The Illusion by Tony Kushner; 2016-17 Season

The Bachelor of Arts program in theater offers concentrations in acting, design/technical theater, dramatic writing, directing and general theater studies.  Students intending to major in Theater will need to complete forty credit hours of coursework.  Most students will opt to take many classes beyond the requirements in order to enhance their knowledge and improve their skills.  Students interested in declaring a specific concentration of study can satisfy the additional requirements listed below in order to fulfill a Bachelor of Arts with a specific concentration; students who do not declare a concentration will receive the designation of “General Theater” on their transcript. The basic course requirements for all theater majors are as follows:

Performance/General Courses

12

Students must take all four of the following courses:

THTR 100 Introduction to Acting 3
THTR 103 Acting: Scene Study 3
THTR 110 Introduction to Theater 3
THTR 330 Play Directing I 3

 

Design Courses

6

All students must take the following course as a prerequisite, preferably in the spring of their first year:

THTR 111 Introduction to Design 3

Then students must take one of the following:

THTR 223 Scenic Design 3
THTR 224 Lighting Design 3
THTR 225 Costume Design 3

 

History & Literature Courses

12

Students must take all four of the following:

THTR 325 Development of Theater: Beginnings to English Renaissance 3
THTR 326 Development of Theater: Renaissance to Romanticism 3
THTR 327 American Theater and Playwrights 3
THTR 329 Modern and Contemporary Drama 3

 

Practicum Credit Hours

7

THTR 185

Theater Practicum:

Students are required to enroll in THTR 185, a one-hour practicum credit, accumulating seven (7) credits during their eight semesters at CWRU. Students will enroll in THTR 185 each semester unless otherwise directed by the department’s Director of Undergraduate Studies. Any exemptions to this requirement (receiving two [2] credit-hours in one semester or not enrolling in THTR 185 for a semester) must receive approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

 

Senior Capstones

3

Students must take one of the following:

THTR 331 Play Directing II 3
THTR 390 Theater Design and Technology Capstone 3
THTR 393 Senior Capstone: Dramaturgy 3

For a concentration in a specific area, students must take the courses listed:

Concentration in Acting

9

THTR 231 Acting: Advanced Scene Study 3
THTR 232 Acting: Classical Technique 3
THTR 375 Voice 3

 

Concentration in Design/Technical Theater

9

THTR 223, 224, or 225 The two remaining design courses (excluding the course taken to fulfill the core requirements above) 6
THTR 226 or THTR 227 Stage Makeup or Stage Management 3

 

Concentration in Directing

9

THTR 331 Play Directing II 3
THTR 227 Stage Management 3
THTR 314, THTR 223, THTR 224, or THTR 225 Advanced Playwriting or an additional design course not taken to fulfill the core requirements of the major 3

 

Concentration in Dramatic Writing

9

THTR 312 Playwriting 3
THTR 314 Advanced Playwriting 3
THTR 316 Screenwriting 3

 

Elective Courses

Please note that some of the courses that appear on this list also appear under the requirements list.  This is because of the various theater major degree paths available.

 

THTR 100 Introduction to Acting 3
THTR 105 Introduction to Stagecraft 3
THTR 201 Movement 3
THTR 204 Stage Combat 3
THTR 223 Scenic Design 3
THTR 224 Lighting Design 3
THTR 225 Costume Design 3
THTR 226 Stage Makeup 3
THTR 227 Stage Management 3
THTR 231 Acting: Contemporary Technique 3
THTR 232 Acting: Classical Technique 3
THTR 233 Improvisation 3
THTR 240 Video Production 3
THTR 306 Acting: Camera Technique 3
THTR 307 Acting: Advanced Camera Technique 3
THTR 311 Audition Laboratory 1
THTR 312 Playwriting 3
THTR 314 Advanced Playwriting 3
THTR 316 Screenwriting 3
THTR 323 Topics in Design 3
THTR 334 Shakespeare: Histories and Tragedies 3
THTR 335 Shakespeare: Comedies and Romances 3
THTR 375 Voice 3
THTR 376 Advanced Voice Technique 3
THTR 385 Rehearsal and Production 1-3
THTR 386 Rehearsal and Performance 1
THTR 397 Honors Studies I 3
THTR 398 Honors Studies II 3
THTR 399 Independent Study in Theater Arts 1-3

 

 

Departmental Honors in Theater

Majors wishing to take a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in theater must make written application to the director of undergraduate theater studies no later than May 1 of their junior year. Students must have a minimum 3.25 overall grade point average and a minimum 3.75 grade point average in theater. Acceptance into the honors program is contingent upon faculty support and recommendation by the director of undergraduate theater studies and the department chair. Those accepted register for THTR 397 Honors Studies I and THTR 398 Honors Studies II during their senior year, for a total of 6 hours. The honors project is defined as a production project in acting, design, playwriting, directing, or management/outreach. A supporting paper discussing the concept, execution, and performance of the project must be filed with the director of undergraduate theater studies no later than one week following the project presentation. Preparation of the project will be supervised by a department faculty member. This project may be accepted for honors only if it receives a grade of A from both the project advisor and the Director of Undergraduate Theater Studies. The grade of A must be received both semesters. Students who qualify will receive the notation “Departmental Honors in Theater” on their diplomas. Information about the structure and specific requirements of the honors project is available from the director of undergraduate theater studies.