What is it and why should I do it?
Theatre Studies is essentially about creatively interpreting scripts written by others, for a performance. This subject is about acting, directing, designing costumes, sets, lighting, sound, props and other theatre technologies to make theatre and perform in front of an audience. One of the three outcomes is reading a script and then seeing the play performed by a professional Theatre company, to inspire and inform your own ideas and passion about making theatre. The focus of Unit 1 is three periods of theatre history before 1920. You will research and learn about the history of Western and Non-Western Theatre and focus on Classical Greek tragedy, Elizabethan theatre including Shakespeare and Commedia dell'Arte. You will then collaborate with other students to create three performances using scripts or other texts, and perform two group and one solo performance. You will explore and then focus on specific production roles such as acting or direction and designing - sets, costumes, props, lighting and/or sound. You can choose to focus on acting and direction or theatre design.
Unit 2 is an extension of unit 1 and the focus is on Theatre made after 1920. You will study major theatre practitioners such as Brecht, Artaud and Grotowski and perform excerpts and one full play from the 20th - 21st century. Your assessment is based on two performances either group or whole class and one solo. You can act and direct or design costumes sets lighting or sound.
What will I do in class?
Classes are a combination of Practical and theoretical depending on which outcome you are working on. You will read scripts aloud in class as explore the text you are performing or going to see as well discussions and research/dramaturgy, There will be some lectures introducing new topics, group work, rehearsals, production meetings and you will do a class presentation each semester.