THEATRE 100
THEATRE & WESTERN CIVILIZATION
Office hours 1:00 to 2:00 pm Tuesday and Thursday.
Mon by appointment office DA 207
Professor Peter James Cirino email: pcirino@mail.sdsu.edu Phone: 619-729-5549
Course Objectives
-Outline the properties of Theatre
-Find the meaning in how Theatre elements can evoke a multitude of emotions
-Investigate how a variety of artists come together to create a singular vision
-Write critiques on plays produced by The School of Theatre, Television and Film
-Participate in online and in classroom activities involving set design, stage construction,
directing, acting, film making and playwriting
-Appreciate Theatre as an art form and discover a reflection of society
-Define specific terms relating to the study of Theatre
-Distinguish between Theatre and drama
-This class will endeavor to find the relevance of Theatre in This age of massive amounts of
entertainment be funneled at you from every electronic device possible.
Assignments
Presentations
- Create a 5 to 10 minute piece of Theatre that can be done live or shown in class. Groups of 5
students will join together and create a production (play or film). Each student will work in one
of these specific areas Director, Playwright, Set Design, Costume Design, New Media
(projections, social networks, video, or any advanced technology), Lighting, Sound Design or
Dramaturgy. All students must participate in the acting portion as is required by the script
(outside performers may be used to augment the needs of the production). Each student will
write a paper including the research used for the specific area that you created for the project.
A template will be provided on blackboard.
Blogs
You are required to blog about the question that will be posted each Thursday (unless
otherwise indicated) by 10 am on Blackboard. Blogs should be Thoughtful, well written, cogent
and germane to the topic feel free to use any resource you would like. Please do not plagiarize,
as it will be grounds for failing the class. It is important that you write in your own vernacular.
Critiques
Critiques: Two SDSU plays, one SDSU film festival and one theatre student
Production. All The productions will be subject to questions on the blogs, midterm or
final exam. You will need proof of purchase of your tickets. If you purchase Season
Semester pass The Box Office will supply your instructor with a list of names. If you
choose to purchase individual tickets (which I suggest you don’t do as the cost is about
more expensive) then you will need to show your ticket to the GA. Obtain your tickets
online at Theatre.sdsu.edu
1. Alice Curiouser and Curiouser March 6 to March 15, 2015 SDSU Don Powell Theatre
2. The Great American Trailer Park Musical April 24 to May 3 SDSU Don Powell Theatre
3. Film Festival Emerging Filmmaker Festival February 12 - 13, 2015 or Best of the Best Student
Showcase May 13. SDSU Don Powell Theatre
4. One Theatre Student Organization production (ALTO, Vagina Monologues, Skull and
Dagger, DATA, The Archive, African American Drama Association or Iota Eta Pi- Improv Team)
Turn all proof of purchase in to the GA before Midnight the Monday after the closing of the
production.
Required Text Book
“Theatre as Human Action” by Thomas S. Hischalk
Available at KB Books
January 22 Thurs Intro to class, add codes and overview of syllabus
January 27 Tues Brief look at what Theatre is and can be.
January 29 Thurs Overview of Blog work and presentations
February 03 Tues Poetics
February 05 Thurs Blog
Blog#1 (question will be posted on Blackboard at 10 am).
February 10 Tues ‘The Theatre’ Ch. 1 in Theatre as Human Action
February 12 Thurs ‘The Theatre’ Ch. 1 in Theatre as Human Action
Blog#2 (question will be posted on Blackboard at 10 am).
February 17 Tues ‘The Play’ Ch. 2 in Theatre as Human Action
February 19 Thurs ‘The Play’ Ch. 2 in Theatre as Human Action
Blog#3 (question will be posted on Blackboard at 10 am).
February 24 Tues ‘The Playwright’ Ch. 3 in Theatre as Human Action
February 26 Thurs ‘The Playwright’ Ch. 3 in Theatre as Human Action
Blog#4 (question will be posted on Blackboard at 10 am).
March 03 Tues ‘The Actor’ Ch. 4 in Theatre as Human Action
March 05 Thurs ‘The Actor’ Ch. 4 in Theatre as Human Action
Blog#5 (question will be posted on Blackboard at 10 am).
March 10 Tues The Directors Ch. 5 in Theatre as Human Action
March 12Thurs The Directors Ch. 5 in Theatre as Human Action
Blog#6 (question will be posted on Blackboard at 10 am).
March 17 Tues ‘Set Design’ Ch. 6 in Theatre as Human Action
March 19 Thurs ‘Set/New tech (projections) Design Ch. 6 in Theatre as Human Action
Blog#7 (question will be posted on Blackboard at 10 am).
March 24 Tues Mid-term review
March 26 Thurs Mid-term
No Blog Day
April 07 Tues ‘Costume Design’ Ch. 6 in Theatre as Human Action
April 09Thurs ‘Sound Design’ Ch. 6 in Theatre as Human Action
Blog#8 (question will be posted on Blackboard at 10 am).
April 14 Tues ‘New Tech Ch. 6 Theatre as Human Action
April 16 Thurs ‘The Audience’ Ch.7 in Theatre as Human Action
Blog#9 (question will be posted on Blackboard at 10 am).
April 21 Tues Rehearsal
April 23 Thurs Final Presentation
Blog#10 (question will be posted on Blackboard at 10 am).
April 28 Tues Final Presentation
April 30 Thurs Final Presentation
No Blog due
May 05 Tues Final Presentations
May 07 Thurs Final Presentation
No Blog due
Final Exam Tuesday May 14 800 am to 1000 am
Grade
Mid-Term/Final
Critiques/ Participation
Blogs
Presentations
10%
20%
30%
40%
EXTRA CREDIT: Register to vote up and earn ten points on any single giving item in the syllabus.
Please send an email with proof of voter registration from the county registrar of your specific
county. Send it to the GA if you cannot register to vote you may volunteer for one hour with
any on campus student group that is of a political nature and have them send an email to the
GA. Additional extra credit will be offered throughout the semester.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Academic integrity is one of the fundamental principles of a university community. San Diego
State University expects the highest standards of academic honesty from all students.
Violations of academic integrity include the following: (1) unauthorized assistance on an
examination, (2) falsification or invention of data, (3) unauthorized collaboration on an
academic exercise, (4) plagiarism, (5) misappropriation of research materials, (6) unauthorized
access of an instructor’s files or computer account, and (7) any other serious violation of
academic integrity as established by the instructor. If your academic integrity is not maintained
on a test or assignment, you will automatically receive a grade of zero for that test or
assignment and you will be reported to the Dean’s Office, in accordance with SDSU academic
integrity policy. Penalties can be severe. More specific information is available in The SDSU
Bulletin, both in print and on-line.
Student Disability 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 I cannot
provide accommodations based upon disability until I have received cooperation is appreciated.