COURSE: AN36004BA
From Play to Stage
Instructor:
Time:
Place:
Office Hours:
Phone:
Email:
Gabriella Varró
Tu. 12.00–13.40
MBlg. 109.
M. 14.00-15.00, Tu. 10.00–11; 116/1
52-512-900/22152
gabriella.varro@gmail.com
Course description: This course of study is offered to theatre specialization students in order
to improve their skills in reading and interpreting drama texts, as well as to develop their
practical skills in acting and staging a play/or part of a play. The aim of the present course is
to assist students in acquiring basic skills in staging and acting in a play: ranging from
selecting actors, stage designer, director, lighting designer, sound technicians, etc. to
acquiring basic acting tools: discipline, preparation, moment to moment work, trust, etc. In
the major part of the class we will work with three play/ drama texts. Together we will select
a relevant scene from each and will take that scene to a final realization with proper stage
design, costumes, music, and, of course acting.
Class Schedule:
1. Sept. 13. Introduction to the goals and central project/s of the course. Rules, assessment,
grading policy.
2. Sept. 20. Sam Shepard’s True West
Journal presentations: assessing theme and conflict (journal 1)
Reading scenes (student performances in pairs); selecting the scene for the final performance
3. Sept. 27. Sam Shepard’s True West
Journal presentations: assessing characters (journal 2)
Casting for selected scene – reading scene with the cast – Rehearsal I
4. Oct. 04. Sam Shepard’s True West
Journal presentations: costume and stage design class (journal 3)
Staging scene with the cast -- Rehearsal II
5. Oct. 11. In-class performance of Sam Shepard’s True West (a longer scene of about 15
minutes) – Analysis of class performance
6. Oct. 18. Tennessee Williams: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Journal presentations: assessing theme and conflict (journal 4)
Reading scenes (student performances in pairs); selecting the scene for the final performance
7. Oct. 25. Tennessee Williams: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Journal presentations: assessing characters (journal 5)
Casting for selected scene – reading scene with the cast -- Rehearsal I
8. CONSULTATION WEEK
9. Nov. 8. Tennessee Williams: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Journal presentations: costume and stage design class (journal 6)
Staging scene with the cast -- Rehearsal II
10. Nov. 15. In-class performance of Tennessee Williams’s: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
(a longer scene of about 15 minutes) – Analysis of class performance
11. Nov. 22. Beth Henley: Crimes of the Heart
Journal presentations: assessing theme and conflict (journal 7)
Reading scenes (student performances in pairs); selecting the scene for the final performance
12. Nov. 29. Beth Henley: Crimes of the Heart
Journal presentations: assessing characters (journal 8)
Casting for selected scene – reading scene with the cast -- Rehearsal I
13. Dec. 06. Beth Henley: Crimes of the Heart
Journals presentations: costume and stage design class (journal 9)
Staging scene with the cast -- Rehearsal II
14. In-class performance of Beth Henley’s: Crimes of the Heart (a longer scene of about 15
minutes) – Analysis of class performance
JOURNALS: There are altogether 9 journals that will be assigned during this course.
Journals should be one-two pages long, focusing on a single theoretical question
(theme/conflict, character, and costume) related to the work/s read for the class. This journal
SHOULD NOT BE a simple plot summary!!!, but should strive for a scholarly evaluation
of a dilemma at hand. If the paper fails this criteria the percentage that could be awarded to
the assignment will be lost. Requests for journals are indicated in the syllabus. Journals
should be sent to the instructor at least 3 days prior to the class, preferably the previous
Friday. Corrections and suggestions to the paper provided by the instructor should be built
into the presentation given orally in class. Journals should contain two questions at the end,
reflecting on the central issue discussed. These questions and the journal presentations will
be further discussed, evaluated and debated in class.
ACTING ASSIGNMENTS: Each student will have to participate in at least one of the three
major in-class performances. It will also be possible to invite an actual audience for these
brief presentations. The casting for these performances will take place at every second class
devoted to a particular play. The actual casting, costume design, directing will entirely be the
responsibility of the students in the class. Thus, students will select the best theme, character,
and costume presentations, and stage the play according to the guidelines of these analyses.
COSTUME AND STAGE DESIGN ASSIGNMENTS: Students who are willing to
contribute to the staging of the play with creative ideas regarding costume and stage design or
musical accompaniment can earn extra scores in this course.
GRADING:
Will be based on the quality of the fulfillment of the written and acting and extra assignments.
ABSENCES:
Since this class greatly depends on students’ collaborative skills it is kindly requested that all
students should show up for rehearsals and class sessions. You definitely should not miss a
class when you are scheduled to perform in a scene, or when we are in the final stage of
rehearsals. Failure to show up for acting assignments will result in a lowered grade for the
course.
IMPORTANT:
Students are kindly requested to download and print the syllabi, and turn up at the
first class of the courses with the hard copy of their syllabi. To download them, please
click on the hyperlinks.
Vg.