Theatre and Performance StudiesProgram Director: P. Sperdakos (416-287-7168) Email: sperdakos@utsc.utoronto.ca The Theatre and Performance Studies Program has been devised to serve students who intend to major or minor in Theatre and Performance, as well as students who have a casual interest in theatre and performance studies. We offer both historical and contemporary theory-based and practical courses, which provide students with opportunities to investigate aspects of theatre and performance from the origins of theatre, to contemporary performance practice. In the practical courses, students acquire experience in elements of theatre production, as actors directors, and technicans;class work leads to performance opportunities in the Leigha Lee Browne Theatre. In order to be admitted into the performance side of the program, students must successfully complete VPDA10H3 Introduction to Theatre. Guidelines for 1st year course selection The Theatre and Performance Studies Program Study Guide is available at: www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~humdiv/prg_dr.htm Theatre and Performance Studies ProgramsMAJOR PROGRAM IN THEATRE AND PERFORMANCE STUDIES (ARTS)Undergraduate Advisor: Email: taps-program-supervisor@utsc.utoronto.ca
Undergraduate Advisor: Email: taps-program-supervisor@utsc.utoronto.ca
Program Requirements: Students must complete
4.0 full credits as follows:
Note: Not all courses are offered every year. In planning their programs students are encouraged to consult the TAPS Program Director. Theatre and Performance Studies CoursesVPDA10H3 Introduction to Theatre A general introduction to theatre as a social institution and a collaborative
performing art. This course will survey the nature and function of
the various components of the theatrical production process, providing
a background for further theatre studies. The successful completion
of VPDA10H3 will admit students
to subsequent VPD performance courses. An introduction to performance in its broadest application. This
course investigates a wide range of performance practices and theories
including traditional Western approaches to basic acting technique
and contemporary performance approaches informed and inspired by the
visual arts, music, dance and theatre. An introduction to basic acting techniques for those with little
or no performance experience. This course focuses on developing the
essential skills necessary for the craft of acting through the use
of improvisation and acting exercises. Students are also introduced
to the foundations of monologue and scene work. This course is intended for students who wish to continue the study
of acting for the stage in greater depth. A continuation of VPDB01H3 with
an emphasis on more advanced performance techniques. An introduction to the technical elements of theatre production.
Students will receive a basic grounding in the fundamentals of stage
management, stage lighting, sound operation, set building, scenic
painting and general technical practice. Discovering the special nature of various forms of live theatre.
Students will attend six professional productions in a variety of
theatres in Toronto, and write reviews of their theatre-going experiences.
In lectures and seminars students will study contemporary theatrical
practices from the perspective of playwrights, performers, etc. A study of theatre history in social and cultural context from its
origins in early human ritual through to the European Renaissance.
Through specific case-study, this course will trace how ancient traditions
both evolved and persisted to create the dramatic forms more familiar
to us today. A study of theatre history in social and cultural context from the
Early Modern period through to WWI. Through specific case-study, this
course will focus on the development of bourgeois or domestic drama,
as well as on popular theatre such as Melodrama and Pantomime. A study of theatre history in social and cultural context from WWI
through to the present. Through specific case-study, this course will
examine the effects of modernism on theatre, as well as the place
of ancient performance traditions in a globalizing world. An examination of the development of professional theatre in Canada
from 1945 to the present. Special attention will be paid to the development
of the major theatrical festivals, the regional theatre movement,
the rise of alternative theatre and current theatrical trends. An introduction to some of the major theatrical traditions of Asia.
Students will read translations of plays and study some of the theoretical
aspects of Oriental theatre in lectures and seminars. Recorded and
visual materials will be used extensively. A continuation of the exploration of advanced performance techniques
begun in VPDB02H3. The practical study of basic stage directing techniques in a workshop
atmosphere. This course will provide students with the fundamental
tools of the director's craft, through an investigation of the principles
of script analysis, composition and staging, director/actor communication
and rehearsal technique, and will culminate in the presentation of
short plays. A continuation of Technical Production I. Students will explore in
greater depth the practical application of the technical elements
of theatrical production. As part of the course, students will assume
responsibility for some of the technical positions available in U
of T Scarborough productions. A survey of the development of American musical theatre. Through
research into and discussion of American musical theatre history,
artists, and landmark productions, students will develop a critical
understanding of the form; attendance at a local professional musical
production will allow for discussions about the influence of the form
on theatre in Canada. An exploration of a wide range of physical acting techniques such
as mime, clown, mask performance, stage acrobatics, unarmed stage
fighting, and so on. This course is designed to further advance students'
performance skills by increasing their vocabulary of physical expression
and theatrical communication. Special topics for intensive practical study of some specific aspects
of theatre. The topic to be explored in this course will change
from session to session. Further information can be found on
the VPA-Theatre & Performance Studies website. The practical study of major theatrical productions. Students will
do research connected with the particular play that has been chosen
for production at U of T Scarborough. Advanced scholarly projects open to upper-level Theatre & Performance
students. The emphasis in these courses will be on advanced individual
projects exploring specific areas of theatre history and/or dramatic
literature. Advanced practical projects open to upper-level Theatre & Performance
students. These courses provide an opportunity for individual exploration
in areas involving the practice of theatre: directing, producing,
design, playwriting, dramaturgy, etc. Selected advanced topics for intensive practical study of some specific
aspect of theatre. The topic to be explored in this course will change
from session to session. The course will normally be offered during
the Winter session. Further information can be found on the VPA -
Theatre & Performance Studies website. A study of key ideas in theatre and performance theory with a focus
on pertinent 20th/21st century critical paradigms such as postcolonialism,
feminism, interculturalism, cognitive science, and others. Students
will investigate theory in relation to selected dramatic texts, contemporary
performances, and practical experiments. See the general Visual and Performing Arts section of this Calendar
for a full course description. |
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