THAR 111
Introduction to the Theatre
A survey of the traditions of dramatic form and the contributing arts of the theatre presented in historical context. Students read representative playscripts and attend performances. 6 units. Also offered at the London Centre
THAR 135
Stagecraft
An introduction to the technical aspects of theatre production. Laboratory experience in scenic construction and rigging, painting, lighting, sound, backstage organization, and management. 6 units.
THAR 137
Costume Crafts and Technology
An introduction to the technical aspects of costume creation and production for the theatre. Course includes hands-on experience in costume construction, cutting, draping, millinery, and other costume crafts. 6 units.
Movement for the Theatre
Movement for the Theatre introduces students to the basic movement and gestural vocabulary of the dance discipline and promotes a fundamental understanding of how dance and movement serve as one of the contributing arts to the theatre. In each section, emphasis will be placed on basic technique, historical context, and their relationship to common theatre, musical, and opera production practices. Recommended for students who wish to participate in theatre, opera, and musical productions. Only 6 units of Movement for the Theatre (any type) can count toward the theatre arts major.
THAR 143
Movement for the Theatre: Fundamentals of Movement
3 units.
THAR 145
Movement for the Theatre: Ballet
3 units.
THAR 147
Movement for the Theatre: Modern Dance
3 units.
THAR 149
Movement for the Theatre: Social Dance
3 units.
THAR 161
Stage Make-Up
A hands-on course offering experience in the proper design and application of stage make-up for students interested in theatre or music-theatre performance. 3 units.
THAR 170
Shakespeare in London
Students will study several plays by William Shakespeare selected from among the current offerings by the Royal Shakespeare and other companies. Discussions will address the plays themselves, production techniques, and the audiences to whom they appeal. Students are required to attend performances of the plays under study. 6 units. Also listed as English 170. Offered at the London Centre
THAR 187
Acting I
We present a demystified, participatory approach to the craft of acting. Using the methods of Viola Spolin, students master the fundamental concepts of Stanislavsky and explore acting tools in the traditions of Grotowski and Meisner. 6 units. Prerequisite: Freshman or sophomore standing or consent of instructor
THAR 212
Theatre Traditions I: Greeks Through the 18th Century
A survey of theatre in its cultural context from its Greek origins through the 18th century. Extensive readings from the dramatic literature of each period supplement the study of the physical theatre and production practices. 6 units. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor
THAR 224
Theatre Traditions II: Romanticism Through the Present
A survey of theatre in its cultural context from Romanticism through the present day. Extensive readings from the dramatic literature of each period illustrate the ideas, aesthetic values, and staging innovations that led to the theatre of the 21st century. 6 units. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor
THAR 226
Study of the Avant-Garde Theatre
A study of theatre and drama from the end of the 19th century to the present, focusing on the development of new forms in drama. 6 units. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing
THAR 227
Voice and Diction
The spoken word is the most fundamental means of human communication. This course will introduce students to a practical approach to speech and voice dynamics in the tradition of Arthur Lessac. 3 units.
THAR 229
Performance of Literature
A study of the principles involved in the oral performance of different forms of literature. Class involves practical platform training and experience with interpretive analysis and presentation. 6 units.
THAR 231
Introduction to Design for the Theatre
A survey covering all aspects of visual design for the theatre. Emphasis on the necessary techniques of drafting, painting, and modelmaking, with attention to aesthetic and practical problems of theatre design. 6 units.
THAR 247
Responding to Art, or Dancing About Architecture
This course will guide students toward writing cogent and insightful reviews in the fine and performing arts, by cultivating a thoughtful, reflective, and creative attitude toward their aesthetic assumptions and expectations. Students will be exposed to the full range of London cultural offerings including theatre, opera, dance, concerts, poetry readings, art exhibitions, museum presentations, and architectural tours. The class will examine ancillary sources such as the popular press and scholarly reviews of performances and exhibits and then follow up these experiences and readings with discussions, guided responses, and directed journal writing to help students develop a personal aesthetic vocabulary. Toward the end of the course, students will be encouraged to find creative ways of expressing their responses to art including writing short plays or poems, collage art, or even dancing about architecture. The course is designed to broaden the range of fine arts majors, while enabling non-arts majors to cultivate a life-long habit of viewing and attending a variety of arts. 6 units. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. Offered at the London Centre
THAR 260
The Art of Film
A study of the narrative and visual techniques in films selected from masterpieces of modern cinema. Readings in film history, film theory, and film aesthetics along with viewings of approximately ten movies from various periods and countries, by directors such as Eisenstein, Wells, Fellini, Kurasawa, and Truffaut. 6 units. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing
THAR 274
Roman Comedy
Close reading of two plays by Plautus and/or Terence, selected from the following: Amphitryo, Casina, Menaechmi, Rudens, Andria, Eunuch, Phormio, and Adelphoe. 6 units. Also listed as Classics 400. Prerequisite: CLAS 110 or four years of high school Latin
THAR 276
Greek Drama
A study of selected dramas such as Aeschylus’ Prometheus Bound, the Agamemnon and Antigone of Sophocles, and Euripides’ Bacchae and Medea. 6 units. Also listed as Classics 465. Prerequisite: CLAS 225 or its equivalent
THAR 279
Fringe Theatre in London
This course will attempt to define Fringe Theatre (a movement started in 1968) and to categorize its main elements. The class shall attend a wide variety of plays and venues and come to an understanding of how the fringe has changed over the years. Discussions will address production techniques, the plays themselves, the audiences to whom they appeal, and to what extent the fringe is still an important theatrical force. Students are required to attend performances of the plays under study. 6 units. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. Offered at the London Centre
THAR 285
Theatre for Young Audiences
A foundation to a growing field that ranges from theatre for a young audience to theatre with a young audience. This seminar-style course will give students who are interested in teaching theatre a strong foundation in the topic, including historical and pedagogical perspectives. 6 units.
THAR 327
Playscript Analysis
The playscript is a blueprint for a construction that uses the media of space, time, color, speech, and action to reflect from the stage images of what it means to be human. This course will explore both technical and creative ways to decipher the play text. 6 units. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing; recommended sophomore or junior year; recommended to be taken before THAR 527
THAR 351
Film in Germany
This course selects from 90 years of filmmaking in Germany. Films range from expressionism to Nazi propaganda and from escapist comedies to avant garde art. Learning to “read” German films critically also means finding out how to understand movies from Hollywood and beyond. Possible topics include “From Caligari to Hitler,” “German Literature as Film,” and “What Makes Lola Run.” Taught in English. German majors and minors may participate in a two-unit tutorial in which discussions and some course readings will be in German. 6 units. Also listed as German 357.
THAR 352
Introduction to Film
A bridge between intermediate and advanced courses. Intensive discussion, reading, and writing practice using films from a variety of genres (documentaries and feature films, including film adaptations of stories, novels, and plays in Spanish). Emphasis on the analysis of film components and structure and, where relevant, on the interconnections between literary texts and film. 6 units. Also listed as Spanish 330. Prerequisite: Spanish above SPAN 201, its equivalent, or consent of instructor
THAR 355
Theatre Production Laboratory
Practicum in theatre production. May be taken for one or more terms; six terms required of theatre arts majors, three terms required of minors. May be taken by any student involved in theatre production. May be repeated for credit. 1 unit.
THAR 357
Musical Theatre Production Laboratory
Practicum in musical theatre. May be taken for one or more terms; can be used in partial fulfillment of the six terms of Theatre Arts 355 required of all theatre arts majors or the three terms of Theatre Arts 355 required of all theatre arts minors. May be repeated for credit. 1 unit.
THAR 423
History of American Dramatic Literature
A study of American theatre in its cultural context from its colonial beginnings to the present. Extensive readings of the works of principal playwrights. 6 units.
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor
THAR 425
Advance of the American Musical
A study of this uniquely American theatrical form as it develops in response to our culture throughout the 20th century and into the 21st. Ability to read music helpful, but not required. 6 units. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor
THAR 432
Shakespeare
An introduction to Shakespeare’s plays and their literary, historical, and theatrical context. 6 units. Also listed as English 425. Prerequisite: Junior standing, ENG 230, consent of instructor
THAR 434
Restoration and 18th-Century Comedy
A study of English comedies as reflections of changing taste and thought in the period 1660-1800. Authors include Wycherley, Etherege, Congreve, Farquhar, Steele, Fielding, Goldsmith, and Sheridan. 6 units. Also listed as English 445. Prerequisite: Junior standing, ENG 230, or consent of instructor
THAR 436
Renaissance Drama
A study of eight to ten plays from the early modern period, excluding Shakespeare. Readings include Marlowe, Jonson, Middleton, and Webster 6 units. Also listed as English 435. Prerequisite: Junior standing, ENG 230, or consent of instructor
THAR 440
Modern Drama
Studies in some of the major playwrights in Europe, England, and America from the time of Ibsen to the present. 6 units. Also listed as English 490. Prerequisite: Junior standing, and intermediate course in English, or consent of instructor
THAR 477
Acting II
Continued, in-depth study of the elements covered in Theatre Arts 187 with added monologue, scenic work, and an introduction to acting Shakespeare. The department expects that students who take this course have had extensive performance experience between Acting I and Acting II. 6 units. Prerequisite: THDR/THAR 187 and consent of instructor
THAR 479
Styles of Acting
Study of the acting of a particular period or style, based on the techniques acquired in Theatre Arts 187. 6 units. Prerequisite: THDR/THAR 187 or consent of instructor
THAR 527
Play Directing
Examination of and practice in fundamental directing methods and techniques. In this course we focus on the directing tradition of Alexander Dean. 6 units. Prerequisite: THDR/THAR 187 or consent of instructor
THAR 541
Seminar in Technical Theatre
A seminar focusing on specialized technical areas of the theatre. Content varies to fit the availability of the technical staff. May be repeated as content changes. Variable units. Prerequisite: THDR/THAR 135, 231 or consent of instructor
THAR 551
Costume Design
The theory and practice of costume design for the stage, focusing on period style and presentation technique. Laboratory responsibility in the costume shop required as part of course. 6 units. Prerequisite: THDR/THAR 231 or consent of instructor
THAR 553
Stage Lighting
A study of basic lighting theory, design, and technique that enables students to assume responsibility, with knowledge and precision, for designing and executing lighting plots. Laboratory responsibility on lighting crews required as part of course. 6 units. Prerequisite: THDR/THAR 231 or consent of instructor
THAR 555
Set Design
A study of the role of the set designer in a theatrical production from the conceptual through the production phase. Emphasis on values of concept, inventive scenic solutions, and creative research as applied to a number of different dramatic styles. Laboratory responsibility in the scenic studio required as part of course. 6 units. Prerequisite: THDR/THAR 231 or consent of instructor
THAR 557
Sound for the Stage
An examination of the aesthetic and practical applications of sound creation and reinforcement as involved in all contemporary theatre performance. Laboratory experience on a sound crew is a required part of the course. 6 units. Prerequisite: THDR/THAR 135 or 231 or consent of instructor
THAR 573
Computing in Stage Design and Production
A study of the range of areas wherein computing supports the efforts of the contemporary designer, including CAD, modeling, rendering, and animation applications. The course involves hands-on laboratory work in computing. 6 units. Prerequisite: THDR/THAR 135 or 231 or consent of instructor
THAR 611
Dramatic Theory and Criticism
A study of dramatic theory and criticism from Aristotle to the present. Students, as theatre artists, research and apply concepts explored in class to playscripts. 6 units. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor
THAR 627
Advanced Play Directing
Practical application of the principles learned in Theatre Arts 527. Students explore how Dean and Carra’s Five Fundamentals of play directing are used to clearly express dramatic type and theatrical style. Extensive scene work, presentations, and final project for public performance. 6 units. Prerequisite: THDR/THAR 527 or consent of instructor
THAR 679
Advanced Design Studio
Further exploration of design and design techniques, including rendering and drafting, focusing on portfolio preparation, taking into consideration the specific interests and needs of each student participating. 6 units. Prerequisite: THDR/THAR 231 or consent of instructor
THAR 190, 390, 590, 690
Tutorial Studies in Theatre Arts
Advanced work, arranged and carried out in consultation with an instructor. Variable units. Prerequisite: Counter registration required
THAR 195, 395, 595, 695
Internship in Theatre Arts
An opportunity for students to apply their theatre skills in business and the non-profit sector on the regional, national, and international levels. Arranged in collaboration with and supervised by a member of the department. Includes readings, discussion, report, and/or portfolio. Advance consultation and application required. Variable units.
THAR 199, 399, 599, 699
Independent Study in Theatre Arts
Advanced work in directing, design, performance, or criticism, arranged in consultation with department. Variable units. Prerequisite: Counter registration required
Recent tutorial topics in theatre arts
Film Production
African American Dramatists
Storytelling
Writing for Film and Television
Advanced Set, Lighting, or Costume Design
Stage Management
Technical Direction
Federal Theatre Project
Bertolt Brecht and Chinese Theatre
Acting Monologues of Pinter, Mamet, and Beckett
Spanish Golden Age Drama