Theatre 130: Acting I
Teacher Contact Information:
Name: Julia Cuppy
Email Address: JuliaCuppy@gmail.com
Online: SDSU Acting I: Fall 2015 FB Page
Remind.com
Fall 2015 Course Syllabus
Room: DA 101
Office Hours: By Appt.
Course Description: This class is an introduction to acting, focusing on the development of an individuals ability to
express thought and emotion through effective voice, body, and creative mind. The course provides the beginning acting
student with a foundation of general acting vocabulary, basic techniques for physical and vocal expression, and
development of the actor’s imagination as it relates to storytelling and communication skills. These fundamental acting
concepts may be applied to stage, camera, and voice acting. Although this is a performance-based course, reading,
research, writing and participation in class discussions are equally integral to the student’s learning.
Course Expectations:
Participation: This course is experiential, exponential, and experimental. To do this, attendance is mandatory. An
acting class is an event. Once missed it is missed forever. There is no way to make it up. Therefore, unexcused
absences or persistent tardies, resulting in a lack of participation, either full or partial, will result in a lower grade.
Excused absences will be approved in only dire circumstances related to health. You must contact instructor
before the missed class to be allowed consideration. Communication is key!! I will give each student one “Mental
Health Day” per semester. This day is to be used at your discretion but cannot be used on a performance day.
Clothing: Acting requires freedom of movement. At times, we will be squatting, lying down, rolling around, and
be on all fours (so bring kneepads if you need them). The work is physical and vocal, therefore don’t wear
anything that will make you self-conscious or inhibit your ability to move freely and safely. No short shorts or
low cut tops. Closed toed shoes are required. NO FLIP FLOPS! Hair must be pulled back. Black workout clothes
are best. On performance days, “implied costumes” including foot wear is required. Failure to dress appropriately
will result in an inability to participate and a grade of “F” for the day.
Class Materials: Water Bottle, 3 ring binder with 8 dividers, knee pads, highlighters, pencils/pens, paper. NO
FOOD or OTHER DRINK.
Student Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the semester, students shall be able to:
1. Memorize and perform text before a live audience
2. Identify characters’ dramatic struggles within texts of varying lengths.
3. Demonstrate a range of dynamics in relationship to voice and movement.
4. Display plausible behavior in response to imagined scenarios.
5. Illustrate the ability to respond spontaneously to other actors.
6. Assess the style of an acting performance, citing specific acting techniques as evidence.
We will achieve these objectives through exploring topics such as:
1. The willingness muscle
2. Opening the instrument: claiming new expressive territory
3. Understanding story: Drama is CONFLICT
4. Styles of Acting
5. Circumstances, real and imaginary
Course Assignments:
Syllabus Quiz: Please read the entire syllabus. Type out the answers to the questions at the end and hand in on
Tuesday, September 1.
Pre/Post Assessments: To show growth over the semester, you will take a few diagnostic exams to show where
your understanding is before the learning and then the final exam will include those same components and will be
taken at the end of the semester. These exams allow us to see the evidence of your growth over the semester in the
academic sense. These exams will not assess performances.
Class Exercises and Discussions: Each person has a unique perspective on the world because no one has lived
your life. Theatre imitates life and so it is expected for you to share and collaborate with your classmates about
life around you. I value what you have to say so make sure that you are heard by actively participating in
discussions. At times, we might talk about sensitive topics so we must protect each other by maintaining a safe
environment where we all feel comfortable to share without judgement.
Script Responses (5 Total):
You are required to read the plays listed below. In a one-page, bullet-point paper: identify the plot in three
complete sentences (not any more or less), describe the main character’s journey in relationship to
struggle/problem, briefly describe the role of each character, and identify the play’s main themes. Due dates are
listed on the schedule.
Required Texts (Purchase online not at the SDSU bookstore. Amazon Prime can ship in two days.)
1. Reasons to be Pretty by Neil La Bute
2. A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen
3. Spinning in Butter by Rebecca Gilman
4. Almost, Maine by John Cariani
5. Stop Kiss by Diana Son
Acting Journal and Reflections: The acting journal will be a gift to you at the end of the semester, if you follow
the directions fully. Every single scrap of paper that is given to you during class goes into your Acting Journal.
Everything that you write goes into your Acting Journal. You will keep every journal entry, every written
assignment, every test, every handout, every everything - it all goes in! Organize the journal by two weeks. The 8
dividers needed are to help separate by every two weeks. I will be reading and checking the journals throughout
the semester. Every assignment must have the week number that it was assigned in, your name typed at the top
and the date turned in. After every class meeting, it is expected that you write a reflection looking at what was
discovered during that class time. You should write about the class exercises and discussions, what their purposes
were and how they affected you and your classmates. Some questions to consider would include:
What did you learn from the exercise or scene work?
Did you overcome a particular acting challenge?
Did you identify any new obstacles you need to overcome?
What did you observe about your physical and vocal work?
What did you learn from observing your classmates?
Each reflection should be approx one page in length. It is best to complete these on the same day as your class.
Your writing will be compromised if you wait to reflect right before the journals are due. Just a friendly warning.
:-)
The Acting Journal -its profundity, its thoroughness, its presentation, its sheer beauty, -all of these
are a large component of your final grade.
Production Reviews: Students are required to see all of the Theatre Department’s productions of Sylvia, Into the
Woods, Doctor Faustus Lights the Lights. The production review is a analytical response to the productions. You
will analyze all aspects of the production including performance and technical components. Your opinions must
be supported fully with detailed examples from the live production. You must keep the review to less than 500
words.
Final Performances: Students will perform memorized monologues and scenes using appropriate clothing and
props. We will discuss the particulars of this later on. For each scene, students will be assigned a partner and a
scene from the plays that we will have read from above. Text analysis and imagination work are homework and
will be discussed later on as well. Rehearsals for these performances are to be outside of class. More details to
come.
All written assignments for this course are to be typed and printed in black ink, size 12 font or smaller, no more
than 1 ½ spaced. Late assignments will be accepted at the next class meeting only, and for a maximum of half
credit. Indent each paragraph and at the top of the page state your name, the week that it was assigned, class,
title of assignment (e.g Script Response #1) and date turned in. All assignments must be printed and hand
delivered. Unfortunately, I will not accept an assignment that is emailed to me.
For example:
Julia Cuppy
Week 1
Script Response #1
September 15, 2015
Grading Policy:
At this stage of training, I primarily am interested in your process and progress-not the product. Which means that - while
any kind of evaluation of an artistic process must necessarily be subjective, at this point I base my grades on your journeywhere you started from - and where you got to and how enthusiastically you tackled the work and the challenges along the
way. With this said, I have determined two components to your grade: Assessments and Participation.
Assessments
Syllabus Quiz - 2 points
Post - Assessments - 20 points
Script Responses - 10 points
Assignments and Discussions - 20 points
Acting Journal - 20 points
Production Reviews - 8 points
Performance - 20 points
Total Points: 100 (There is no extra credit given.)
Participation
This is what I’m looking for when you participate in class. You will earn points each day that you are present in
class with these qualities in mind.
1. Attitude and Preparation -both inside and outside of class. This means you come in on time, dressed
appropriately and ready to work. You consistently strive for a positive, “can-do” attitude, you approach your work
and others’ work from a generous place, and demonstrate an on-going interest in classroom discussions and your
classmates. You are open and always willing to try, and your attitude, enthusiasm, and encouragement helps
others within the group to try, grow and risk as well, which is what ultimately creates a working ensemble.
2. Responsibility and Respectfulness-to yourself, to me and to your classmates. You are consistently present and
prepared on all performance days. Your assignments are consistently ready and/or handed in on the day required.
You are considerate, respectful, and courteous toward others both inside and outside of class. You anticipate
problems and try to deal with them. You keep your acting space clean physically and emotionally. You make
healthy choices that will serve your needs to be alert and active during class.
3. Concentration and Discipline-your written work is neat and well prepared and shows obvious time and
thought. All required assignments have been well rehearsed or proofread. You show up on time for class and
rehearsals, and consistently have all required materials at hand -text, props, clothing, journals.
4. Personal Growth and Effort - your investment in your work is clear, and obvious to others as well. You
consistently go the extra distance, pushing yourself to try, to risk failure and allow yourself to fail, to do what is
asked to the best of your ability. Your work and your instrument -body and voice-are very clearly improved by
the end of the class, and/or you have made good strides on improving.
Only those students demonstrating extraordinary achievement in both assessments and participation will receive
the highest marks. Proficiency in only one does not allow for an elite grade.
Student Services
If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it is your responsibility to contact Student Disability Services
at (619) 594-6473. To avoid any delay in the receipt of your accommodations, you should contact Student Disability Services as soon as possible. Please
note that accommodations are not retroactive, and that accommodations based upon disability cannot be provided until you have presented your instructor
with an accommodation letter from Student Disability Services. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Schedule:
Week 1: 8/25 Introduction to Acting I
8/27 General Auditions - NO CLASS
Week 2: 9/1 Diagnostic Exam/The willingness muscle discussion
**Young Artists Reading & Reflection and Syllabus Quiz Due
9/3 Personal Commericals
Week 3: **9/4 Last Day to Add or Drop
9/8 Opening the instrument: The Body Electric Day One
9/10 The Body Electric Day Two
Week 4: 9/15 The Body Electric Share
9/17 The Plays the Thing/Text Analysis Discussion - The Vocal Instrument Intro
**Acting Journal Due with the first 4 weeks completed
Week 5: 9/22 The Vocal Instrument Day Two
**Script Response #1 Due
9/24 Vocal Instrument Share / Understanding Story:Drama is conflict
**9/25 - 10/4 Sylvia Performances -Reviews not accepted after 10/6
Week 6: 9/29 Understanding Story Debrief **Script Response #2 Due
10/1 Theatre is Empathy & Stanislavski and the Magic if / Styles of Acting
Week 7: 10/6 Original Monologue Share
**Script Response #3 Due
10/8 Circumstances: Real and Imaginary / Contentless Scene Intro
**Acting Journals are Due w/weeks 5-7 completed
Week 8: 10/13 Contentless Scene Performance
**Script Response #4 Due
10/15 Objectives, Tactics and Relationships
Week 9: 10/20 Imagination and Self-Exploration
** Script Response #5 Due
10/22 Scene partners assigned and scene decision determined
Week 10: 10/27 Rehearsal Day One - Scene Breakdown
10/29 Rehearsal Day Two - Role Scoring and Tactics
**10/30-11/8 Into the Woods Performances - Reviews not accepted after 11/10
Week 11: 11/3 Rehearsal Day Three
**Acting Journals Due with weeks 8 - 10 completed
11/5 Rehearsal Day Four
Week 12: 11/10 Veteran’s Day (NO CLASS)
11/12 Feedback Scene Performance # 1 Group A
Week 13: 11/17 Feedback Scene Performance #1 Group B
11/19 Feedback Scene Performance #1 Group C
Week 14: 11/25 Debrief and Discussion
11/25 - 29 Thanksgiving Holiday - NO CLASS
Week 15: 12/1 Final Scene Performance #2 Group A
12/3 Final Scene Performance #2 Group B
**Final Acting Journals due with weeks 11 - 13 completed
**12/4 - 12/6 Doctor Faustus Lights the Lights - Reviews not accepted after 12/8
Week 16: 12/8 Final Scene Performance #2 Group C
12/10 Final Exam and Reflection
NO FINAL EXAM SCHEDULED ON FINALS WEEK
Syllabus Quiz:
Please turn in a single, typed page with answers to the following questions
1. What information should be listed at the top of every written assignment?
2. Is there extra credit in this class?
3. How does being absent affect my grade?
4. What if I have to miss class for work, is that excused?
5. Are hand-written or emailed assignments accepted?
6. Is coffee allowed in class?
7. How long are late assignments accepted?
8. How many points is a late assignment potentially worth?
9. Can I wear flip flops to class?
10. When is the final for this class?
11. PLEASE PROVIDE A WORKING EMAIL ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER