Division of Theatre

Program Director: Patrick Bynane, Professor
Location: REDBUD 228
Phone: 940-898-2510
Email: theatre@twu.edu

The School of the Arts and Design offers programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre.  The coursework is offered through the Division of Theatre. Coursework available in the areas of acting/directing, technical/design, theatre education, and musical theatre permits a student to develop a program of study that focuses attention on the desired area as well as on the relationship of all theatrical elements to the whole production process.

The theatre program develops well-rounded theatre artists who have the ability to function creatively and skillfully in a variety of situations. Committed to top-quality performance as well as to excellence in the classroom, the program provides practical as well as academic training for students pursuing careers in professional, educational theatre, and beyond.

Essential to a complete course of study in the theatre is the student’s production opportunities within the TWU Theatre season. Through these opportunities, the practical processes of theatre production, as well as academic study, are stressed to give students comprehensive and diverse experiences that will serve them well in pursuit of employment within the realm of theatre as well as in life.

The B.A. in Theatre has three different areas of emphasis.  The Acting and Directing Emphasis allows the student to apply their upper-level coursework to the skills most used by actors, directors, and playwrights.  The Technical and Design Emphasis allows the student to apply their upper-level coursework to the skills most used by stage technicians, stage managers, and theatrical designers. A common core of Theatre classes serves as an educational foundation for both areas of emphasis.  Course requirements for a theatre major and a theatre minor follow the degree plans of study. Students seeking Teacher Certification should follow the requirements listed under the Bachelor of Arts with Teaching Certification in Theatre.  The Teacher Certification plan of study has a slightly different plan of Theatre courses to allow room for more specialized courses in Education and Teaching.

Undergraduate Degrees Offered

 

Admissions

All applicants must meet the general undergraduate admission requirements. The following degrees have additional secondary admission criteria:

Faculty

ASHLEY, JUSTIN, Assistant Professor of Theatre, B.A., West Texas A&M University; M.F.A., University of Arkansas
*BYNANE, PATRICK M., Professor of Theatre; Division Head of Theatre, B.A., Ashland University; M.A., Southwest Missouri State University; Ph.D., Louisiana State University
*GORMAN, RHONDA, Associate Professor of Theatre, B.F.A., Texas Christian University; M.F.A., Southern Methodist University
*LELEK, NOAH, Associate Professor of Theatre, B.S.E., Southwest Missouri State University; M.A., Missouri State University; Ph.D., University of Missouri
YOUNG, STEVEN W., Associate Professor of Theatre, B.A., University of Northern Iowa; M.F.A., Illinois State University

Asterisk (*) denotes Graduate Faculty status.

Courses

THEA 1312. Rehearsal and Production I. (TCCN DRAM 1120) Exploration of theatre process; practical, hands-on experience in performance, crew work, and all aspects of technical production associated with the TWU Theatre season. May be repeated one time for additional credit. Eight laboratory hours a week (averaged over the semester). Credit: Two hours.

THEA 1321. Script Reading. Survey of selected examples of dramatic literature. Students required to read one assigned play per week and attend one weekly discussion class. May be repeated once for additional credit. One lecture hour a week. Credit: One hour.

THEA 2113. Stagecraft I. (TCCN DRAM 1330) Introduction to styles of theatrical design and its needs. Scenery construction techniques and materials, tools, organization, and theatre safety. Two lecture and two laboratory hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 2213. Performance I. (TCCN DRAM 1351) Theory and practice of performance; use of improvization and text to build performance confidence, self-expression, and imagination in multiple performance situations. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 2223. Performance II. (TCCN DRAM 1352) Exploration of self-expression through role-playing: attention to meeting individual performance objectives. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 2312. Rehearsal and Performance II. (TCCN DRAM 2121) Exploration of theatre process: practical, hands-on experience in performance, crew work, and all aspects of technical production associated with the TWU Theatre season. Continuation of the practicum work begun in DRAM 1312. May be repeated one time for additional credit. Prerequisites: Completion of four credits of THEA 1312 with a grade of C or higher. Five practicum hours a week. Credit: Two hours.

THEA 2433. Theatrical Makeup. (TCCN DRAM 1341) Design and application of makeup for the stage; areas explored include theory, color, character analysis, materials, old age, three-dimensional, and fantasy makeup. Three lecture/demonstration hours a week plus crew assignment. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 2473. Movement for the Performer I. (TCCN DRAM 1322) Exploration of movement as a vehicle for self-knowledge, understanding of other, and communication: development of movement mastery to facilitate an articulate and expressive body instrument. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 2493. Understanding the Arts-Drama. (TCCN DRAM 1310) An overview of the process and performance of the theatrical experience. Designed as a beginning orientation for drama majors and as an introduction for the non-major. Satisfies Creative Arts Core (50). Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 2503. Modern Drama. Aesthetic, cultural, ethical, and social dimensions of modern drama, from the development of naturalism to present, through analysis of dramatic literature. Satisfies Language, Philosophy, & Culture Core (40). Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 2513. Creating Shakespeare. Examination of the plays and the major historic, social, and theatrical influences that created William Shakespeare. Satisfies Language, Philosophy, & Culture Core (40). Satisfies Global Perspectives graduation requirement. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 3003. Arts for Children. Acquaints education majors with goals, methodology, and best practices in teaching the arts in elementary and middle school. Discusses value of the arts for children and procedures for using art, dance, drama, and music as tools to promote learning. Fulfills requirement for teacher certification. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 3103. Gender, Theatre, and Performance. Women's historical roles as playwrights, performers, producers, administrators; multicultural representation of women in drama; theatre as site of resistance and activism for women; effects of performance on women's roles in theatre and culture; theatre as investigation of gender roles. Satisfies three hours Core Component Area Option (90). Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 3312. Rehearsal and Performance III. Exploration of theatre process: practical, hands-on experience in performance, crew work, and all aspects of technical production associated with the TWU Theatre season. Continuation of the practicum work in DRAM 2312. May be repeated one time for additional credit. Prerequisites: Completion of four credits of THEA 2312. Five practicum hours a week. Credit: Two hours.

THEA 3423. Drafting for the Stage. Introduction to technical drafting for the theatre focusing on the standard equipment, symbols, and mechanical drawing techniques used to communicate scenery, property, and lighting designs in theatrical productions. Two lecture and two laboratory hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 3433. Stagecraft II: Scene Painting. Scenic painting and how it relates to theatrical productions. Emphasis on basic techniques of scenic artists and the ability to justify and analyze work. The professional career of a scenic artist. Two lecture and two laboratory hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 3461. Stage Management. Explores the backstage organization involved in a theatrical production as related to educational and professional theatres. One lecture hour a week. Credit: One hour.

THEA 3473. The Theatre and Its Drama: Before 1715. A history of the theatre from ancient Greece through the English restoration with a careful study of the plays written during each period. Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission of instructor. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 3483. The Theatre and Its Drama: Since 1715. A history of the theatre from the Eighteenth Century to the present with a careful study of the plays written during each period. Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission of instructor. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 3493. Theatre Speech. Instruction and laboratory study of the mechanics of speech for the actor; basic techniques of breath control, support, speech sounds, articulation, and speech melody for the stage. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 3523. Play Directing. Theory and practice of directing; course covers the fundamentals of composition, movement, stage business, and rehearsal planning. Two lecture and four laboratory hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 3603. Advanced Acting and Scene Work. Lecture and practical experience in the theories and styles of performance, from presentational to representational. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 3913. Dance/Music/Theatre Improvisation. Exploration of the integration of movement, sound, and text through the use of improvisation and the development of collaborative performance works. May be repeated for additional credit. Two lecture and two laboratory hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 3923. Music Theatre: Form-in-the-Making. Artistic process of creating music theatre from the perspective of the choreographer, composer, and playwright. May be repeated for additional credit. Two lecture and two laboratory hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 4101. Musical Theatre Capstone. Development of portfolio material and audition skills to be presented in a juried exam; final course for a Certificate in Musical Theatre. Prerequisites: Students will be required to have completed at least 51% of all certificate class work prior to enrollment and must have instructor approval. Two laboratory hours a week. Credit: One hour.

THEA 4201. Performance in a Cabaret or Musical. Performance of a singing role in a fully realized cabaret or musical performance as part of the TWU theatre season. Twenty practicum hours a week. Credit: One hour.

THEA 4403. Scenic Design. Design for theatrical productions and visual communication in the theatre; principles of scenic design: analysis of a script for purposes of design, the creation of ground plans, scale drawings and elevations. Prerequisites: THEA 2113 and THEA 3423, or permission of instructor. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 4412. Rehearsal and Production IV. Advanced laboratory course designed to explore the process of theatre; practical, hands-on experience in performance, crew work, and all aspects of technical production associated with the TWU Theatre season. May be repeated one time for additional credit. Eight laboratory hours a week (averaged over the semester). Credit: Two hours.

THEA 4413. Costume Design. Costume design for the stage; includes theory, color, character analysis and rendering. Application and execution of the design and proper care and management of a production's wardrobe. Prerequisite: THEA 2113 or consent of instructor. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 4423. Stage Lighting. Mechanics and art of lighting for the stage; studies include nature of light and optics, color, instrumentation, dimmers, and elementary lighting design; practical application with TWU Theatre productions. Three lecture hours a week plus a crew assignment. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 4472. Sound Design and Technology. Mechanics and art of sound production for the stage. Studies include the nature of sound and acoustics; equipment for recording, reproduction, and reinforcement of sound in the theatre; elementary design. Two lecture hours a week. Credit: Two hours.

THEA 4513. Characterization. An exploration of physical, vocal, sensory, and analytical techniques for creating characterizations for all dramatic genres. Emphasis is on research, acquisition of new skills, and analytical systems for character development. Two lecture and two laboratory hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 4523. Audition for Stage and Camera. Exploration of acting techniques for stage and camera auditions. Emphasis is on prepared auditions, cold readings, and preparation of visual and written materials. Two lecture and two laboratory hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 4553. Playwriting. Process of writing for the theatre. Principles that guide theatre narrative writing and inform reactions to scripted theatrical works. Foundations for completion of a full-length play. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 4603. Summer Stock. Internship experience with placement in professional theaters, alternative teaching programs or summer festivals. Specific placement and scope of work based upon the unique opportunity found by the student in collaboration with the professor. One lecture and six practicum hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 4903. Special Topics. An organized class for the study of particular areas or subjects not offered in another scheduled course. Three lecture hours a week. Credit: Three hours.

THEA 4911. Independent Study. Individual supervisory and tutorial instruction; content may include directed readings, a research or design project, or other similar studies. Credit: One hour.

THEA 4913. Independent Study. Individual supervisory and tutorial instruction; content may include directed readings, a research or design project, or other similar studies. Credit: Three hours.