- Winter 2025
Syllabus Description:
Making Plays : Creating original and dynamic theatre
Students learn to work together towards a common artistic goal, using all the elements of theatre to create performances. This interdisciplinary course will focus on how to create original devised pieces for the theatre using light, sound, movement, text, music, media and the visual arts.
The goal of the course is to provide an opportunity for students with interests in the visual and performing arts to learn techniques to create multi-disciplinary theatrical pieces. Throughout the course students will investigate methods for creating performances, learn about contemporary devised work and companies, and develop a critical vocabulary to analyze performances.
How Class Works:
"Making Plays" on Fridays is Lab Time. We will start with a group check in, and some response time to discuss that week's reading/ watching assignment. Then a warm-up, rooted in whatever activity we are embarking on that day. As a rule, come prepared to move, and to get messy. Lastly, we "Make Plays".
"Watching Plays" on Saturdays is what it sounds like. Every week there is a performance video to watch, and this is an opportunity to watch it as a group. We will meet in (____________) at (_______). These videos will also be available on Canvas should you not be able to come to Saturdays viewing. This is a new component of this class, and we will check in mid-quarter to see how everyone likes it.
"Homework" is broken up into several categories: Saturday Watching Plays, To Read or Watch , To Complete and To explore ( optional or more to do). Saturday Watching Plays include the links to whatever we are showing on Saturday, in case you cannot join. To Read or Watch includes many things: articles, interviews, or manuals on the making of work. Sometimes, as you watch or read something you need To Complete a Response Assignment. These responses are one page, hand written responses, written with marker -- meaning, you don't need to get precious or take copious notes, just come away with a handful of thoughts. To explore ( optional or more to do) is just what it sounds like. This section is not required, but includes interesting pages or articles to download or bookmark if you are interested in the artist and want to know more.