TH 100 01
Theatre Lab: PipeDreams
Course Syllabus
Course Objective:
It is the belief of the Department of Theatre and Dance that one learns about theatre through active participation with live theatrical performances. Regardless of one’s area (acting, directing, design) seeing the work of other students and faculty is a valuable way to constantly challenge your personal values as a growing theatre artist and life-long learner. This belief is clearly stated in the Department’s mission:
Our mission as teacher–artists and student–artists is to stimulate and develop, in concert with our audiences, an imaginative and honest engagement with performance as both method and subject of inquiry. As life–long learners and active participants in our communities, we explore important ideas, peoples and perspectives of the world at large, as well as the spirit and intellect of the individual, through the practice of our craft in the classroom and on the stage as disciplined theatre professionals and committed artists.
As you experience the work done in Pipe Dreams, it is expected that you will give your full attention to the work of your peers and make an attempt to give yourself over to the performance. It is important to remember that what you are watching is the result of your peers’ response to a set of imaginary given circumstances. Once you’ve entered into this contract, however, you must learn to actively engage the performance, challenge and critique its ideas, evaluate its methods of inquiry, and, finally, arrive at an assessment of the production’s objectives so you can better define your personal relationship to its thought and method.
By experiencing the great variety of work done in the Pipe Dreams Studio, you can practice skills of active engagement and continually come to understand yourself as a theatre professional and artist. You should make opportunities to discuss the work done in Pipe Dreams with faculty and students. Your comments are always appreciated. Such opportunities will present themselves in your theatre classes and during social occasions and will provide you with a means of comparing your own reactions to others. Furthermore, you should feel free to offer your feedback, both positive and negative, to those producing work in the Studio.
Grading:
TH 100 is a graded Pass/Fail. To receive a ‘P’ you must attend at least 60% of the Pipe Dreams productions in a given semester (i.e. 10 scheduled productions = attendance at 6). The actual number of performances to see will be posted each semester on the PipeDreams Call Board.
To receive credit for attending, you must pick up a program from the House Manager at the door as you enter the theatre. Sign and turn in this program again to the House Manager as you exit after the last performance of the day. These programs will be submitted to the department secretary for permanent recording. Periodically, a listing of the recorded performances will be posted on the PipeDreams call board. If you believe you have been left off, see the secretary immediately.
You may not substitute attendance at other events (i.e. Kirkland events, Albert Taylor events, etc.) without prior approval from your academic advisor. If you do not attend the minimum productions required in a semester, you will receive an ‘F’ for the course. BFA majors in Musical Theatre, Acting, Design/Technical Theatre and Directing are required to Pass 6 semesters. BFA Transfer students are required to pass for each semester at Millikin up to six semesters. Failure to pass the required number of semesters of TH 100 will result in not completing the degree requirements for graduation.