2021-2022 Catalog

THEA 101 Dramatic Literature: The Art of Reading Scripts

The ability to read a play with insight and imagination is foundational to studying and making theater. Because playscripts are meant for the stage and not the page, the techniques we use to read them are uniquely challenging. In this course, we study scripts by a variety of contemporary American playwrights, investigating the elusive relationship between the text and its ultimate destination - the live stage. By focusing on the essential elements of dramatic writing (including character, structure, language, and thematics), and placing scripts in their social, cultural and political contexts, we work to unlock each narrative’s full performative potential. Our understanding is enhanced by creative research projects and viewing key productions.

Credits

4 units

Core Requirements Met

  • United States Diversity
  • Fine Arts