Investigates theatre arts and their relation to contemporary culture through the practical and experiential study of plays, production style and the role of theatre artists in creative interpretation.

For non-majors. Acquire and practice voice and speech techniques to build oral communication skills, confidence and enjoyment in public speaking, presentation or performance.

This course is an introduction to dance in the context of performance on stage, on screen, and in public space. Through viewings, discussions, and practical dance experiences, students will deepen their understanding of how dances are created and how dance shapes and is shaped by the world around it. Students will engage with a wide range of styles, historical periods, and creative approaches to consider how dance matters.

Explores basic theories and techniques of acting through exercises, improvisations and scenes from contemporary dramatic literature.

This course surveys a broad range of theories and methodologies pertinent to the fields of Performance Studies. Each unit addresses important concepts and frameworks that help you write about, think about, and make performance art. Lecture, close reading, application exercises, and writing assignments will strengthen your theoretical vocabularies, hone your analytical writing skills and apply various tests to your own work as scholars/artists.

An introduction to the tools and technical processes of performance lighting. Students will explore a range of lighting technologies central to lighting production for live theatre, dance, opera, and concerts. Through lecture, demonstration, digital media, and hands-on experience, students are prepared for work as theatrical electricians and introduced to the craft essential to the theatrical lighting design process.

Application of lighting design and technology in production. May be repeated up to 4 credits.

Studies basic techniques for moving the costume design from drawing to finished character, including construction, alteration, patterning, fitting, and accessories. Lab required. Instructor permission.

This course provides students with firsthand experience in the creative practice of choreography and performance while providing exposure to basic production skills. In addition to gaining insight into choreography and performance as modes of critical inquiry, students will also be involved in various aspects of the production and will gain an appreciation of the skills that are required to produce a dance concert.

Application of acting skills in production laboratory. May be repeated up to four credits. Prerequisite: Instructor permission

Students will explore the sonic qualities of sound and music through discussion, construction, critical listening, and demonstration.

Application of sound technology in laboratory production projects. May be repeated up to four credits. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.

Studies the development of the scenic design as theatrical environment, from script analysis through research to completed scenic design.

Exercises and scene work emphasizing the development of the actor's vocal and physical resources as a means of creating and communicating character, emotion, and relationships. Prerequisite: DRAM 2020 and instructor permission

Introduces principles of vocal health, provides practical techniques for meeting the voice and speech demands of daily life and performance, and promotes life-long exploration of the speaking voice and the spoken word. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.

Investigates the relationship between dancing bodies, cinematography, and video editing. Exploring innovative ways to film movement, we examine the relationship between the moving body and camera. Students gain exposure to various methodologies and practices that can be directly applied to individual projects. We discuss parallels between choreography, cinematography, and video editing, and how these integrate to form the art of Screendance.

Encourages the development of the director's analytical and rehearsal skills in translating text, actors, and space into valid and effective scenes; drawn from plays in the mode of psychological realism. Prerequisite: Dram 2020 required, and Dram 2010 preferred; Instructor permission

Introduces the art and craft of playwriting, focusing on short exercises and in-class writing assignments. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.

Combining creative practice and critical discourse, this hands-on course grants students an opportunity to learn and utilize the crafts of digital video design in the context of contemporary installation, projection and performance arts. Students experiment with the many ways of designing time-based media and explore the role of video storytelling in the topography of 21st-century theater and live performance.

This course examines how has 20th and 21st century comedic performance spawned and/or reflected movements of social and cultural protest in the United States. From Jackie "Moms" Mabley's Civil Rights stand-up, to feminist sketches on SNL, to Hari Kondabolu's employment of de-colonial humor, we will engage in the complexities of joke-telling and its potential for mobilizing change.

Hip Hop Theatre explores how elements of Ritual, Theatre, and the core principles of Hip Hop are shared by members of the Hip Hop community around the world. Students will examine the ways in which Hip Hop Theatre presents itself as a movement and a syncretic art form.

Scripted scenes, exercises, and ensemble work to expand the actor's approach to characterization and interpretation within various dramatic genres. Prerequisite: DRAM 3410 and instructor permission

A directed study in theatre design offered to upper-level students. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.

The goal of this workshop is to write and prepare a short screenplay to be filmed in the Spring Semester in conjunction with DRAM 4760 Directing the Short Film (students must commit to both classes). Students will study script structure using textbooks, screenplays, and film. Students will apply this knowledge of screenplay structure and form as they write their own scenes and short screenplays.

Allows upper level students to pursue advanced creative and/or scholarly research in dance as an independent project. Students can identify their area of focus for in depth investigations including, but not limited to: Choregraphy, Screendance, Performance, Performance Studies, Dance Pedagogy, etc.

Independent study conducted under the supervision of a specific instructor(s).