THTR 396 - Non-Verbal Theatrical Text

Institution:

Case Western Reserve University

Subject:

Description:

This is a SAGES capstone course. It has been constructed to provide an opportunity for advanced Design/Technical Theater Undergraduates to examine and explore the roots and current trends of post-modern, contemporary theater as well as to investigate current design outside of its traditional decorative role. Rather, as in current movements described as "action design" or "affective space theory", design will be used to create a text which combines with the spoken word in production for the purpose of audience perception of meaning. As a starting point, this course will examine the advent of realism on stage and follow this study by subsequent significant movements departing from realism. Through extensive use of video and live presentation, students will select movements in theater production for written and oral analysis. As a class, we will define post-modern as a term to describe contemporary theater and further explore the possibilities of theatrical presentation form a written dramatic source. This course will culminate in the production, whether group or individualized, of a creative design, based on a work written for the stage, but exploring non-verbal communication of an author's or director's intent. This exploration of theater language might combine non-verbal characteristics inclusive of images, relationships, activity, song, music, properties, objects, color, costume, movement, light, silence, sounds, presence or gesture. Goals of the seminar will be to find a process for textual analysis through an in-depth examination of the chosen text, to create a focus upon the action which drives this text, to discover a process for imagery that will give the text dimension and finally, to embody and realize ideas which impart to that text its intellectual content. A public presentation within Eldred's black box, Mather's dance studio space, or a public performing space within the CWRU campus will be integral to this process. Weekly discussion, analysis and critique will be a critical element of the course, as well as expository writing. Weekly participatory assignments will also be prescribed from a mandatory and suggested reading list. Prereq: Theater Majors with Design Tech Emphasis.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.case.edu

Phone Number:

(216) 368-2000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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