"Case Western Reserve University's theatre department helped transition me from a student who loved doing theatre in high school to a professional pursuing design and technical theatre as a career. Because of the program's small size and flexibility, I was able to receive attention from faculty that truly cared about me and help tailoring, and even creating, courses to fit my interests. I was also able to study abroad during my junior year at University of the Arts London in their Design for Performance course. My senior year, I was given the opportunity to design the set for a mainstage show, Picassso at the Lapin Agile, for my Honors project. This experience and the support of the faculty gave me the confidence to pursue any freelance design jobs. Currently I am working on a freelance design for a high school one-act.

The theatre department also helped me find opportunities to learn in professional settings outside the classroom. During my four years at Case, I worked with area Cleveland theaters, including Theater Ninjas, Dobama Theatre, and the Cleveland Play House. My work at the Cleveland Play House included working on the Case/CPH MFA shows my sophomore year and an internship in the Paint Shop during my senior year. What I learned during these out of the classroom experiences and the connections that I made have been an invaluable resource to me while pursuing professional work. Because of my experiences while I at Case, I have been hired the past two summer-stock seasons at Williamstown Theatre Festival in Williamstown, MA in their prop shop. I am in the process of moving to NYC because of contacts that I made at WTF."

- Cassie Dorland, Theater Alumni 2010

COURSES REQUIRED BY CONCENTRATION

THEATER MAJORS

The Bachelor of Arts program in theater offers concentrations in acting, design/technical theater, dramatic writing, and directing. The basic course requirements for all theater majors are as follows:

Performance/Directing courses (12 hours)
Students must take all four (4) of the following:
THTR 110 - Introduction to Theatre
THTR 101 - Acting I
THTR 102 - Acting II
THTR 330 - Play Directing

Design courses (6 hours)
All students must take the following:
THTR 111 - Intro to Design
Students must take one (1) of the following:
THTR 223 - Stage Design
THTR 224 - Stage Lighting
THTR 225 - Costume Design

Theatre history courses (maximum of 12 hours)
Students must take all four (4) of the following:
THTR 228 - Theatre History I
THTR 229 - Theatre History II
THTR 327 - American Theatre
THTR 329 - Modern and Contemporary Theatre

Tech credit hours (minimum of 3 hours)
Students are required to enroll in three (3) THTR 385 for credit. Students are allowed to enroll in 386 if they are cast in shows. Students can enroll in 385 or 386 a maximum of four times.

Senior capstone (3 hours)
Students must take one (1) of the following:
THTR 331 - Directing
THTR 382 - Acting
THTR 390 - Design/tech
THTR 393 - Dramaturgy

Elective Courses
Students must take a minimum of forty-two (42) hours beyond the 100-level required courses to complete the majors. Below is a listing of all the possible options for students to take to fulfill that requirement.
THTR 105 - Stagecraft (3)
THTR 201 - Movement (3)
THTR 223 - Scene Design (3)
THTR 224 - Stage Lighting (3)
THTR 225 - Costume Design (3)
THTR 226 - Stage Make-up (3)
THTR 227 - Stage Management (3)
THTR 231 - Acting III (3)
THTR 232 - Acting IV (3)
THTR 306 - Advanced Acting (3)
THTR 311 - Audition Lab (1)
THTR 312 - Playwriting (3)
THTR 314 - Advanced Playwriting (3)
THTR 316 - Screenwriting (3)
THTR 323 - Topics in Design (3)
THTR 334 - Shakespeare I (3)
THTR 335 - Shakespeare II (3)
THTR 375 - Voice for the Stage I (3)
THTR 376 - Voice for the Stage II (3)
THTR 385 - Rehearsal/Production (1-2)
THTR 386 - Rehearsal/Performance (1)
THTR 397 - Honors Studies I (3)
THTR 398 - Honors Studies II (3)
THTR 399 - Independent Studies (1-3)

MINOR (for the B.A.)
Concentration for the Minor:
Hours: 18
General Theater: must include THTR 101, THTR 223, 224 or 225, and 228, 229, or 327.
Acting: must include THTR 101, 103, 231, 228, 229, and 375.
Design/Tech: must include 105, 228, 229, 327, and two of the following: 223, 224, or 225.
Dramatic Writing: must include 101, 228, 229, 312, 316, 331

Humanities Sequence (for the B.S. based Engineering Core)
Hours: 9
Note: All sequences must include THTR 123 or 124 and TWO additional courses selected in consultation with advisor.
Sample programs:
1. Acting: THTR 123 or 124, 101, 102.
2. Stagecraft: THTR 123 or 124, 105, and 223 or 224.
3. Costume Crafts and History: THTR 123 or 124, 352, and one of the following: 228, 229 or 327.

UNDERGRADUATE COURSES IN THEATER
The following are course listings offered for undergraduate students in the Department of Theater Arts.

100-Level Courses

THTR 100. Introduction to Acting (3). A course designed to provide the non-major or undeclared liberal arts major limited experience with a basic understanding of performance and the theater. Fundamentals in improvisation, vocabulary, and scene study are stressed. This course fulfills THTR 101 should the undeclared student select theater as his or her major or minor. Fall/Spring

THTR 101. Acting I for Minors (3). This course is designed to expose the theater minor to the development of the actor's basic tools. Relaxation, concentration, and improvisation are taught along with basic scene study work. Fall.

THTR 102. Acting I for Majors (3). This course is designed to expose the theater major to the development of the actor's basic tools. Relaxation, concentration, and improvisation are taught along with basic scene study work. Fall.

THTR 103. Acting II: Exploration of Craft (3). This course continues the work begun in THTR 101/102 with emphasis on action, emotional life, and text analysis as the essential elements of the actor's work. Spring.

THTR 105. Introduction to Stagecraft (3). Introduction to the physical stage as well as basic tools and techniques used in the production of scenery for the modern stage. Fall/Spring.

THTR 110. Introduction to Theater (3). THTR 126 is a fundamental study of theatre from the standpoint of developing the critical acumen of a potential audience.  It covers each ingredient of the theatrical experience--audience, playwriting, acting, directing, theatre architecture, design and technology--and attempts to help students define a reasonable set of standards to judge that part of the experience as an audience member and to clearly communicate their feelings and thoughts regarding that experience. Fall.

THTR 111. Introduction to Design (3). This course offers the opportunity to learn, develop, and practice the art of set, costume, and lighting design by concentrates specifically on the processes, skills, and disciplines of design for performance. Furthermore, students will read several plays and examine ways in which theater design can suggest meaning and interpretation of the script. Students will learn basic design elements and principles of composition through interactive, collaborative projects and exercises in addition to critically analyzing other designers' works from a broad spectrum of design styles. Emphasis will be placed on creativity, discovery, analysis, and collaboration. Spring.

200-Level Courses

THTR 201. Movement for the Actor I (3). The course focuses on developing a kinesthetic awareness of the body and its use as a theatrically expressive instrument. Exercises will encompass development of flexibility, strength building, alignment, motor skills, and concentration. Fall.

THTR 223. Scene Design (3). Exploration of scenic design for the theater. Study of both the process and the implementation of a design from a script to the stage. No prerequisites. Fall.

THTR 224. Stage Lighting (3). Exploration of lighting design in the theater. Ground-up approach to technical and conceptual design of lighting for a play. No prerequisites. Spring.

THTR 225. Costume Design (3). Design and ornamentation of stage costumes and accessories. Laboratory. Prerequisites: THTR 111 and/or consent of instructor. Fall.

THTR 226. Stage Makeup (3). Students learn through experimentation and hands-on training the skill and art behind makeup for the stage. Spring.

THTR 227. Stage Management (3). Designed to acquaint students with the numerous aspects of stage management. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Fall.

THTR 228. Theater History (3). A review and critical study of the classical theaters of Ancient Greece, Asia, Medieval Europe, Elizabethan and Jacobean England and the Central European Renaissance. Readings are coordinated with specific Eldred Theater seasonal productions. Fall.

THTR 229. Theater History (3). Modern periods in Western theater history, from the seventeenth century to the turn of the twenty-first century. The course investigates materials, texts, and artifacts of the theaters from the Restoration to the Modern era. Representative Asian and African theater forms studied as well. Spring.

THTR 231. Acting III: Contemporary Technique (3). An exploration of advanced contemporary acting technique based on the work of Michael Chekhov. Provides advanced acting students with the tools necessary to work effectively and consistently with contemporary texts, with emphasis placed on psychological gesture and geste. Fall.

THTR 232. Acting IV: Classical Technique (3). An exploration of techniques to approach classical theater, with emphasis on the works of Shakespeare. Presents the challenges of working with heightened language, classical texts and provides skills necessary to transfer modern acting methods to these more poetic plays. Spring.

300-Level Courses

THTR 306. Advanced Acting (3). Acting for the camera class with emphasis on how it differs from onstage work. Interviews, scenes and exercises will be used to highlight the differences and similarities. Emphasis on contemporary works. Prerequisite: 231 and 232 or consent of instructor. Spring.

THTR 311. Audition Lab (1). The development of audition materials and the skills necessary for various kinds of auditions. Prerequisite: Acting track concentration or consent of instructor. Must be a senior. Fall

THTR 312. Playwriting (3). Theory and practice of dramatic writing. Fall.

THTR 314. Advanced Playwriting (3). Theory and practice of dramatic writing with special focus on the craft of writing a full-length play. Prerequisite:

THTR 312 or consent of instructor. Fall.

THTR 316. Screenwriting (3). A critical exploration of the craft of writing for film, in which reading and practicum assignments will culminate in the student submitting an original full-length screenplay. Prerequisite: THTR 312. Spring.

THTR 327. American Theater and Playwrights (3). A study of selected playwrights who are making a contribution to theatrical experimentation. Fall.

THTR 329. Dramatic Literature (3). Dramatic text analyzed in the context of theatrical production. Major analytical roles introduced. Spring.

THTR 330. Play Directing I (3).  An examination of the fundamentals of directing a play, including a history of the art, directorial text analysis, conceptual styles and approaches, and general problem-solving. Course format is a combination of theoretical lecture and practical lab experiences. Prerequisites: upperclass status and permission of department.  Fall

THTR 331. Play Directing II (3). A continuation of THTR 330 focusing on the practical application of directing in production.  Course format is a combination of theoretical lecture and practical lab experiences, culminating in a directing project. Prerequisites: THTR 330, upperclass status and permission of department. Spring.  SAGES CAPSTONE.

THTR 334. Shakespeare I (3). Tragedies. (Also listed as ENGL 324.) Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor. Theater majors take under the English listing. Spring.

THTR 335. Shakespeare II (3). Comedies and histories. (Also listed as ENGL 325.) Prerequisite: ENGL 150 or consent of instructor. Theater majors take under the English listing. Fall.

THTR 375. Voice for the Stage I (3). Development of the actor's vocal instrument. Work in articulation, range, and flexibility. Prerequisite: Theater major or consent of instructor. Fall.

THTR 376. Voice for the Stage II (3). Continuation of THTR 375. Prerequisite: THTR 375 or consent of instructor. Spring.

THTR 385. Rehearsal and Production (1-3).  Practicum credit for work on departmental productions, with emphasis on production and crew work.  Fall/Spring.

THRT 386. Rehearsal and Performance (1-3).  Practicum credit for work on departmental productions, emphasis on performance experience.  Fall/Spring.

THTR 397. Honors Studies I (3). Individual projects in acting, design, dance, directing, playwriting and management/ outreach. Prerequisite: Faculty consent. Fall.

THTR 398. Honors Studies II (3). Continuation and completion of THTR 397. Spring.

THTR 399. Independent Study in Theater Arts (1-3). Available to all theater majors for special projects and internships. Prerequisite: Director/Undergraduate Theater Studies consent. Fall/Spring.

ADVANCED UNDERGRADUATE STUDY

Those undergraduates who show an aptitude and discipline in the 100, 200, and 300-level courses may register in 400-level courses. (This is done only with the consent of the instructor.) Several of the 400 level courses most frequently available to advanced undergraduate students are:

400-Level Courses

THTR 424. Stage Lighting (3). Elements of stage lighting design and technology. Laboratory lighting experience with mainstage productions. Laboratory requirement. Prerequisite: THTR 223 and 224 or consent of instructor. Fall/Spring.

THTR 440. Portfolio Designs (3). Independent projects involving presentation and criticism of scenic, costume, or lighting design for a given play, dance, musical, or opera. Culminates in presentation of portfolio project, including concept of design, plots, working drawings, renderings. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Fall/Spring.