Theatre Art Catalog Information
Programs offered • Major in Communication (32 credits) • Major in Communication with a Concentration in Mass Media (36 credits) • Major in Communication with a Concentration in Organizational Communication (32 credits) • Major in Communication with a Concentration in Public Relations (32 credits) • Minor in Communication (20 credits) • Individualized Study Major in Communication Studies and Theatre Art (32 credits) • Individualized Study Minor in Communication Studies and Theatre Art (20 credits) • Major in Theatre Art (34 credits) • Minor in Theatre Art (20 credits) • Double Major or Major/Minor Combinations in Communication and Theatre Art • Communication Studies major with Communication Arts/Literature teaching license, grades 5-12 (see education: interdisciplinary programs for secondary education) (52 credits plus 36 credits in education) • Communication Arts/Literature Area of Specialization for Elementary Education majors, grades 5-8 (see education) (20 credits in communication arts/literature) The communication studies curriculum is designed to have students graduate with the ability to think critically and creatively about communication issues, to be able to approach different communication contexts from a problem-solving perspective, and to develop their own skills in interpersonal, group and public speaking contexts. A liberal arts degree with a major in communication is designed for people interested in corporate and industrial communication, the broadcasting industry, journalism, advertising, public relations, management, event planning, sales and marketing, training and development, human resources, and similar fields. Many students combine a communication major or minor with other fields such as art, business, English writing, psychology, theatre, world languages and others. The communication studies and theatre art (CSTA) department offers a communication studies honors program. Details about the program can be obtained from the CSTA department chair. The department also sponsors a chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, the national student communication honor society. The CSTA department recognizes the importance of experience-based activities for our majors and minors. To complement our curriculum offerings we sponsor cocurricular activities including KORD radio and Concordia On-Air television, the advertising and public relations club, and Concordia Forensics (debate and individual events). Students are encouraged to become involved in these activities at the earliest possible opportunity. We also suggest that students consider a young professional experience during their junior or senior year. To pursue this option, COM 390 – Cooperative Education planning and placement should be discussed with a CSTA adviser no later than the semester prior to the experience (or earlier). All CSTA 390 credit must be approved by the department prior to the co-op experience in order to be used as a part of the student’s major/minor coursework. The mission of the Concordia Theatre program is to propel students to excellence in intellectual understanding and artistic experience. Concordia Theatre is an educational enterprise that explores social issues, raises questions of faith and ethics, and challenges students and audiences. Through the Theatre program, students identify their values in relation to important life decisions, understand and appreciate the contributions of art in contemporary society, and make choices based on an informed understanding of the collective human condition. The Theatre program serves theatre art majors and minors, non-majors interested in academic and cocurricular theatre, and the college-at-large through liberal arts distribution courses. The academic major in theatre art is intended for students who want to have a life in the theatre: future theatre professionals, those planning graduate study, and students with a serious avocational interest in the theatre. The theatre art minor is intended for those who wish to be more thoughtful and informed about theatre in their lives. Many students combine a theatre art major or minor with art, business, communication studies, music or other programs. Theatre art students document their accomplishments through their academic portfolio and résumé. Student portfolios are reviewed periodically to ensure that seniors will be prepared for a competitive academic review or a position in the theatre industry upon graduation. The cocurricular Theatre program allows students to learn experientially to be performers, managers, artisans, designers, technicians, directors and informed audience members. Participation in theatre provides life skills that cannot be replicated anywhere else in an academic education. The Concordia Theatre program is a student-oriented organization determined to provide the optimum learning experience for undergraduate students with a serious interest in producing cocurricular theatre. Concordia Theatre’s main stage features classical and contemporary plays and musicals, while the lab theatre is used primarily for student-directed experimental productions. The cocurricular experience is open to all students who can demonstrate satisfactory academic standing. Students in the Theatre program also gain experience through work-study positions. Theatre art students may earn the opportunity to hold major responsibilities in design, technical theatre and management. Enrollment in THR 122 – Production Organization and Procedures is a requirement for a work study position. Concordia students can expand their liberal arts experiences through the cocurricular Theatre program. Concordia Theatre is committed to the creative, critical and collaborative thinking required for today’s society. Note: Communication and theatre art majors with advisers in other departments should seek advisement from a CSTA faculty member prior to each registration period. See the CSTA department chair if you need assistance. The CSTA department provides learning experiences that prepare students to achieve the following outcomes: • demonstrate understanding of ethical and social responsibility in communicative practice • demonstrate socio-cultural awareness • be willing to interact with persons who exhibit differences from the student’s own background • demonstrate use of disciplinary tools appropriate to each student’s particular area of communication studies • demonstrate specific knowledge pertinent to their chosen area of specialty within the major • demonstrate oral communication competencies appropriate to a wide range of communication contexts and purposes Individualized Study Major in Communication Studies and Theatre Art The requirements for an individualized study major in communication studies and theatre art are 32 credits agreed upon in writing between the student and the CSTA department, of which at least six must be courses offered by this department and one must be COM 201 – Introduction to Communication Studies. Individualized Study Minor in Communication Studies and Theatre Art The requirements for an individualized study minor in communication studies and theatre art are 20 credits agreed upon in writing between the student and the CSTA department. An Individualized Program Planning Record must be filed with the chair of the CSTA department for all individualized majors or minors. The prospective major or minor should first consult the department chair and then develop the exact program to follow. Changes in the program probably will occur, but before a substitute course can be counted toward a major or minor it must be approved by the CSTA department. Major in Theatre Art The requirements for a major in theatre art are 34 credits: • THR 122 – Production Organization and Procedures, 4 credits • THR 124 – Contemporary Drama: Literature and Criticism, 4 credits • THR 127 – Elements of Acting • THR 222 – Theatre Design Crafts • THR 224 – Theatres and Cultures: Origins to Elizabethans, 4 credits OR THR 229 – Elements of Directing, 4 credits • THR 421 – Senior Seminar, 1 credit • THR 422 – Senior Thesis Project, 1 to 2 credits • 12 additional credits from courses above the 300 level, which allow students to focus on directing, dramaturgy, design, management, technical theatre and/or acting. Because much of learning is experiential, theatre majors are required to make a significant contribution to at least one Concordia main stage production each semester, through at least three semesters. Minor in Theatre Art The requirements for a minor in theatre art are 20 credits: • THR 122 – Production Organization and Procedures, 4 credits • THR 124 – Contemporary Drama: Literature and Criticism, 4 credits OR THR 127 – Elements of Acting • 12 additional credits in Theatre Art, 8 of which must be at or above the 300 level. 421 and 422 are recommended. Theatre art minors are expected to make a significant contribution to at least two Concordia main stage productions. Double Major or Major/Minor Combinations in Communication and Theatre Art Students may combine a major or minor in theatre art with a major or minor in communication. COM or THR 250, 280, 300, 380, 390 and 480 or Tri-College courses may be used to fulfill major/minor requirements in communication and theatre art majors and minors as indicated above, but only with prior written approval by the CSTA department. Normally only one 4-credit in each of these courses will be counted toward the major/minor requirements. Communication Studies Major with Communication Arts/Literature Teaching License, Grades 5-12 The requirements for a communication studies major with communication arts/literature teaching license, grades 5-12, are 52 credits plus 36 credits in education: • COM 201 – Introduction to Communication Studies, 4 credits • COM 205 – Advanced Public Speaking, 4 credits • COM 207 – Oral Interpretation, 4 credits • COM 312 – Interpersonal Communication, 4 credits COMMUNICATION STUDIES AND THEATRE ART 69 • COM 314 – Small-Group Interaction, 4 credits • COM 316 – Intercultural Communication, 4 credits • COM 331 – Mass Media, 4 credits • ENG 160 – Global Literature and Human Experience, 4 credits • ENG 220 – Human Values in British and American Literature, 4 credits • ENG 315 – English Language, Historical and Analytical, 4 credits • 4 credits from the following: – ENG 227 – Foundations of Creative Writing, 4 credits – ENG 316 – Business Writing, 4 credits – ENG 317 – News Writing, 4 credits • 4 credits from the following courses: – ENG 326 – British Literature: Medieval to Renaissance, 4 credits – ENG 336 – British Literature: Restoration to Romanticism, 4 credits – ENG 346 – British Literature: Empire to Independence, 4 credits – ENG 353 – American Literature to 1900, 4 credits – ENG 355 – American Literature since 1900, 4 credits • ENG 491 – Methods of Teaching Reading and Writing for the Secondary School, 2 credits • EDUC 374 – Young Adult Literature, 2 credits • Successful completion of the secondary/K-12 curriculum requirements. • Required methods of teaching courses are: – EDUC 376 – Methods of Teaching English, 4 credits – EDUC 394 – Methods of Teaching Communication Studies, 4 credits • Cocurricular activity participation. Must be approved by the English department and the CSTA department (see Cocurricular Activities for Communication Arts/Literature). Cocurricular Activities for Communication Arts/Literature Participation in cocurricular activities approved by the English department and the CSTA department is a required part of the communication arts/literature licensure. Two different cocurricular activities are required. A minimum of one semester of participation for each activity is suggested; however, participation should not occur during the student teaching semester. Teaching majors are responsible for getting specific information on cocurricular participation requirements from the CSTA and English departments. Suggested activities include Forensics; a media activity such as the AfterWork literary magazine, Concordia On-Air, The Concordian or KORD radio; Campus Service Commission (when English- or education-related and not a requirement for an existing course); Theatre; or alternate cocurricular activity approved in advance by the student’s adviser and the CSTA department and English department chairs.
Theatre Art Courses
THR 102 – The Theatrical Event. E2. A “theatrical event” incorporates all of the resources of a theatre production, the arts of theatre, but does not necessarily take place in a traditional theatre building. A theatrical event, as defined for this class, organizes creative resources according to “the Idea, Place, Performer and Audience” and explores activities like faith-based youth gatherings, Olympic ceremonies, corporate or political conventions, scholarship pageants and sporting events in domes and stadiums.
THR 122 R, E – Theatre Production Organization and Procedures, 4 credits. E1. THR 122 provides the framework for understanding the role, responsibility, relationship and skills of key personnel in a theatre production or theatre building. Students combine classroom information with experiential learning to develop a sampling of projects and skills for the producer/director and theatre managers, plus costume, scenic and lighting designers, artists and technicians. Theatre arts and theatre art are integrated into the life experiences and learning available to every liberal arts student.
THR 124 R, E, U – Contemporary Drama: Literature and Criticism, 4 credits. E2. An introductory course in the literature of drama in which modern and contemporary plays are analyzed and discussed. This course will introduce students to a variety of issues in which contemporary playwrights and critics are immersed, including race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality. Students work to understand plays’ potential meanings for modern audiences, and learn how to analyze plays as actors, directors and designers do.
THR 127 – Elements of Acting, 4 credits. E. A beginning course in acting intended as a practical basis for future study in acting, directing and related areas. Coursework on such topics as voice and movement, script analysis and realistic characterization lead to a heightened awareness of creativity and more proficient performing.
THR 212 – Lighting Design and Execution, 4 credits. A2 (2009-2010). Students will learn the necessary skills required to design and set up the lighting for a theatrical event. They will learn to design and draft a light plot, work with lighting instruments and color media, cue a show, and how their designs interact with other members of the design and directorial team. Students will be expected to complete practical projects in lighting design as well as written assignments. The class will end with a realized, small scale, lighting design presented to the rest of their peers.
THR 222 – Theatre Design Crafts, 4 credits. E1. This course develops the crafts and skills necessary for all design and production personnel. The course begins with a discussion of aesthetics, architecture and the design process. Students analyze scripts and develop a unique production concept using appropriate design theory. Students present 2-D and 3-D production designs to the class. Projects include a poster design, a costume design presentation, a creative ground plan for a thrust stage, two working model pieces, and a scene-by-scene light plot. Prerequisite: THR 122
THR 224 – Theatres and Cultures: Origins to Elizabethan, 4 credits. A2 (2009-2010). This course focuses on changes in early Western theatre practices in ancient Greece and Rome, and Medieval and Renaissance Europe. Students will work to integrate historical information into cultural and literary contexts through a variety of primary source materials, including play texts, architectural remains, pictures and commentary.
THR 225 – Summer Theatre, 4 credits. D. A laboratory theatre course in which students become involved in the creative problem-solving process. Past productions have dealt with movement and pantomime, repertory, dinner and children’s theatre. Enrollment for the summer course is also open to graduating high school seniors, college students, teachers and interested adults by permission of the instructor.
THR 227 – Intermediate Acting: Scene Study, 4 credits. E2. Students will continue the exploration of self from beginning acting, exploring the relationship of the actor to the role by examining intention, relationship and environment while working on scenes together. Students will be expected to complete both analytical and performance objectives. Scene study projects will also include in-class rehearsals and a public performance-level showcase. The course will center on the examination of characters in conflict in contemporary drama. Prerequisite: THR 127 or consent of the instructor
THR 229 – Elements of Directing, 4 credits. E1.
THR 250 – Pre-May Seminar in Theatre, 2 credits. A2 (2009-2010). This course prepares students for the theatre May Seminar abroad. Students learn to plan and implement research in their own areas of interest, including performance, design or management. Students develop travel skills that allow for an exciting and fruitful journey, as they prepare to undertake independent theatre research in historic archeological sites, museums or a variety of contemporary performances.
THR 280 – Individualized Study, 1 credit. E. This unique opportunity provides an alternative learning option for theatre students to study materials and skills as 200-level “apprenticeships.” Various topic choices can utilize the available expertise levels of our designers and directors, and are designed to offer experiential study opportunities. Sample topics may include stagecraft, costume construction, playwriting, and stage management. Up to 1 credit (four topics) can be applied to the theatre major or minor. Prerequisite: THR 122 and permission of the instructor
THR 300 – May Seminar in Theatre, 4 credits. MS (2009-2010). This May Seminar explores the historic and contemporary theatres and cultures of Europe. Students may research European theatrical traditions by touring ancient hillside theatres, opulent auditoriums, experimental venues and vibrant commercial spaces. Students investigate the cultural milieu of the ancient and modern streets of some of Europe’s greatest cities by visiting palaces, shops, cathedrals, restaurants and museums. Students conduct theatre research projects by visiting historical, social and cultural sites. Discover how European cultures were reflected by their historical theatre practices, and the myriad ways in which theatre still serves these societies today.
THR 322 – Applied Design and Creativity, 4 credits. A2 (2009-2010). This course focuses on methodologies used in transforming scripts to designs for musicals and classical theatre productions. The student is then expected to develop a portfolio-ready project in costumes, scenery and lighting that incorporate creative problem-solving with crafts and skills developed in THR 222. Project development and evaluation features a combination of in-class instruction and mentoring by the professional staff. Final projects focus on the guidelines recommended in design portfolio review for advanced study or mainstage productions. Prerequisites: THR 122 and THR 222
THR 323 – Women and Theatre, 4 credits. A1 (2009-2010). This course focuses on women’s work, lives and ways of creating theatre. Students will study the conditions and practices in which women create theatre, as well as particular women artists. As a part of the coursework, students will engage in discussion and write journals to further develop their artistic identities. This course is part of the women’s studies program.
THR 327 – Advanced Acting, 4 credits. A2 (2009-2010). An advanced course for mature students of acting, whether preparing for careers in theatre or wanting to develop life skills such as creativity and effectiveness in communication. The course focuses on period style, including Shakespeare, or music theatre. Prerequisites: THR 127 or permission of instructor
THR 328 – Theatre Arts Management, 4 credits. A2. A study of the principles of theatre arts management with special emphasis on philosophy, principles and plans of operation in commercial, educational or social theatre programs. Included among the course topics are European and American traditions in the arts, practical problems, and the integration of business and artistic models of operation necessary to a modern arts organization. Managers from local arts organizations are invited to present their personal case studies. Prerequisites: THR 122 and consent of the instructor
THR 329 – Advanced Directing, 4 credits. E2. A course in directing for advanced students of theatre art. Student projects focus on textual interpretation, audition and rehearsal methods, as well as practice in principles of staging. The final course project for each director is the public performance of a complete one act play. Prerequisites: THR 122, 127, 222, 229 and significant cocurricular responsibility
THR 334 – European History of Western Theatre, 4 credits. A2 (2009-2010). This course tracks changes in theatre from its origins in ancient Greece and Rome, through the upheavals of the Medieval, Renaissance, Neoclassical and Romantic periods. Students will integrate historical, cultural and literary sources to achieve an understanding of how and why theatre practices have changed. Students develop skills in reading texts for historical understanding, analyzing contemporaneous criticism, and investigating architecture and artifacts.
THR 335 – Non-Western Theatres and Cultures, 4 credits. A1. This course investigates traditional and post-colonial theatre practices in non-Western cultures. Students will study a variety of traditional theatres and dramatic dance, including those of Japan, China, India and Africa. Students will research colonial experiences and read contemporary post-colonial plays. Students will investigate a variety of source materials ‘ texts, architectural remains, images and commentary ‘ in order to understand the interaction of historical, commercial, political and artistic forces that have shaped traditional and contemporary non-Western theatre.
THR 380 – Special Topics, 4 credits. D. Courses covering various topics of interest in this particular discipline are offered regularly. Contact department or program chair for more information.
THR 390 – Cooperative Education, 2 to 8 credits. E.
THR 421 – Senior Seminar, 1 credit. E. Students meet weekly to work on director/designer/actor communications strategies. Students create professional portfolios, work on problem-solving, and develop support, objectivity, and artistic judgment with their academic and artistic peers. Prerequisites: THR 122, THR 124, THR 127, two 200–level courses and senior status
THR 422 – Senior Thesis Project, 1 to 2 credits. D. Senior theatre majors complete their studies through a significant capstone project. Thesis projects may be tied to a main stage production, a student-directed production, or involve non-production work. Thesis options include acting, directing, design, management, playwriting or dramaturgy. Prerequisites: THR 122, THR 124, THR 127, two 200-level courses and senior status
THR 480 – Independent Study, 1 to 4 credits. D. This course provides an opportunity for individual students to conduct an in-depth research of a particular topic under the direct supervision of a faculty member. Contact department or program chair for more information.
Course Catalog
