Drama 204.3 History of Drama and Theatre From 1850 to the Present History of Theatre, dominantly in the Western Tradition, from the rise of the modern theatre to the present day. Evolution of theatrical production (acting, directing, production, theatre architecture) will be emphasized, with assigned plays being examined largely within the context of the production and performance dynamics of their period.
Instructor Moira Day Rm 187, John Mitchell 966-5193 (Off.) 653-4729 (Home) 1-780-466-8957 (emergency only) [email protected] http://www.ualberta.ca/~normang/Pika.html Office Hours MW 11:00 - 1:00 Booklist ***Klaus, Gilbert, Field, ed. Stages of Drama (5th edition). Boston: Bedford/St.Martin’s, 2003. Brockett, Oscar. History of the Theatre (9th edition). Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2003. *** Theatre History Notes Package. Bookstore Grades and Course Information ***Mid-Term 10% Quizzes 10%
Response Papers (4 x5%) 20% Group work 20% Participation 10%*** Final Exam 30% ---- 100%
I will be in class five minutes ahead of time for consultation, and begin and end lectures on time. I will also return quizzes within TWO class periods after giving them, and return exams within TEN DAYS after giving them. Exams, quizzes and papers not picked up at that class time can be picked up during office hours. Students are expected to be punctual and to submit all classwork on time. Any requests for an extension must be submitted *** ***one week in advance of the formal deadline. ***Unexcused late assignments***, except in the case of certifiable illness or death in the family, will be heavily penalized (10% per day deducted). NO CLASS WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED BEYOND THE FINAL EXAM EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF AN OFFICIAL INCOMPLETE GRANTED BECAUSE OF ILLNESS OR DEATH IN THE FAMILY. Students who submit ALL their assignments, including quizzes and critiques, will receive a 1% bonus. Students should be aware that there is a $3.00 photocopy fee per term to be paid to the instructor by the end of the September. I will also be scheduling time to meet individually with students a week prior to seminar presentations, and will do a written critique of their presentation within a week of the discussion period. Essays will be due 10 days after the seminar. Attendance at student class seminars is compulsory because these are graded "live" performances that can be negatively affected by poor audience attendance and participation. For this reason, 1% OF YOUR PARTICIPATION GRADE WILL BE DOCKED FOR EVERY UNEXCUSED ABSENCE FROM A STUDENT SEMINAR. Instructors are NOT permitted to reschedule final exams at their own discretion. Please take heed of the final exam dates (***December 6-20***) and do not schedule other activities at that time. If you find yourself in difficulties and are considering dropping the course late in the term, please come and talk to me first. If you decide to drop the course, please come and notify me so I can take your name off my record book. ***(Sept 17. Last day to withdraw without financial penalty. ***Nov 15 Last day to withdraw without academic penalty.)
If there is a time conflict with my office hours, then feel free to make an appointment or leave me a number where I can reach you. I can't give you heavy- duty, on-going counselling, but I'd be delighted to help you with any immediate problem I feel is within my power to handle, and if I feel it isn't, I'll try to refer you to people or places that can help you with it.
Welcome on board! Schedule Sept 4 Introduction On the Threshold of the Modern Era 1800- 1870 – Progress and Utility Overview of the English Theatre 1800-1870 ----- The Modern Theatre 1870-1914 – The Triumph of Realism
9 The Modern Theatre 1870-1914 (B. 388-91, 392-96, 399-402, 421-22, 409-16) 11 *A Doll’s House – 1879 (Ibsen) (B 391-92) ----- 16 *Pygmalion – 1913 (Shaw) (B. 396-99) 18 Conclusion ----- The Modern Theatre 1914-1945 - Crisis and Revolution
23 The Modern Theatre 1914-1945 (416-21, 422-32, 438-444, 449-65)(Response 1 due) 25 *Six Characters in Search of an Author – 1922 (Pirandello) (B.444-46) ---- 30 Group One London September-December 1914 Oct 2 Group Two New York September-December 1914 ---- 7 *Galileo 1938-54 (Brecht) (B.432-38, 480-81) 9 Group Three London September – December 1945 --- 12 Group Four New York September-December 1945 14 Conclusion (Response 2 due) --- 21 ***Mid term*** The Modern Theatre 1945-1970 – A Party over an Abyss
23 The Modern Theatre 1945-70 (B. 469-77, 490-504) --- 28 *Death of a Salesman – 1949 (Miller) (B.501-03) 30 Group Five London September-December 1970 --- 4 *A Raisin in the Sun – 1959 (Hansberry) (B. 544-45) 6 Group Six New York September-December 1970 --- 11 ***Remembrance Day*** The Modern Theatre 1970-2003 Deconstructing/ Reconstructing Reality
13 The Modern Theatre 1970-2003 (B.529-51, 562-67, 568- 77)(Response 3 due) ---- 18 *Death and the King’s Horseman – 1976 (Soyinka)(B. 578-86) 20 *Oleanna – 1992 (Mamet) (B. 541-43) ---- 25 Group Seven London September – December 2003 27 Group Eight New York September - December 2003 --- Dec 2 Conclusion (Response 4 due) * Denotes quiz day ****new section*** Brockett Readings Section Titles
The Modern Theatre 1870-14
The Beginnings of Modern Realism Saxe-Meiningen Zola and the French Naturalists Antoine and the Theatre Libre The Freie Bühne and German Realism The Continuing Tradition in England 1900-1914 The Moscow Art Theatre and Realism in Russia The Irish Renaissance Modern Alternatives to Realism Wagner and the Nonrealistic Theatre Nonrealistic Theatre in France Appia and Craig Strindberg and Freud
Ibsen (Ibsen) The Independent Theatre and Realism in England (Shaw)
The Modern Theatre 1914-45
Modern Alternatives to Realism Nonrealistic Theatre in England Russian Modernism The Revival of Idealism in France Looking at Theatre History
Continental European and Latin American Theatre in the Early Twentieth Century Nonrealistic Theatre and Drama in Germany Theatre and Drama in France 1915-40 Looking at Theatre History
English Language Theatre in the Early Twentieth Century English Theatre and Drama 1915-1940 Theatre and Drama in the United States 1915-1940 Italian Theatre and Drama 1915-1940 (Pirandello) German Theatre and Drama 1915-1940 (Brecht) German Theatre and Drama 1940-1968 “
The Modern Theatre 1945-1970
Continental and Latin American Theatre in the Mid-Twentieth Century French Theatre and Drama 1940-1968
English Language Theatre in the Mid-Twentieth Century English Theatre and Drama in the United States 1940-1968 Theatre and Drama in the United States 1940-1968
Theatre and Drama in the United States 1940-1968 (Miller) Theatre in the United States After 1968 (Hansberry)
The Modern Theatre 1970-2003
English Language Theatre in the Late Twentieth Century British Theatre to 1990 Theatre in the Unites States After 1968
Contemporary Theatre Theatre in Britain Theatre in Ireland Theatre in the United States
The Theatre of Africa (Soyinka) Some Basic Issues and Problems Nigeria
Theatre in the Unites States After 1968 (Mamet) ***new section*** Play Reading Schedule
All play readings will take place in the seminar room (Rm 192) in the John Mitchell Building at 8:30 on Sunday evenings from September 7 – October 5 and at 9:30 from October 26 to November 16. Tea, coffee, cookies and a limited number of mugs will be supplied. Friends are welcome. Students will receive a 1/2% bonus mark for every play reading attended.
Sundays 8:30 p.m.
Sept 7 A Doll’s House (Ibsen)
14 Pygmalion (Shaw)
21 Six Characters in Search of An Author (Pirandello)
Oct 5 Galileo (Brecht)
Sundays 9:30 p.m.
Oct 26 Death of A Salesman (Miller)
Nov 2 A Raisin in the Sun (Hansberry)
9 Death and the King’s Horseman (Soyinka)
16 Oleanna (Mamet)
***essay section deleted*** Response Papers The response paper should serve as a considered response to the assigned historical readings in both the handouts and the Brockett text. It is meant to (a) clarify and focus your own thinking about the material you have read (b) help initiate class discussion (c) give the instructor feedback on areas of information you would like to know more about or feel require further explanation and clarification before you are ready to be examined on them and (d) give the instructor feedback on what issues and areas of information you would like to be tested on since you view them as key to understanding the period and the theatre that comes out of it. It should be about*** 500-750 words and ordinarily not exceed 5 pages in length***. It can expand on one point at length or deal with two or three smaller ones (much more than that and you may be spreading yourself too thin.) It should be submitted at the end of the class when it is due, and will be returned at the time of the next class. If you are unable to attend the class in person, please arrange for the response paper to appear even you can't. Things you may want to comment on: (1) how the readings illuminate or clarify for you certain historical, literary or social themes and concerns we have raised in class. (2) where you find interesting comparisons, contrasts or parallels between what you see in the readings and what you have discovered in your own area of study or experience. (3) something about the reading which particularly excited, intrigued, disturbed or puzzled you and you would like to share with others (4) something about the reading which raised more questions than it answered and you would like to discuss at greater length At its best, the response paper should read as an informal but thoughtful short essay that develops your insight, thesis, argument, query or quibble in a clear, articulate and concise fashion. Humor, and poetic or metaphoric personal touches are fine - it is a personal essay after all - but only as long as they support and advance the ideas you are trying to express and do not become a substitute for them. As with an exam or quiz, I will not be putting a high premium on formal style and mechanics, but I do expect the response paper to be clear, neat and legible, and will be paying close attention to how well you express, develop and argue your thoughts in writing as based on a close, reflective reading of the assigned material. NOTE: Response papers that simply duplicate the analysis of plays already covered by the quiz questions will be severely docked since you have already been given credit for that work in the quiz.
Oral Presentations Organization:
The formal part of the presentation should occupy no less than two-thirds of the period. The presenters should then be prepared to answer questions from the instructor and class, and lead discussion afterwards. The presenters should also make available to the class an outline of the talk, a bibliography and any other information (statistics, names, dates) they feel would help the presentation.
The emphasis of the presentation should be on the application of the insights into history, literature, aesthetics performance and production gained in the lecture part of the course, to the specific three month period under examination. For instance, what major social issues or historical events are occupying the public mind over the period of examination? What reflection of them, if any, do you see in the commercial, popular and art theatre of the time? How well do the entertainments performed during the period examined illustrate the literary issues discussed in the previous classes? What do you learn about practical performance and production conditions — for better and for worse - of the time? What practical challenges would you face as a designer, theatre manager or actor? To what extent does the day-to-day reality of the local scene both conform to and diverge from the larger picture portrayed in the rest of the course? If you feel that videos, tapes, slides, pictures, comparative readings and performances will help illustrate points you are trying to make in your talk please feel free to use them.
Grading:
50% of the grade will be assigned to content (accuracy, depth and comprehensiveness of material presented, ability to address questions well), 40% to presentation (effective organizing and structuring of the material, pacing of the presentation, and clarity, variety and expressiveness of delivery), and 10% to illustrative materials: ie: handouts and overheads (content, clarity, organization, form.)
Practical Tips:
1. Practice READING your talk OUT LOUD (preferably before a sympathetic audience) before you give it, and be careful that you time it. Inexperienced presenters are often surprised at how fast the time goes. Also be careful that you breathe and deliver right from the diaphragm. Let people know if questions are welcome during the talk, or if you would prefer them to wait until afterwards.
2. A "live" audience often has to be "cued" more clearly and more often as to where the presentation is going, than a reading audience. A reader can return to puzzle out obscure or difficult passages he/she missed on the first read-through; a "live" audience has to "get it" the first time or it's gone. So organize well, making your key points or thesis clear early on in the talk, and don't be afraid to highlight or reinforce them as you go on.
3. Humor is fine, but avoid flippancy; take your subject and yourself seriously if you expect your audience to.
4. The same plethora of facts, figures, statistics, dates and names that may delight a reader, may leave a listener numb and reeling. These are often better included in a handout or transparency for quick reference, or chalked up on the board.
The instructor will: * provide additional guidance and direction as necessary before the presentation. * give each student a written critique and a letter grade within a week of the presentation. Group Topics
September 30 Group One London, England. September 1 — December 31 1914
October 2 Group Two ***New York, U.S.A.** September 1 — December 31 1914
October 9 Group Three London, England. September 1 — December 31 1945
October 12 Group Four ***New York, U.S.A.***September 1 — December 31 1945
October 30 Group Five London, England September 1 — December 31 1970
November 6 Group Six*** New York, U.S.A.*** September 1 — December 3 1 1970
November 20 Group Seven London, England September 1 — November 23 2003
November 27 Group Eight **New York, U.S.A.***September 1 — November 23 2003 Group Topic Outlines Consulting the newspapers of their designated year and city during the months between September and December, each group will analyse the major patterns of literary, performance and production development, shaping the theatre scene under examination. All groups should take note of and comment on: I Historical, social and cultural issues 1. Significant social, cultural and political issues and events dominating newspaper coverage of the time.
II Literary and Aesthetic Iissues 1. Who are the critics and reviewers? What are their general concerns about drama and the place it plays in society? 2. What is the most glowing review given of a particular play and why? What is the most damning review given of a particular play and why? 3. How much Shakespeare is being performed and by whom? 4. Number and names of new plays opening 5. Number and names of revivals of older work outside of Shakespeare 6. Contemporary playwright/s most often mentioned or performed 7. Amount of pure musical theatre being performed and by whom (opera, operetta, musicals) 8. Amount of pure dance theatre being performed and by whom?(ballet, contemporary) 9. Amount of popular, mixed or miscellaneous entertainments being performed and by whom? (pantomime, mime, burlesque, vaudeville, clown, circus, pageant, tableau, minstrel show, one-person performers or readers, performance art) 10. Amount of media mentioned — radio, T.V., film, records and CDs
III Performance 1. Who are the actors most often or notably mentioned and why? 2. Who are the directors most often or notably mentioned and why? 3. What is the most glowing review of a particular performance given and why? What is the most damning review of a particular performance given and why? 4. What is the single most interesting, intriguing or disturbing thing you discover about life as an actor at this time? IV Production 1. What are the major theatre houses at this time and what kind of audience do they cater to? What kind of theatrical fare do they offer? 2. What are the smaller, alternative, popular, or avant-garde venues at this time? What kind of theatrical fare do they offer? 3. What is the most glowing review of a particular set design given and why? What is the most damning review of a particular set design given and why? 4. What is the most striking example of stage spectacle, lighting or technology displayed at this time? 5. What is the single most interesting, intriguing or disturbing thing you discover about life as a set or costume designer of this time?
V General Questions 1. To what extent does the theatre scene you’re examining appear to directly or indirectly mirror the dominant social, political and historical preoccupations of its day? 2. To what extent does the local scene appear to mirror the dominant literary, aesthetic, performance and production trends as described in the course to date? 3. To what extent does the local scene appear to contradict or diverge from the dominant literary, aesthetic, performance and production trends as described in the course to date?
Research Sources:
The London Times 1914-2001 The **New York* Times 1914-2001 Both are available in paper and microform at the University of Saskatchewan Library. Current issues are also available at larger newstands in the city. When recording production information remember to note: (1) the month, day and year of the issue in which the information appears. (2) the name of the playwright, the title of the play, the name of the theatre and the dates of the run (3) key cast and crew information, including the names of directors, set and costume designers if given, and main actors and their roles as given in the review. ***While other yearbooks and reference sources can be consulted, the bulk of the assignment should focus strongly on the newspaper work.***