Lake Shore Campus:
Skyscraper 810
Phone: 773-508-3830
FAX: 773-508-8748
www.luc.edu/depts/theatre
Professor Emeritus: N. Patricca, D. Zacek
Professors: J. Trahey, J. Wilson
Associate Professors: S. Gabel (chairperson)
Assistant Professor:J. Firkins
Adjunct Professors: S. Applebaum, C. Craig, R. Kornick,
N. Withers-Wilson
Instructor:A. Shanahan
The major in theatre is offered only at the Lake
Shore Campus.
OBJECTIVES
It is the goal of the theatre department to provide
a liberal arts education for the professional, community and academic theatres.
Many of our students pursue theatre as a profession after graduation but
the theatre major program also serves as a means of acquiring a liberal
education similar in nature to such fields as English, classics, philosophy
or history.
By fostering an environment which supports the
search for truth and respect for the human person, the Department of Theatre
encourages its students to develop critical and ethical perspectives in
their preparation for life. Through academic and performance studies, we
seek to affirm our students’ ability to learn, to develop their unique
creative potential, and to encourage their commitment to sharing their
knowledge and creative talents with others. Of all the arts, theatre provides
the most concrete expression of the customs, values, manners and morals
of any given society at any given time. Theatre is one of the most communal
of art forms. By exploring the works of the greatest poets and playwrights;
through discussion of aesthetic, moral and social issues; by enriching
our cultural heritage and traditions through the performance of works by
new artists we serve our university and our community.
DEPARTMENT
REGULATIONS
Requirements for the Major: The required
curriculum for theatre majors consists of 30 hours of specified coursework
and 12 hours of electives. It is hoped that the student will take more
than his/her minimum of six hours of advanced courses. Required courses
should be taken in the following sequence:
1st year: 203, 252, 253, 256,
266, 321 (2 hours).
2nd year: 257, 268, 321 (2 hours), 365, or
366 or 367.
3rd year: 321 (2 hours), 375, electives.
4th year: electives.
Two of the following three courses, 365, 366, 367,
must be taken between year 2 and year 4.
Requirements for the Minor: Requirements
for the minor consist of 21 hours of courses as follows: THTR 203, 252,
266, and 321 (3 hours) selected with the permission of the chairperson.
Honors Requirements in Theatre: Departmental
honors consists of a directed reading program of one book per month for
six semesters to be discussed at the end of each month with a faculty member
of the department. Members of the departmental honors program are asked
to report their readings each month to the honors advisor of the department.
If a theatre major elects to take both departmental
honors and university honors, the university honors program will elect
to waive his/her one required honors course in theatre in lieu of the work
done in departmental honors. Such a student is expected to begin departmental
honors the same semester he/she begins university honors.
COURSES OF INSTRUCTION
100. Introduction to the Theatre Experience.
The intent of this course is to introduce the
student to the world of the theatre. Students will investigate the theatre’s
function in society, the artists who are involved in it, and the various
theatrical components which make up the art form. Students will also experience
the theatre by participating in creative theatrical projects.
203. Dramatic Structure and Theatrical Process.
This course introduces the student to the basic
methods of analyzing and interpreting plays representative of the modern
stage (from Ibsen to the present). The study of the theatre is the study
of performance and the chief blueprint for production is the text. An analysis
of the play text is a critical first step toward understanding both the
performance of a play and the means by which that performance is created.
This course focuses on the dynamic interplay, essential to the collaborative
nature of theatre between structure and content, text and performance.
205. Theatre in Chicago I.
Weekly attendance at professional, semi-professional,
community and academic theatre offerings in the Chicago area, supplemented
by selected readings. Students meet with the instructor to discuss the
significance of what they have seen. Students enrolled are responsible
for the cost of theatre tickets. This course may be repeated one time (THTR
207).
207. Theatre in Chicago II.
Weekly attendance at professional, semi-professional,
community, and academic theatre offerings in the Chicago area, supplemented
by selected readings. Students meet with instructor to discuss the significance
of what they have seen. Students are responsible for the cost of theatre
tickets. (This course enables those who have taken 205 to repeat the course
for credit.)
241. Voice and Diction for the Stage I.
Through in-class exercises, students gain greater
knowledge and control over the techniques necessary for healthy and effective
voice and speech production: breath support, tonal placement, resonance
building, projection, articulatory clarity, vowel and consonant formation,
the international phonetic alphabet, and language coloration.
242. Introduction to Singing I.
A course for the beginning student emphasizing
the identification of musical symbols, the development of vocalists (vocal
exercises), the training of the voice through simple songs, and the development
of an understanding of the student’s personal vocal instrument.
243. Introduction to Singing II.
Prerequisite: 242 or prior musical training and
written permission of instructor.
A continuation of 242.
244. Voice and Diction for the Stage II.
Prerequisite: 241.
Advanced workshop in which the demands placed
upon the voice by the various styles and periods of dramatic literature
are analyzed.
252. Introduction to Theatrical Design.
This course introduces the theatre student to
the fundamentals of design especially as they relate to the theatrical
design of sets, lights, and costumes. The student will be introduced to
the ways in which set, lighting and costume designers express their ideas
to the rest of the production team.
253. Crafts for the Stage.
A survey course in: 1) the construction of basic
stage scenery; 2) the principles and equipment of rigging and scene shifting;
3) basic concepts of lighting and the hanging and focusing of stage lights.
There will be an additional one hour laboratory period each week.
256. History of the Theatre I.
Prerequisite: 203.
A survey course in the development of the theatre
from its beginnings to the end of the Jacobean/Caroline period.
257. History of the Theatre II.
Prerequisite: 203.
A survey course in the development of the theatre
and drama from the French Renaissance to the present.
261. Beginning Acting.
A lecture-performance course for non-majors in
the basic principles and techniques of acting. Included is work in such
areas as the actor’s physical tools, concentration, relaxation, sensory
responsiveness, emotional recall and motivational units. Particular attention
will be paid to the physical technique of the actor.
266. Acting Theories and Technique.
A lecture-performance course in the basic principles
and techniques of acting. Included is work in such areas as the actor’s
physical tools, concentration, relaxation, sensory responsiveness, emotional
recall and motivational units. This course is intended for majors.
268. Characterization for the Stage I.
Prerequisite: 266.
A lecture-performance course emphasizing the use
of language in the development of character for scene work.
269. Characterization for the Stage II.
Prerequisite: 268.
The course emphasizes the analysis of a text into
actions, the discovery of subtext and the development of character for
scene work.
300. Theatre Technology I.
Prerequisite: 252, 253.
Fundamental design principles and practices including
basic construction and drafting for the stage, basic color theory, and
the maintenance and presentation of a sketch book. In addition to the regular
three class hours, there will be a one-hour laboratory period each week.
321. Theater Practicum (1 hour)
A minimum of forty hours of production work in
scene construction, costume construction, properties, make-up, running
crews, house staff or box office for the Theatre Department’s productions.
Students may not take anymore than 1 hour of 321 in any given semester
and no more than 8 hours of 321 can be counted towards the major. It is
open to all students.
323. Rehearsal and Performance.
Students taking this course receive credit for
production work done during the preceding semester upon completion and
submission of a journal and a paper. The journal serves to record growth
and experiences; the paper provides the opportunity to reflect upon both
from a distance in time.
324. Practicum in Design.
This course gives three credit hours to the student
scene, costume, lighting, make-up, or property designer. Grades are based
on quality of work performed, submission of all pertinent design work and
a journal. A faculty critique of the design work will be held with the
student designer. The journal serves to record growth and experiences.
The critique serves to give an objective view of the design by the faculty.
This practicum is repeatable with the Chair’s permission.
325. Costume Design I.
A lecture-laboratory course in the planning, design
and execution of costumes for the stage. Students are required to complete
a series of design projects emphasizing figure sketching, silhouette, color,
texture, and line.
326. Costume Design II.
Prerequisite: 325.
A lecture-laboratory course in the planning and
construction of costumes for the stage. Students are required to complete
a series of design projects in which emphasis will be given to such areas
as style, pattern drafting and construction techniques.
328. Stage Lighting: Theories and Techniques
I.
A study of the theories and techniques of modern
stage lighting as a design asset to play production. Emphasis will be given
to such areas as instrumentation, intensity controls, and lighting designs.
329. Stage Make-up: Theories and Techniques.
A study of the theories and techniques of stage
make-up as a technical asset to play production. Emphasis will be given
to such areas as straight make-up, character make-up, and special effects
through make-up.
330. Stage-Lighting: Theories and Techniques
II.
Prerequisite: 328.
Advanced study of the theories and techniques
of modern stage lighting as an asset to play production. Emphasis will
be given to such areas as instrumentation, intensity controls, and lighting
designs.
331. Movement: Theories and Techniques.
Workshop course in major theories and techniques
of movement. Emphasis given to physical elements of control and awareness.
365. Dramatic Literature I.
Prerequisite: 257.
A study of dramatic literature from ancient times
to the Renaissance with particular emphasis on the relationship between
script and production within a given historical period.
366. Dramatic Literature II.
Prerequisite: 257.
A study of dramatic literature from the Renaissance
to the end of the nineteenth century with particular emphasis on the relationship
between script and production within a given historical period.
367. Dramatic Literature III.
Prerequisite: 257.
A study of European dramatic literature from the
end of the nineteenth century to the present time with particular emphasis
on the relationship between script and production within a given historical
period.
368. Seminar in Acting I.
Prerequisite: 269.
A lecture-performance course specializing in scene
work from genres and periods suitable to the acting needs of individual
students.
369. Seminar in Acting II.
Prerequisite: 368.
A lecture-performance course specializing in scene
work of genres and periods suitable to the acting needs of individual students.
371. Stage Design I.
An advanced lecture-laboratory course dealing
with the planning and fabrication of stage scenery. Students are required
to complete a series of design projects in which emphasis will be given
to such areas as design source material, principles and techniques of scene
design, and rendering techniques.
372. Stage Design II.
Prerequisite: 371.
An advanced lecture-laboratory course dealing
with the planning and fabrication of stage scenery. Students must complete
a series of design projects emphasizing such areas as principles and techniques
of scene design, approaches and methods of important scenic designers,
and scenic model construction.
375. Play Direction.
Prerequisites: 203, 252, 256, 257, 268, 365 or
366. (May be taken concurrently with 367.)
A lecture-performance course in the principles
of play direction, including studies in such areas as script analysis,
the production concept, dramatic picturization, movement, business, tempo,
emphasis, variety, and unity of effect.
376. Advanced Play Direction.
Prerequisite: 375.
A lecture-performance course in the principles
of play direction, including studies in such areas as the staging of expository
scenes, creating of mood, developing suspense, achieving surprise and marking
climaxes.
395. Seminar in Theatre.
Subject and requirements to be determined by needs
and interests of students.
396. Seminar in Theatre.
397. Seminar in Theatre: Fieldwork in Chicago
I.
Prerequisite: consent of chairperson.
Variable credit (1-6 hours) for projects undertaken
in theatrical groups outside the university. Students keep a journal and
write evaluative papers. Repeatable each semester for credit.
398. Seminar in Theatre: Fieldwork in Chicago
II.
Prerequisite: consent of chair-person.
Variable credit (1-6 hours) for projects undertaken
in theatrical groups outside the university. Students keep a journal and
write evaluative papers. Repeatable each semester for credit.
399. Independent Study.
Prerequisite: written permission of chairperson.
Independent study projects may be of various kinds
and in any recognized area of the theatre arts. Such projects should be
done under the close supervision of a theatre faculty member.
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