Course Outcomes Blueprint for Socio Cultural Analysis

Transcription

1 Date Submit: 2/6/ :10:00 PM Your Name: Assunta Kent Your Course Outcomes Blueprint for Socio Cultural Analysis Course number and title: THE 201: Cultural History of Theatre Credit Hours: 3 Course type: Lecture Prerequisites: EYE and College Writing, or concurrent Course Description: * At the end of this box, I include the Learning Objectives as stated on the syllabus so that you have an overview, as many apply across the Core Outcomes. Course Description: Theatre is a primal, constantly evolving, world wide cultural and political phenomenon. And as such, the study of theatre interrelates to all the other arts and humanities as well as to the sciences. This course is an introduction to theatre history and dramatic literature. Thus, there are two kinds of reading materials: 1) a series of plays on electronic library reserve, and 2) material on the functions, methods, and history of theatre ("The Living Theatre: A History" or LT). The ideas, methods, and course materials of Theatre 201 should interact with other courses in Core/Gen Ed as well as your major. This course will allow you to engage in Socio cultural Analysis and in consciously considering Diversity and International aspects of world theatre. You will also have the opportunity to strengthen your basic competency in verbal expression, in critical thinking and in spatial and quantitative thinking. Instructional Objectives: Students will: gain a better understanding of the integrated arts of theatre in cultures worldwide and across time. be able to describe the religious, social, economic, political and aesthetic conditions that give rise to the dominant theatre in the cultures studied and the alternative or poor theatres that arise in response to dominant practices be able to describe the ways in which specific conditions give rise to particular theatrical practices, messages, and theories; and how the mandates and manifestos of one time/place conflict with and relate to subsequent theatrical developments be able to critique a wide range of performances using Aristotle's elements of drama

2 be able to critique theatre products and practices in terms of aesthetics as well as socio political markers such as the inclusion/exclusion of producers and audience based on sex/gender, race/ethnicity, religion, class, dis/ability, etc. be able to discuss and reflect upon your own subject position in producing and consuming cultural products and the norms that you have assumed in approaching performance. All students will be guided to track and reflect upon their own responses to a great variety of performance media and settings. Learning Outcomes [Note: all SCA courses should engage students in outcome 5 and any three of the other outcomes.] Core Learning Outcomes After completing an SCA course students will: 1. have knowledge of one or more socio cultural systems over time or across the world; Department/Program Learning Outcomes After completing an SCA course students will: -- gain a better understanding of the integrated arts of theatre in cultures worldwide and across time. -- be able to describe the religious, social, economic, political and aesthetic conditions that give rise to the dominant theatre in the cultures studied in contrast to the alternative or poor theatres that arise in response to dominant practices -- be able to describe the ways in which specific conditions give rise to particular theatrical practices, messages, and theories; and how the mandates and Student demonstration of learning Students will read, watch and discuss in class and through weekly writing their Questions, Insights, and Points of Dis/agreement with class material. Prompts are given such as: compare any changes in your reception of Chinese Opera from our first day clip of The Perfumed Handkerchief to seeing the rest of film after studying traditional Asian theatre and its context. Students also take 3 exams. Sample exam questions: 1. Like so many of the earliest recorded dramas, the erotic dialogue commemorating the courtship & marriage of the goddess Inanna and the shepherd Dumuzi refers also to: a. the marriage of the Theban King Oedipus and Queen Jocasta b. the triumph of the light over darkness c. the vegetative cycle of plowing, sowing seed, blossoming and harvesting d. the tempestuous love affair of the Rokujo Lady and Prince Genji

3 manifestos of one time/place conflict with and relate to subsequent theatrical developments 2. What change in the beliefs of ancient civilizations is commemorated by the story of Inanna s reluctant acceptance of courtship by Dumuzi? 10. In Hellenistic occupied Greece, productions became less focused on and more focused on. 2. employ one or more conceptual frameworks and understand one or more disciplinary methods that shed light on human behaviors in social contexts be able to describe the religious, social, economic, political and aesthetic conditions that give rise to the dominant theatre in the cultures studied and the alternative or poor theatres that arise in response to dominant practices -- be able to describe the ways in which specific conditions give rise to particular theatrical practices, messages, and theories; and how the mandates and manifestos of one time/place conflict with and relate to subsequent theatrical 11. What feature did the Greek performing spaces contain to accommodate their function as part of a religious festival? 37. Name one of the two conditions or reasons (presented in lecture) that gave rise to Greek Tragedy in Athens in the 5th century BCE. Our text opens with a discussion of historiography-- the theory and methodology of writing history. For some students, just the concept that history is not simply a collection of "facts" is news. By having them consider and commit to writing their Points of Dis/agreement with points in the past week's material, student are empowered to be historical actors and critics. In their weekly writing, students are prompted to view a cultural event/artifact/style from a particular culture under study and also some contemporary performance (live or mediated) from 2 different historiographic lenses. As seen above, exam questions also ask students to use sociological, historical, psychological, and other frameworks in addition to theatre to recognize and analyze. Sample exam questions: Cognitive dissonance explains what phenomenon in Oedipus Rex? (psych) In Much Ado About Nothing, Don John s seemingly unmotivated malice may be due in part to his function as a character carried

4 developments be able to critique theatre products and practices in terms of aesthetics as well as socio-political markers such as the inclusion/exclusion of producers and audience based on sex/gender, race/ethnicity, religion, class, dis/ability, etc. over medieval morality plays. studies psych/religion In the African-American video, Gospel at Colonnus, it is easier to see how Oedipus, by bearing the yoke of necessitas, comes to be considered the "most and the most of all men. cf cultural history/ancient Greek in re African-American religious/political "performance" Why are Asian (and African) traditional theatres called total theatre? How does this differ from most Anglo-American theatre of the late 20th century? The next 3 questions reflect the competition between historians from different periods and perspectives. 20. The [Feast of Fools or Feast of the Boy Bishop] was one occasion on which Church ritual and drama were openly parodied and the church hierarchy turned upside down. 21. [Mystery/cycle plays] were performed by members of craft guilds and organized by towns rather than the Church. 3. describe ethical issues and the effects of behaviors associated with --be able to critique theatre products and practices in terms of aesthetics as well as 22. Many theatre historians now believe that Roman popular entertainment was continued into the Dark Ages of the Medieval period by whom? Charles Darwin s theories led Naturalist playwrights (such as Emile Zola) to turn the theatre into a laboratory for examining the effects of & environment on working poor or criminal characters. soc/crim.upon prompting, students come to consciously see themselves as active consumers (as well as producers) of performance and to include this in the Insight section of their weekly writing. Even non-

5 relevant public and private roles students may experience (e.g., community member, family member, consumer, producer). socio-political markers such as the inclusion/exclusion of producers and audience based on sex/gender, race/ethnicity, religion, class, dis/ability, etc. -- be able theatre majors comment on the roles they play as traditional or nontraditional students, family members, workers, veterans, members of their ethnic/religious/cultural communities and as dis/abled. Theatre majors, who may start out wanting to get any role, report making more informed decisions about their stage roles and their choices for of plays for analysis and production. Sample essay questions: CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING ESSAYS: Use back of this sheet as necessary. A Raisin in the Sun was the first play by a Black woman dramatist to become a Broadway hit. To answer the following questions, discuss the content, style, and form of the drama (and film). 1) How is Raisin an exemplary African-American play? 2) How is Raisin an exemplary American play? Consider how the family members' struggles are universal but how some aspects are particular to Black Americans. How does the realist style of the play help and/or hinder the delivery of these messages. Answer all points and give specific examples for your points for full credit. OR Using what you have learned about how different regimes throughout theatre history have legitimized power by displaying their taste, power, and wealth, analyze an organization or institution in the contemporary world that uses design and/or performance elements to promote their message and encourage the masses to accept their leadership. HINT: Examples from the class would be: how Shogun moved Noh performers from outcasts to perfect and perform dramas to teach the Zen Buddhist ideals of the samurai class to the masses because the Shogun had taken over from godly Emperor by force of arms. Another example is the use of court masques by Charles I of England and Louis XIV of France to display nobility and to force nobles to become knowledgeable and skilled in these courtly

6 4. describe how conflicts in the world develop from differing interpretations of events over time or across cultures. -- be able to describe the religious, social, economic, political and aesthetic conditions that give rise to the dominant theatre in the cultures studied and the alternative or poor theatres that arise in response to dominant practices -- be able to de behaviors. In addition,, here are sample exam questions. Name two different reasons for 2 of the 3 iconic theatre riots in the 19th Century? Answers must take into account: [nationalism, yellow journalism, class issues -- for Astor Place; prices and class for the old Price riots; way of life, generational conflict, anti-bureaucratic art-- young Romantics vs established Academicians in Hernani riots.] 11. Underneath the humor and spectacle of melodrama and black-face minstrel shows, cautionary tales (or lessons from the school of hard knocks ) were embedded for the benefit of what kind of audience members? 12. In order to have a successful career, Ira Aldredge emigrated to Europe. Why was this move necessary? A: [He was a stellar 19th C performer but his African-American theatre was bullied off the stage by white rowdies.] Essay Questions: CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING ESSAYS: Use back of this sheet as necessary. A Raisin in the Sun was the first play by a Black woman dramatist to become a Broadway hit. To answer the following questions, discuss the content, style, and form of the drama (and film). 1) How is Raisin an exemplary African-American play? 2) How is Raisin an exemplary American play? Consider how the family members' struggles are universal but how some aspects are particular to Black Americans. How does the realist style of the play help and/or hinder the delivery of these messages. Answer all points and give specific examples for your points for full credit. OR

7 5. demonstrate skills of effective communication and analysis. In addition to all the "describe and analyze" outcomes listed under Course Description; here let me highlight: -- be able to critique a wide range of performances using Aristotle's elements of drama From Description: You will also have the opportunity to strengthen your basic competency in verbal expression, in critical thinking and in spatial and quantitative thinking. Using what you have learned about how different regimes throughout theatre history have legitimized power by displaying their taste, power, and wealth, analyze an organization or institution in the contemporary world that uses design and/or performance elements to promote their message and encourage the masses to accept their leadership. HINT: Examples from the class would be: how Shogun moved Noh performers from outcasts to perfect and perform dramas to teach the Zen Buddhist ideals of the samurai class to the masses because the Shogun had taken over from godly Emperor by force of arms. Another example is the use of court masques by Charles I of England and Louis XIV of France to display nobility and to force nobles to become knowledgeable and skilled in these courtly behaviors. As noted above, students read widely, write weekly, view and discuss in class, take 3 exams and either write a focused research paper OR plan, research, execute and share a creative project, such a set model, set of costume renderings, fully realized costume, theatre model, mask, puppet, write or translate a script and turn in an accompanying log and resource writeup. Every student must see a live performance and employ Aristotle's six elements of drama in their written critique. Research paper topics have included: comparisons between ancient Greek and Roman theatres, or between their handling of character and violence in tragedy, early lighting design, Ancient Greek or Roman or Noh masks, comparing epic tales to plays based on them, historical theatre buildings, Drama Therapy, careers in Theatre, 19th century theatre riots, 20th century playwrights, theatre for social change, aspects of African-American or Latina/o theatre, National Theatre for the Deaf, development & hallmarks of important musicals, etc Essay questions from the exam: Name at least one way in which the Greek Old Comedy of Aristophanes differed from the New

8 Comedy of Menander? If there are no full scripts by Menander extant, why is he of importance to theatre history? Diagram and discuss briefly the two parallel social hierarchies in the Middle Ages. (Hint: The pressures at the bottom of these hierarchies encouraged Carnivalesque and topsyturvy festivals once a year.) The CCC encourages departments to align their Core assessment work with their on going participation in degree program assessment through the Office of Academic Assessment s ASLP s (Assessment of Student Learning Plans). Recycling is encouraged in the form of avoiding duplication of effort and/or reporting. Departments may import information from their ASLP s to this blueprint, and vice versa.