Syllabus
BYU Course Outcomes
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Students will gain a deeper appreciation for each of the participating aspects of theatrical production by participating in the collaborative, visual, and research aspects of an original play.
Students will gain the tools to critically observe and read theatre
within its historical and contemporary contexts through reading,
writing, viewing, analysis, discussion and active participation.
Students will write a textual response to the play. They are required
to use specific quotations/examples from the text to trace their
selected theme through the theatrical elements of plot, character,
conflict, context, and/or language.
Students will analyze a Mask Club (40-minute student-directed
play) to demonstrate their understanding of the principles of
sound dramatic structure, appropriate technical support, acting
techniques believable and/or appropriate to the style or genre of
the piece, and unifying directorial control.
Students will write a review of a BYU mainstage theatre’s productionwith evidence from the production areas of acting, set
design, lighting, costumes, etc., using specific moments in the
play as examples.
Students will write and submit an original 7 ½ minute play. These
plays can be on any subject suitable to be performed on a BYU stage
and must have a cast of at least 2 but no more than 6 characters.
Students will render a minimum 10 hours of service to a live
theatre project during the semester. The service can be in the
form of acting, stage managing, writing, dramaturgy, or working
technical on a project.
Required Materials
You will need these textbooks:
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Welcome to TMA 101
1. Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
2. Primis Online/McGraw Hill Ebook “TMA 101: Theater” compiled
by George Nelson available through BYU Bookstore and online.
3. The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov
4. Hamlet by William Shakespeare
5. ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
a. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
b. Medea by Euripides
c. Miss Julie by August Strindberg
d. The Tempest by William Shakespeare
e. Tartuffe by Molière
To purchase the Ebook online: • Go to the McGraw Hill Online Bookstore.
• Select “United States” for your country.
• Under the Search bar select “browse all Schools” and select “Utah.”
• Select “Brigham Young Universtiy - Provo” for the school.
• In the drop down box select “TMA 101.”
Course Organization
Here is the sequence of lessons and the assignments for each one:
Lessons
Assignments
Lesson 1: What is Theatre?
Speedback
Lesson 2: What is a Play?
Speedback
Lesson 3 : The Playwright
Speedback
Lesson 4: Give it a Shot!
Original Play Script
Lesson 5: The Critic and the Dramaturg
Speedback
Lesson 6: Critical Thinking Journal
Critical Thought Journal
Lesson 7: Critical Thinking Part 1: Read a Play
Critical Response Paper
Lesson 8: Acting
Speedback
Lesson 9: Visual Language
Visual Language Paper
Lesson 10: Directing
Speedback
Lesson 11: Director’s Concepts
Directors Concept Paper
Lesson 12: Critical Thinking Part 2: See a Play
Production Analysis
Paper
Lesson 13: Design Part 1: Set Design and Light Design
Speedback
Lesson 14: Design Part 2: Costume Design and Makeup
Design
Speedback
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TMA 101: Introduction to the Theatre
Lesson 15: Design Part 3: Sound Design and Other Types of
Design
Speedback
Lesson 16: Final Project
Final Project
Assignments
Following are brief descriptions of each assignment. All assignments
must be double-spaced and typewritten.
Speedback Assignments
Throughout the course, you will have 9 Speedback assignments. These
are computer-graded, not instructor-graded. It will be your responsibility
to complete these in a timely manner after finishing the required reading. Keep in mind that these assignments are not open-book. You must
carefully read the material before taking each Speedback. Also note that
you will not be able to re-take these assignments.
Original Play Scripts
Each class member must write and submit an original 7 ½ minute play. These plays can be on any subject suitable to be performed on a BYU stage
and must have a cast of at least 2 but no more than 6 characters. Please
note that a 7 ½ minute play is approximately 8-9 pages. I don’t expect
you to be expert playwrights at this stage of your career, so your plays
will be given full credit as long as we feel you have given the assignment
your best effort. (Note to the wise: Use as few characters as possible and
keep the action of your place in one place. In other words, don’t do the
multiple locations) Critical Thought Journal
You will be required to keep a Critical Thought Journal throughout the
course. It will be due at the end of the course. The purpose of this journal
is for you to record your thoughts and feelings as an audience member
after listening to or viewing an artistic or dramatic event. The television
shows, movies, plays, and art exhibits you see are all eligible. So is the
music you listen to or even something less traditional like a political
debate; all are valid mediums to discuss in these journals. These entries
need to be 1 page each and you need a total of 6. The tone of these entries
does not need to be scholarly, but the depth of thought does. Use the tools
we talk about in this class to help you think critically about the subject.
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Welcome to TMA 101
Critical Response to The Cherry Orchard (2-3 pages)
Write a textual response to the play. Demonstrate your mastery of the
Aristotelian elements you have read about to analyze this play. Draw from
specific quotations/examples in the text to support your selected theme. Be sure to carefully identify and weigh the use of the theatrical elements
of plot, character, conflict, context, and/or language in your paper.
Visual Language Analysis (2-3 pages)
Using tools from Rory Scanlon’s DVD, write an analysis of the assigned
film clip that demonstrates your working knowledge of the principles
of visual language. You are required to be specific in your analysis and
thoroughly compare and contrast the visual elements that are used in the
piece. Make sure we can tell from your writing that you have a mastery
of all the principles and elements of visual language.
Directors Concepts- Hamlet Comparison (2-3 pages)
After reading William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and viewing several clips
from film versions of the play, write a 2-3 page paper that explains in
detail the differences in the directors’ concepts. Use specific examples
from the text and the clips to support your opinions, preferences and
analysis. Be sure to identify exactly what specific choices were made by
the directors to support their concepts. Production Analysis of a play of your choice (2-3 pages)
View and analyze a theatrical production. Write a 2-3 page paper that
fully analyzes a theatrical production you have seen. Support your thesis
statement by analyzing elements of the production including acting and
directing choices, design choice, and the overall shape and strength of
the production. Be thorough and thoughtful.
Final Project
This assignment requires you to participate in the preproduction work
for the imaginary mounting of the play you have selected to read. Once
you have thoroughly read the assigned play (from the list) and picked
the job that you are most interested in you are ready to use your creative
talents to shape the production. The jobs you can choose from are: costume designer, set designer, director, and dramaturg. If you choose to
be one of the designers you must create detailed, color drawings of your
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TMA 101: Introduction to the Theatre
chosen design area and write a 2-3 page justification for your choices. If you choose the job of director you need to create a detailed directors
concept and write a 5-7 page justification for your concept. If you choose
the job of dramaturg you will be required to write 5-7 pages of historical,
social, literary and other information that will be helpful to a director. Each project will need to demonstrate your knowledge of the required
production elements of your selected play as well as your understanding
of the nature of the job you have selected. All papers should be supported
by citing specific examples from the script.
Formatting Your Written Work
You will submit written assignments to Independent Study electronically
through your course. To make sure I can open and read your papers,
please save them as .RTF (rich text format) files. Here’s how to do it:
1. Type your paper in a word-processing program (such as Microsoft
Word).
2. When you save the file, click the Save as type: drop-down list.
3. Select Rich Text Format (*.rtf).
4. Use the course number, your first and last name, and the assignment name for the filename. For example, “TMA101_JaneSmith_
OriginalPlayScript.rtf.”
5. Click Save.
Submitting Your Written Assignments
Here’s how to submit your completed written assignments:
1. Click the corresponding Assignment Submission link in your
course.
2. Click Open.
3. Attach the assignment files by clicking the Choose File button,
then locating the file you wish to submit.
4. When you are finished, click Submit.
5. You will be asked if you are sure you want to submit this assignment. Click Yes.
6. You will receive a message that tells you that you have successfully
submitted your assignment. Click OK.
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Welcome to TMA 101
Remember: Do not submit any assignment until you have completed all of the assignments for the portfolio!
Mailing to Independent Study
The only case in which you will mail in an assignment to BYU independent
Study is the Final Project. If you select an option for this assignment that
involves creating drawings and selecting fabric swatches, these neeed to
be mailed to Independent Study, who will relay them to your instructor.
On no other assignment but the Final Project will you have the option to
mail in an assignment.
The address you will mail your assignment to is:
BYU Independent Study
120 Morris Center
Provo, UT 84602-0300
Grading
Assignment
%
Points
Speedbacks (9@10)
9%
90
Original Play Script
15%
150
Critical Thought Journal
10%
100
Critical Response Paper
10%
100
Visual Language Paper
10%
100
Director’s Concept Paper
11%
110
Production Analysis
10%
100
Final Project
25%
250
Total
1000
Grade Scale
A
100
94
A-
93
90
B+
89
87
B
86
83
80
B-
82
C+
79
77
C
76
73
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TMA 101: Introduction to the Theatre
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•
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C-
72
70
D+
69
67
D
66
63
D-
62
60
E
59
0
A= Achievement that is outstanding and unique
B= Achievement that is significantly above the level necessary
to meet the requirements
C= Assignment meets the basic requirements in every respect
D= Assignment meets only some of the requirements and
is worthy of credit
E= Assignment does not substantially meet the basic requirements
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