Dallas County Community College District
Drama District Discipline Committee
September 28, 2012
RE: Response to Core Charges
TIER ONE DESCRIPTION
Wellness and the Human Experience – “This learning category allows you to explore a wide
range of courses related to who you are and how you relate to the world. The courses offer an
opportunity for you to examine your physical, social, financial, intellectual, emotional and
aesthetic well-being.”
DRAM 1322 – Movement for the Stage
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION:
This is a Texas Common Course Number. This is a DCCCD Core Curriculum Course.
Course Description: Movement is studied as both a pure form and as it is used in all theatrical styles, and
in the development of characterization. (2 Lec. 3 Lab.)
Coordinating Board Academic Approval Number 5005065426
1. Critical Thinking Skills to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and
synthesis of information.
Students in Movement for the stage are required to evaluate themselves and others through
performance and the study of specific physical exercises, and apply their observations into
development of different characters. By synthesizing discoveries into performance, students are
given the opportunity to create innovative characterizations.
2. Communication Skills to include effective written, oral, and visual communication.
Students in Movement for the stage learn and apply several modes of communication throughout
the course. They are required to perform scenes and monologues, discuss performance, and write
critiques on the performance of professional actors in live productions. Faculty assess students on
their ability to speak formally through paper critiques and informally through classroom discussion.
3. Empirical and Quantitative Skills to include applications of scientific and mathematical concepts.
Students in Movement are required to participate in all college productions, assist backstage and
help with sets and properties. This assistance requires them to solve problems using multiple skills
and methods, which may include building, measuring and experimenting. Students are also required
to create performances within class, requiring them to apply those problem-solving skills to their
class work and performances.
4. Teamwork to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with
others to support a shared purpose or goal.
Drama Discipline Committee Response; 1 | P a g e
Theatre is a team activity naturally, and students are constantly required to work in groups to
complete tasks including teaching a lesson, research projects and performances. In Movement,
students select, read and perform scenes in groups of 2-3. Students also work in groups to discuss
and evaluate performances on film and stage.
5. Social Responsibility to include intercultural competency, civic knowledge, and the ability to engage
effectively in regional, national, and global communities.
Students in Movement, and any theatre class, are required to perform a variety of scenes or
monologues from different eras and cultures. Through these assignments, the students research
and learn about people from all walks of life, and this enhances their awareness of other cultures
and people. Through performance, students share their talents with the community and are able to
relate to those around them.
6.
Personal Responsibility to include the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to
ethical decision-making.
Through character and self-study, students in Movement become aware of their place in society and
how their choices affect others, just as a character’s choice affects the outcome of a play. Through
script and character study, students learn and discuss cause and effect.
DRAM 1330 - Stagecraft I
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION:
This is a Texas Common Course Number. This is a DCCCD Core Curriculum Course.
Prerequisite: One of the following must be met: (1) DREA 0093 or (2) English as a Second Language
(ESOL) 0044 or (3) have met the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Reading standard.
Course Description: The technical aspects of play production are studied. Topics include shop
procedures, the planning and fabrication of scenic elements, and backstage operations. (2 Lec., 3 Lab.)
Coordinating Board Academic Approval Number 5005025126
1.
Critical Thinking Skills to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation
and synthesis of information.
Students in Stagecraft are presented with projects and expected to figure out how to complete
said projects within certain time and budget constraints. They are also involved in discussions
about the current production and scene design, and work as part of a team to decide what is
needed to meet the needs of that production.
2. Communication Skills to include effective written, oral, and visual communication.
Students in Stagecraft are required to communicate thoughts and ideas orally and visually, they
are also required to address certain projects through written evaluation and critique.
3. Empirical and Quantitative Skills to include applications of scientific and mathematical concepts.
Students in Stagecraft are taught how to use several tools within a scene shop, most of which
require measuring, cutting and mathematical calculating to use.
Drama Discipline Committee Response; 2 | P a g e
4. Teamwork to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with
others to support a shared purpose or goal.
Much of the class is project-oriented and promotes team building, group organization, and
management skills. Theatre is a team activity naturally, and students are constantly required to
work in groups to complete tasks including teaching a lesson, research projects, and
construction of sets and props. In Stagecraft, students discuss and evaluate design plans, build
flats and set pieces both individually and in groups.
5. Social Responsibility to include intercultural competency, civic knowledge, and the ability to
engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.
Students in Stagecraft are held responsible for their acting in class, but also are required to work
service hours in the theatre. During rehearsals and set build calls, students work as a community
to complete large and small projects. They have to serve as leaders, and use their skills to help
those around them. Through study and practice of multiple productions, students in every
drama class learn to accommodate and welcome diversity. Students learn empathy and
understanding, they learn about a variety of cultures and backgrounds, and how to
6.
Personal Responsibility to include the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to
ethical decision-making.
Students in Stagecraft are constantly called upon to make decisions and complete tasks. They
quickly learn the consequences of not “pulling their weight” or finishing their project on time
because it has an effect on the entire production and therefore on the ability of their peers to
get their projects completed or move on to the next project.
DRAM 1351 – Acting I
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION:
This is a Texas Common Course Number. This is a DCCCD Core Curriculum Course.
Prerequisite: One of the following must be met: (1) DREA 0093 or (2) English as a Second Language
(ESOL) 0044 or (3) have met the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Reading standard.
Course Description: The theory of acting and various exercises are presented. Body control, voice,
interpretation, characterization, and stage movement are included. Both individual and group activities
are used. Specific roles are analyzed and studied. (2 Lec., 3 Lab.)
Coordinating Board Academic Approval Number 5005065126
1.
Critical Thinking Skills to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and
synthesis of information.
Students in Acting are presented with projects and expected to figure out how to complete those
projects within a certain time and budget constraints. They are also involved in discussions about
the current campus production and films and television series within popular culture.
2. Communication Skills to include effective written, oral, and visual communication.
Drama Discipline Committee Response; 3 | P a g e
Acting students are required to perform scenes and monologues, discuss performance, and write
critiques on the performance of professional actors in live productions. Faculty assess students on
their ability to speak formally through paper critiques and informally through classroom discussion.
In addition, performance requires the same skills needed for public speaking such as vocal variety,
articulation, appropriate volume to the situation, tempo, rhythm, etc.
3. Empirical and Quantitative Skills to include applications of scientific and mathematical concepts.
Students in Acting are encouraged to participate in performance projects and analyze the work of
their fellow peers. In addition, they must apply the knowledge base developed in the course to
professional live theatrical performances, film, and college productions. Students spend a majority
of the course watching others act and analyzing what is successful and what might need more
thought or consideration. Through this process, they begin to discern the skills necessary to create
successful performances on stage. Therefore, it is more creative than scientific, however both
require the same skills, the ability to hypothesize, synthesize, and create conclusions on the
problems posed when creating character and productions. The culmination of this class is not just a
grade from the instructor, yet students develop the ability to quantify their own work.
4. Teamwork to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with
others to support a shared purpose or goal.
Theatre is a team activity naturally, and students are constantly required to work in groups to
complete tasks including teaching a lesson, research projects and create performances as a group.
Each student must contribute to each class period. As the student develops both individual and
collaborative skills, he or she realizes personal and group achievement as the class develops
throughout the semester, and his or her self-esteem grows and an awareness to the responsibility
has to a group increases.
5. Social Responsibility to include intercultural competency, civic knowledge, and the ability to engage
effectively in regional, national, and global communities.
Students in Acting are required to perform a variety of scenes or monologues from different eras
and cultures. Through these assignments, the students research and learn about people from many
walks of life, enhancing their awareness of other cultures and people. Considering the concepts of
“objective”, “obstacle”, and “tactics” are a large part of course content and the basis for
performance, students in Acting I start to discern between right and wrong, develop a sense of self,
and a greater understanding of individuals who might be different though analyzing the character’s
choices. This analysis leads the student to evaluate his or her own behavior and belief systems
within a given environment. In addition, through performance, students share their talents with the
community and are able to relate to those around them.
6.
Personal Responsibility to include the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to
ethical decision-making.
Students in Acting I must consistently work in groups and contribute to an overall product. Whether
in formal performance, acting exercises, or group assignments, students must collaborate with peers
in order to be successful in the course. In addition, instructors teach student actors to look for the
conflict in a scene, whether comic or dramatic, and try to get what they want. The hope is that they
Drama Discipline Committee Response; 4 | P a g e
learn from a characters bad choices what not to do in their own personal lives. Performance gives
actors an opportunity to not only teach themselves, but teach an audience.
Prepared by: Professor Nathan Cole, MVC; Dustina Reason, EFC; Alice Butler, NLC
Drama Discipline Committee Response; 5 | P a g e