Father, Mother, Daughter, Son: Staging the American Family
Spring 2002 - University of Notre Dame Film, Television, and Theatre 180F 01 -- University Seminar instructor: Kate Egerton class meetings: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00 to 3:15 in DeBartolo 245 office hours: Brownson 204 (soon to be 206A), Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:00 to 11:30 or by appointment. phone: 631-3777 (office & voice mail), 232-9372 (home, between 9 am and 9 pm only, please) e-mail: [email protected] course web page: webct.nd.edu
Course Objectives
Theatre collects and condenses the human experience. In this course, we will explore a range of 20th century American plays that use the family to investigate broader social issues (including, among others, gender, sexuality, race, economics, illness, addiction, and violence) through reading, discussion, writing, and acting. Because performance sets drama apart from other literary genres, we will also be studying Shakespeare's Macbeth and Brecht's The Life of Galileo in order to take advantage of events on Notre Dame's campus this semester.
Required Texts
Albee, Three Tall Women Brecht, The Life of Galileo (adapted by David Hare) Hansberry, A Raisin in the Sun Hellman, The Little Foxes Henley, Crimes of the Heart McNally, Lips Together, Teeth Apart Miller, Death of a Salesman Norman, 'Night, Mother O’Neill, A Moon for the Misbegotten Shakespeare, Macbeth Shepard, True West (available in Seven Plays) Vogel, How I Learned to Drive Wasserstein, The Sisters Rosensweig Williams, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Wilson, The Piano Lesson
Required Events
Macbeth, performed by Actors From The London Stage Wednesday, February 20 at 7:30 pm in Washington Hall
The Life of Galileo, directed by Guest Artist Holger Teschke, Department of Film, Television, and Theatre Wednesday, April 17 at 7:30 pm in Washington Hall
FTT 180, Egerton, 2
Galileo and the Church: An International Conference “Brecht at Work” -- a panel by Holger Teschke and Regina Lutz Thursday, April 18 at 2:00 pm in the McKenna Hall Auditorium
Required Assignments
Reading and viewing We will read 15 plays, accompanied by a wide variety of tools to advance our understanding, including student and professional performances. While taped productions or movie versions of several plays on the syllabus are available on video, we will not spend class time watching entire performances. You may, however, want to use non-print resources available in Hesburgh Library to help you prepare for class. Remember that watching any production cannot replace reading the text -- we will discuss the ways in which many productions alter, cut, or rearrange the text, and to what effect.
Participation & Attendance I expect you to attend all class periods having completed the reading assignments detailed on the Calendar below as well as those announced in class. Come to class prepared to speak about what you have read, express opinions you have considered, and test those opinions in writing and in open discussion. The class depends on your input and absences will affect your grade. I understand that no one’s life can be completely free of chaos or catastrophe, but it is your responsibility to keep me informed of any circumstances that prevent your attendance. Each absence after the second will lower your participation grade by one full letter unless accompanied by a medical excuse.
Writing Assignments Writing about drama is a central part of this course. Detailed assignments will be distributed in class.
• The Weekly Argument: Each week, you will write a 250 word paper either prosing or rebutting an argument about a play on the syllabus for that week. Every other week, you will propose an argument, and these papers are due via WebCT by 2:00 pm on Tuesdays. On alternate weeks, you will rebut an argument made by another student. These papers are due via WebCT by 2:00 pm on Thursdays. On the weeks you propose, you will also be responsible for posting an evaluative comment in response to your partner's rebuttal. You will receive written evaluations of your Weekly Argument writings from me three times during the semester (most likely during the weeks of February 7, March 7, and April 11).
• Twice in the semester, you will join a group responsible for presenting brief excerpts (8 to 10 minutes) from a play on the syllabus. Memorize your parts. The group will receive a single acting grade based on evidence of preparation and rehearsal, creativity, and enthusiasm. Babs Smith, a senior FTT major, will consult with each acting group at the beginning of the rehearsal process. Each group will also chronicle their project in a structured online discussion for which each writer will receive an individual grade.
• 750 word analysis of some aspect of the Actors From The London Stage Macbeth performance. Due February 26.
• 2000 word seminar paper. Sign up for a focus play by February 21. Due April 30. FTT 180, Egerton, 3
All papers should be prepared using Microsoft Word, which is available for lease to Notre Dame students for $30 (along with the rest of Microsoft Office) under site license. Use correct MLA style formatting and documentation. The Macbeth analysis and the seminar paper must both include a separate Works Cited page, even if the only source is the play itself -- please consult the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (available in my office or at Hesburgh Library in the Reference Department). I will provide additional office hours by appointment for consultation on paper topics and strategies for writing and revision. You should also consider the Writing Center as a resource for this class; call 631-5390 for information and appointments. Seminar papers and Macbeth analyses turned in late will lose one full letter grade per day delayed unless permission has been secured in advance.
Responsibilities
Harper: In my church, we don't believe in homosexuals. Prior: In my church, honey, we don't believe in Mormons.
-- Tony Kushner, Angels in America
In this class, we will be discussing a wide range of human behavior. On occasion, issues will arise to challenge our individual ethical beliefs. In the context of this course, the question “is this person or action right or wrong?” holds limited critical value. As the convener of this seminar, I am not interested in passing judgment for or against the behavior of fictional characters; I am much more interested in discovering what these characters can tell us about the playwrights' views of the human condition and American society. That said, please remember than we will frequently be discussing subjects some of us may find uncomfortable and treat all seminar members with consideration and respect.
Grades
Your final grade in the class will be divided as follows:
25% The Weekly Argument 25% Textual Analysis Paper 15% The First Act -- acting (5%) and writing (10%) 15% The Second Act -- acting (5%) and writing (10%) 10% Macbeth Performance Paper 10% Participation & Attendance
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a violation of the Academic Code of Honor and will not be tolerated in this course. We will discuss proper use and attribution of sources in the MLA style. When in doubt, always ask about specific problems with documentation. You may not submit for this course any papers previously or concurrently written by you for credit in another course. And, of course, you may not submit work done by anybody else as your own. Suspected violations of the Academic Code of Honor will be reported to the Department of Film, Television, and Theatre's Honesty Committee.
FTT 180, Egerton, 4
Calendar
January 15 introductions January 17 read The Little Foxes, assign groups for The First Act
January 22 read A Moon for the Misbegotten January 24 read Death of A Salesman
January 29 read Cat on A Hot Tin Roof January 31 read A Raisin in the Sun, perform The Little Foxes
February 5 perform A Moon for the Misbegotten February 7 perform Death of a Salesman
February 12 perform Cat on a Hot Tin Roof February 14 perform A Raisin in the Sun
February 19 read Macbeth, AFTLS artists in class February 20 Macbeth performance February 21 Macbeth, sign up for seminar paper topics
February 26 library session with Margaret Porter, Macbeth response due February 28 read Crimes of the Heart
March 5 read True West, assign groups for The Second Act March 7 read ‘Night Mother
March 12 Spring Break March 14 Spring Break
March 19 read The Piano Lesson March 21 no class – Kate out of town
March 26 read Lips Together, Teeth Apart March 28 read The Sisters Rosensweig, perform True West
(Easter)
April 2 read Three Tall Women, perform The Piano Lesson April 4 read How I Learned to Drive, perform Lips Together, Teeth Apart
April 9 perform Three Tall Women April 11 perform How I Learned To Drive
April 16 read The Life of Galileo April 17 The Life of Galileo performance April 18 Galileo and the Church Conference, McKenna Hall Auditorium
April 23 workshop seminar paper April 25 workshop seminar paper
April 30 Seminar paper due, wrap-up