluation by the internship sitesupervisor. Students must work at least 45 hoursfor each internship credit and be enrolled in thecourse prior to beginning work. Graded A-F orPass/Fail.

View Available Sections for titles anddescriptions of Special Topics offered thissemester.

An agreement between a sponsoring faculty and astudent letting the student study a topic ofinterest not offered at WC. 45 hours are requiredper credit.