THEA: Theater

THEA 1010  U.S. Theatre History: Introductory  (4 Credits)  

In this course, students will learn about the history of theater in the United States from the colonial days to the present. They will engage in learning about important plays, playwrights, producers, actors, directors, theaters and significant events such as theater riots. This theatrical history will be contextualized with the social, political, and economic history of the United States during this time. NOTE: Students can take this course at the introductory or advanced level, but not both.

Attributes: Arts Gen Ed, *The Arts Gen Ed, Liberal

THEA 1020  Modern US Drama: Introductory  (4 Credits)  

This course engages students in a wide range of 20th and 21st century plays written by US playwrights. Explore how these plays relate to US culture, society and politics as you consider how race, gender, sexuality and class are reflected in them. Some questions you will consider include: What makes a play 'American?' When does US drama tend to suggest new ways to construct society and when does it reflect familiar customs? Additionally, students will consider dramatic structure and how different playwrights use dramatic structure to achieve various goals. NOTE: Students can take this course at the introductory or advanced level, but not both.

Attributes: Humanities Gen Ed, Arts Gen Ed, *The Arts Gen Ed, Liberal

THEA 1998  Individualized Studies in Theatre (THEA)  (1-8 Credits)  

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Theatre (THEA). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.

THEA 2011  Introduction to Theater Improvisation  (4 Credits)  

In this course, students learn, explore and develop skills in a range of techniques of theatre games, improvisation and clowning, which can be incorporated into performance improvisation, playbuilding, group and community building, and can also be used as tools in social change, personal growth and education.

Attributes: Liberal

THEA 2122  Theatre Histories in Social & Political Context: 1800s to Present: Intro  (4 Credits)  

In this course, we will ask the following kinds of questions: How does theatre make meaning? How are gender, class and race represented in the plays we read? Who makes theatre? Who is represented and who is left out? Who is the intended audience? How does theatre reflect and/or shape social, political and economic reality? What are the functions of theatre in a given moment? How do we come to what we assume we know about theatre history, and what are the forces that shape the ways theatre history is recorded and understood? Although we will focus on 19th century and beyond, we will look first at classic Greek theatre as a way in to our study. We will consider a range of interpretive and critical approaches, combining readings of dramatic texts, theories and histories with viewings, writing, student presentations and discussion. NOTE: Students can take this course at the introductory or advanced level, but not both.

Attributes: Humanities Gen Ed, Arts Gen Ed, *The Arts Gen Ed, Liberal

THEA 2998  Individualized Studies in Theatre (THEA)  (1-8 Credits)  

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Theatre (THEA). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.

THEA 3010  Race and Representation in American Theatre & Performance  (4 Credits)  

This is a study of race and representation in theatre and performance in historical context and how these both respond to and shape socio-political, economic and cultural issues.

Attributes: Liberal

THEA 3015  U.S. Theatre History: Advanced  (4 Credits)  

How did Broadway come to be the quintessential home of professional theater in the United States? When did the regional theater movement begin and why? Who becomes a star performer? This course is designed to teach you about the multi-vocal plays, musicals, and theater professionals who have contributed to the history of U.S. theater from the colonial period to today. We will investigate the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion in U.S. theater history while we also situate that history in the social, political, and economic history of the United States.

Attributes: Arts Gen Ed, *The Arts Gen Ed, Liberal

THEA 3020  Greek Drama  (4 Credits)  

Students will survey classical Greek drama by studying several key works by playwrights from this era. We attempt to identify what social, political, economic, and/or personal message each play portrays to audiences and then determine how the various characters, situations, and incidents help to dramatize this position. Aristotle's Poetics will ground our work in theory along with other theories about Greek drama. We will also consider the use of dramatic devices in these plays and investigate concepts such as tragedy, comedy, family curse, tragic flaw, recognition, reversal and a "final gesture of heroism."

Attributes: *The Arts Gen Ed, Liberal

THEA 3022  Theater Improvisation: Advanced  (4 Credits)  

In this interactive and participatory study group, students learn, explore and develop skills in a range of techniques of theatre games, improvisation and clowning, which can be incorporated into performance improvisation, playbuilding, group and community building, and can also be used as tools in social change, personal growth and education.

Attributes: Liberal

THEA 3025  History of American Musical Theatre  (4 Credits)  

Do you want to know more about musicals? Students in this course will learn about the history of musicals in the US from the 1890s to the present. We will examine how musicals both react to and influence changes in the social, political, and cultural history of the US. To do this, we will look at the contributions of major directors, choreographers, writers, performers, and other professionals in US musical theatre history. Students will also learn how to analyze the parts of a musical such as the book (story), songs, and choreography.

Attributes: Arts Gen Ed, *The Arts Gen Ed, Liberal

THEA 3035  Modern US Drama: Advanced  (4 Credits)  

This course engages students in a wide range of 20th and 21st century plays written by US playwrights. Explore how these plays relate to US culture, society and politics as you consider how race, gender, sexuality and class are reflected in them. Some questions you will consider include: What makes a play 'American?' When does US drama tend to suggest new ways to construct society and when does it reflect familiar customs? Additionally, students will consider dramatic structure and how different playwrights use dramatic structure to achieve various goals. NOTE: Students can take this course at the introductory or advanced level, but not both.

Attributes: Humanities Gen Ed, Arts Gen Ed, *The Arts Gen Ed, Liberal

THEA 3040  Theatre Histories in Social & Political Context: 1800s to Present: Advanced  (4 Credits)  

In this study, we will ask the following kinds of questions: How does theatre make meaning? How are gender, class and race represented in the plays we read? Who makes theatre? Who is represented and who is left out? Who is the intended audience? How does theatre reflect and/or shape socio-political and economic reality? What are the functions of theatre in a given moment? How do we come to what we assume we know about theatre history, and what are the forces that shape the ways theatre history is recorded and understood? Although we will focus on 19th century and beyond, we will look first at preliterate forms (ritual, storytelling, shamanism) and on classic Greek theatre as a way in to our study. We will consider a range of interpretive and critical approaches, combining readings of dramatic texts, theories and histories with viewings, writing, student presentations and discussion in order to critically examine material, analyze assumptions and compare and contrast points of view. Students should have some knowledge of theatre and/or history. NOTE: Students can take this course at the introductory or advanced level, but not both.

Attributes: Humanities Gen Ed, Arts Gen Ed, *Humanities Gen Ed, *The Arts Gen Ed, Liberal

THEA 3041  Theatre and Community Health  (4 Credits)  

We will explore ways in which tools of theatre have and can help people to grapple with specific health challenges and the broader health of their communities. We will look at theatre both on stage and in non-traditional venues. We will examine international examples of applied theatre: engaged participatory theatre as a method to foster social change and critical education in a variety of health contexts. These include theatre for health education and prevention, such as responses to the AIDS pandemic, health in refugee settings, in the field of aging and dementia care, in women's health, and regarding issues of gender inequality. We will also look at on-stage theatre that represents and responds to specific health situations such as the Federal Theatre Project's Spirochette (syphillis) in the 1930s, Tony Kushner's Angels in America (HIV/AIDS), and Robbie McCauley's one-person show, Sugar (diabetes). Finally, we will examine contemporary theatrical responses, both on and off stage, to the global pandemic of COVID 19.

Attributes: Arts Gen Ed, *The Arts Gen Ed, Liberal

THEA 3065  Hamilton: An American Musical  (4 Credits)  

This course analyzes the theatrical aspects of the Tony Award winning musical, Hamilton. Students will explore the evolution of this musical and will delve into a creative critique of the musical’s story, music, choreography, staging, design elements, casting and more. We will also study the creator of Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and will situate his work within theater history. We will consider questions such as: Why is this musical so popular? What makes this musical stand out from other musicals? And, as so many people ask, why are tickets to this musical so expensive? Note: Students in this course are *required* to secure access to the video version of the original NYC production through Disney+ or similar platforms.  

Attributes: Arts Gen Ed, *The Arts Gen Ed, Liberal

THEA 3998  Individualized Studies in Theatre (THEA)  (1-8 Credits)  

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Theatre (THEA). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.

THEA 4005  Shakespeare in Performance  (4 Credits)  

Shakespeare's plays are excellent pieces of literature but they were originally performed live by actors. Today, more people see Shakespeare's work through film than any other medium. This study examines seminal film productions of various Shakespeare plays including Henry V, Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, Richard III, Othello, and As You Like It. Students will read these plays and then watch assigned films to analyze how these films bring the worlds created by Shakespeare to life for contemporary film audiences. Literary criticism and film criticism will help us along on our journey as students consider how scholars and critics have also reacted to these important cinematic works.

Attributes: *The Arts Gen Ed, Liberal

THEA 4998  Individualized Studies in Theatre (THEA)  (1-8 Credits)  

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Theatre (THEA). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.