Theatre, Speech and Dance
DEPARTMENTAL PHILOSOPHY TOWARDS THE CONCENTRATION AND ITS REQUIREMENT
The following summary, written in the last Departmental review of the concentration, may provide some assistance as a statement of general Departmental philosophy towards the concentration and its requirements.
Brown is currently acknowledged as one of the best places in the country to study theatre within the context of a strong liberal arts education. While we graduate an average of 15 concentrators each year, hundreds more students participate actively in both our academic programs and the production opportunities that we foster. We endeavor to impart a respect for the craft of theatre and a capacity to work practically and creatively in theatrical production, but we are philosophically convinced that the conservatory approach that teaches students a narrow band of skills is inappropriate to Brown, is restricting to the students own potential, and--for the bright and intellectually curious student--is misconceived in terms of the demands and opportunities offered by a life spent in the performing arts and in related enterprises. Hence, the concentration program mandates a balance among practicum courses and courses in dramatic literature, theatrical history, and theatre theory.
Of the twelve courses required, at least six must be in theatre history and dramatic and theatrical theory--this includes a required history sequence that forms a backbone for further study in these areas. Students are encouraged to make use of the entire Brown curriculum in fulfilling the remaining dramatic literature and theory requirements and are urged to take at least one course out of the mainstream of European and American theatre and drama (e.g. courses in Asian, African, Afro-American, Popular Western, or Feminist theatre and drama). A sophomore level acting course and a basic course in technical theatre and design are required of all students, as is a senior seminar taken by most of our students in their seventh semester. The remaining three courses for the concentration may be taken in areas of applied theatre arts (though this is not a requirement); there is a sequence of courses available in acting/directing, playwriting, design/technical theatre, and dance. For students with an emphasis in dance, the definitions of theory and history are appropriately widened, but the core courses and the principles of distribution remain the same.
While our students have an excellent record in regional and national competitions, we do not claim to train "finished" actors, designers, or dancers, but rather seek to educate students in the history, theory and practice of theatre, as seen within a broad liberal arts context, so that they may be empowered to take the next step in creating rewarding and active lives in professional theatre or in related artistic, commercial, and educational arenas. Thus, many of our best students go on to pre-professional programs (e.g. at Yale, Juilliard, NYU, San Diego, Goodman/DePaul) that offer MFA degrees or equivalent certificates in some aspect of theatre practice; our record of admissions to these highly competitive programs is probably as good as any program's in the country--BA or BFA. Other concentrators enter graduate schools in related academic areas, seek out apprentice-style training with professional theatre or dance companies, or go on to professions less directly related to their undergraduate theatre studies. We regard this situation as a healthy one and counsel students to maintain a broad range of options.
Concentration Requirements and Recommendations for
The Department of Theatre, Speech and DanceThe concentration combines the study of dramatic literature, theatre history, performance theory and studio work in the various theatre arts. The aim of the concentration is to teach students to develop independent perspectives through the integration of practical, historical and theoretical studies of drama and theatre. An essential aspect of the program is the engagement of students in performance procedures (acting, dancing, directing, choreography, stage design, playwriting, dramaturgy, etc.) in order to experience the inter-relationships among social context, dramatic texts and theatrical enactments. Students wishing to enroll as concentrators should see Prof. Lowry Marshall who serves as the undergraduate concentration facilitator, in order to discuss options that will best serve their interests. The concentration is designed to include course offerings throughout the University that deal with theatre and drama in various historical, cultural and disciplinary frameworks. In cases where dual concentrations are declared, the University allows two courses to be counted toward both concentrations.
Required Courses
Twelve courses are required for the Theatre Arts Concentration:
1, 2 TA123-124 History of the European Theatre
3 TA23 Acting
4 TA25 Technical Production of Plays
5 TA152 Senior Seminar
6-9 Four courses in Dramatic Literature, Theory, History and Criticism
In choosing four courses, care should be taken to select courses that provide scope and diversity rather than a concentration on one particular period, genre, or country. For example, TA122, TA127, TA210, plus a survey of major playwrights such as English 183 or 189 would provide a good sense of the broad scope of word dramatic literature and theory (especially when combined with TA123-124). Consult recommendations for particular emphases in Theatre Arts below.
10-12 Three electives may be selected from applied areas of more traditional theoretical and text based studies.Courses Offered in the Department of Theatre, Speech and Dance
TA Course Title
3 Introduction to Acting
6 Workshop in Playwriting I
21 Voice for Public Communication
22 Persuasive Communication
23 Acting
25 Technical Production of Plays: Scene Design and Technical Production
26 Technical Production of Plays: Stage Lighting
27 Clothing and the Human Experience: Costume History
28 Costume Design and the Theatre
31 Beginning Modern Dance
32 Dance Composition
33 African Dance
41 Persuasion and Public Controversy
100 Intermediate Dance
103 Rhetorical Foundations of Human Communication
104 Interpersonal Communication
110 Theatre Management
116 Style and Performance
119 Character, Mask and Action
121 Solo Performance
123, 124 A History of European Theatre
125 The Development of Twentieth Century Theatre in the West
126 Origin and Development of Popular Forms of Entertainment
127 Non-Western Theatre and Performance: Mask and Festival
128 Special Topics:
The Development of Twentieth Century Theatre in the West
Theatre and Neuroscience
129 Advanced Costume Design
130 Advanced Scenic Design and Technical Production
131 Advanced Modern Dance
132 Choreography
134 Dance Styles
135,136 Dance Performance and Repertory
137 Dance History: The Black Tradition in American Modern Dance
138 Mise en Scene
??? other dance history course
140 Advanced Performance
143 Russian Theatre
144 Selected Figures in Theatre: George Bernard Shaw
152 Seminar in Theatre Arts
189 Independent Reading and Research
199 Senior Honors Thesis Preparation
210 Dramatic Theory
220 Graduate Seminar in Theatre History
History of Actors and Acting
Revolution as a Work of Art
Abstraction and ResistanceTA courses with primary listing in another department
AA111 Voices Beneath the Veil (TA101)
Afro-American Folk Traditions
CO61 Middle Eastern Performance (TA61)
CO71 Storytelling: Verbal Art as Performance (TA128 sect. 7)
EL102 Advanced Playwriting (TA102)
EL12 Workshop in Playwriting II (TA12)
EL115 Unnatural Acts (TA145)
EL190 Seminar in Contemporary Dramatic Literature (TA128 sect. 3)