When I was fourteen years old, I was presented two options: I could go to school five

BIS: Theatre Arts, English, Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature When I was fourteen years old, I was presented two options: I could go to school five minutes or fifty miles away. My hometown s high school, New Prague High, was where all of my friends were going to school. The other option was a young charter school by the name of St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists. I had never considered walking away from the subsuburban community I was accustomed to until I learned that there was an opportunity for me to study in an area I didn t know there were specialized schools for. Theater had been my passion since childhood and the reality of pursuing it as a career was dangling in front of me. I made my decision and woke up every weekday at 5:30AM to commute through the dark to make it to school by 7:50 in St. Paul. Looking back at the decision six years later makes me smile. Back then I had wanted desperately to be an actor, but experience has left me wanting to do something less interpretive and more generative: playwriting. Writers have the power to not only communicate powerful stories, but they construct a potential for an environment that allows for shifts in perspective, both emotional and ideological. My program focuses on how to understand this responsibility and take advantage of it. Through working in Theatre Arts, Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature, and English, I can obtain a fully dimensional understanding of the three disciplines that come together to influence playwrights. Of course, Theatre Arts will help me engage with the ancient ritual of theater along with its traditions and demands as a form. Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature will cover the anthropological side of playwriting understanding human subjects and their many cultures will allow me a deeper comprehension of the rhetoric of everyday life as well as my social responsibilities as an artist. English will lend a hand in the mechanical side of writing, giving me critical knowledge in editing and critiquing my work from

a literary standpoint. Above all else, my goal for this program is to provide myself with a rigorous and diverse education that will give me tools to reach my greatest creative potential. Theatre Arts is an obvious choice as the first core for my playwriting curriculum. It is the main medium in which I ll be working and it has countless quirks that will greatly affect my writing. One example is that unlike writing for print or film, theater is presented in a live format with specific presentational demands all of the required design has to be repeatable as well as financially feasible to succeed in this context. A good playwright must understand these physical limitations that are rooted in the tradition of the form. Luckily, there are tons of specialists within this department that can reveal the importance of design, performance, and analysis in ways that I could never obtain from independent research. Not only will these specialists act as phenomenal instructors, but they will be important networking connections for the future of my career in the Twin Cities. Intermediate Playwriting (TH 4115) is another clear choice for my program as it will build upon the concepts I learned in Introduction to Playwriting (TH 3115). This course will provide a space for me to experiment with different approaches to creation. I ll be able to spend time working on refining my compositional technique through traditional three-act structures or unorthodox, frameless pieces. At the same time, I can play with genre and theme. I m particularly interested in social critique that s based in magic realism, but this class will encourage me to take a risk with a biographical play or a realistic political piece and this is only the tip of the iceberg. Having a course purely dedicated to my chosen craft will be extremely useful in that I will have a venue in which I can get feedback on my work, challenge myself, and get the opportunity to read the plays of my peers along with the plays of established, influential playwrights. Theatre Practicum (TH 3100) will change each time I enroll in the

course. It s based in experiential learning the one-credit class involves students working directly in Rarig s scene shop, lighting design lab, sound design lab, costume design lab, marketing office, or with the run crew of a show in the University s Theatre Arts and Dance season. Survey of Dramatic Literature II: Representation and its Effects (TH 4178W) is focused on studying the discourses surrounding theater. We ll read modern texts and classical texts with the intention of understanding how dramatists use their work as responses to the culture they live in. This is incredibly important to my development as a writer because it will give me important examples of artists in the past who have dug deeper into exploring cultural narratives, much like I wish to in my own work. My two History of the Theatre courses, Ancient Greece Through Neo- Classicism and Age of Enlightenment to Present (TH 3171 and 3172, respectively,) are similarly important in that they will give me a look inside the path theater has paved up until the present. It is imperative that I know where theater has been to know where theater may be going understanding how the form has shifted through the years will help me decide how I can continue to subvert the theatrical landscape and become an author of history along with my peers. Introduction to Stage Technology (TH 3571) features the input of professors and grad students in every facet of the design department at the University of Minnesota. Since I ll be working with these elements with every play I write, learning about their complexities, functions, and demands will be indispensable to my training as a theater artist. The primary language in which I ll be writing is English, so it s crucial for me to have a space in which I can improve my skills in the subject. This core of my program isn t limited to grammatical and formal understandings of the language. My course selection includes multiple classes focused on content generation throughout different formats, such as essay writing and writing for publication. Gaining expertise in these fields will inform my work as a playwright

and make me a versatile writer. I can be sure that I won t solely be writing plays during my lifetime, so it s important for me to possess skills that showcase my talents as a textual communicator. Textual Analysis: Methods (ENGL 3001W) is a class that every English student must take, but it will assist in making me a deeper reader. The wide variety of texts we encounter will test my analytical skills and provide me with a vocabulary that I can use from that point on to engage with literature. Shakespeare (ENGL 3007) will be focused on the most widely performed playwright in the world. Needless to say, his influence is undeniable and being in an arena in which I can dialogue with others about his work will be a useful exercise in thinking critically about the classics and solidifying their sturdy role in the theater canon. Introduction to Editing (ENGL 5711) involves looking closer at the drafting process and its undoubtable importance for writers. It will whip me into shape mechanically as a writer as well as sharpen my eye. If there is anything I need work most in, it is ensuring that I learn my patterns and grammatical mistakes in order to break my bad habits something any writer can benefit from. Screenwriting (ENGW 5205) is a class that studies composition for the silver screen which, for many working playwrights, is a crucial skill to being marketable in today s economy. Writers must be able to adapt to all different forms and writing for the screen simply has more paying jobs available than writing for the stage. Of course, screenwriting is a compelling discipline without its lucrative advantages. Film has always captured my attention in its ability to hone in on a type of visuality that the stage can never replicate. Writing for Publication (ENGW 5805) fulfills a similar purpose in my program. This course deals with writing in all different sorts of venues: magazines, journals, and everything that requires peer editing in order to reach publication. I will

absolutely have to deal with the writer-editor relationship in my chosen field, and the sooner I gain experience with the ins-and-outs of the challenging dynamic, the more prepared I will be. Finally, we reach the third core of my curriculum, Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature. This field of study focuses on the impact of texts we engage with every day, from film advertising to textbooks, and how they affect the values and fixations of our culture. While the first two cores focus on refining my voice as a theater practitioner and as a composer of the written word, this core emphasizes the social responsibility entailed by art making. As an artist, I must be aware of the ideology I hold and the countless others I m surrounded by. Every play I write, whether I like it or not, will display some element of culture. If I m to write socially conscious work that comments on issues of relevance to the public, I m indebted to audiences to make informed choices about what I choose to isolate on stage and how it is represented. By working in this school, I will gain a deeper knowledge of how media affect cultures, what I can do to be as culturally aware as I can, and how I can make it all work together to achieve the goal of presenting a worldview that is useful to others. On Television (CSCL 3177) is a class that I m currently taking this semester. We focus on discourses surrounding television and how they play a large role in defining the medium s influence on the United States. This class is helping me learn how to identify the numerous roles that come into play as culture is constructed (corporations, artists, makers of technology, etc.) and understand how this affects the seemingly neutral device. For many, watching television is a daily practice, and understanding the inner workings of activities that we don t second guess is a fantastic exercise for a writer. Introduction to Semiotics (CSCL 5555) centers on the study of signification. Everything that I write into a play will (hopefully) be reflected on stage, and everything that is within the audience s vision will signify something. If I can better comprehend

the depths of how humans interpret symbols, objects, and all visual material, my work as a writer will benefit greatly because I ll be able to develop a specific methodology around semiotical theory. Comedy, Text, and Theory (CSCL 3175) is a course that questions what we find funny. How is humor constructed? By evaluating source texts from different mediums along with their historical, social, and cultural contexts, I ll be able to pick apart humor on a theoretical level. Comedy is one of the most prevalent genres of theater and having a stronger grip on the ideas behind it would be incredibly handy. Topics in Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature (CSCL 5910) is another course that changes by semester. It is taught by a guest instructor on a subject of their expertise. Having the opportunity to partake in this class would be a huge advantage for me in that I would get the chance to study something specific and unique something that I may not get the chance to study again. Vision and Visuality: An Intellectual History (CSCL 5305) isn t as literal as semiotics concerning vision. This class, like On Television, studies discourses about the idea of vision and the power of sight. Theater is a hugely visual art form. Understanding how society frames the concept of vision will help me make more informed choices about how I use visual material as a playwright. These three cores come together to create a program that will serve me as a working playwright. It is a strong mixture of theory and practice that will force me to think outside the box and consider every option available. With this newfound knowledge, I can break out of my habits as a playwright and draw from new sources of inspiration. For instance, instead of sticking with work that necessitates a magical world in which anything can happen, I ll be more informed about the power structures that dictate the society we live in thanks to my Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature courses. This will allow me to expand my comfort zone and create theater that makes bold choices in a number of styles, rather than just my niche. The

interdisciplinary nature of my program will also influence future projects. I ll engage with authors I never would have discovered through my English core and gain a larger understanding of the many possibilities available to me as a writer, which will undeniably alter my process of theatermaking. I ve always wanted to figure out a way to seamlessly combine film and theater to create a truly balanced multimedia piece I can get one step closer to this through my Screenwriting course. The opportunities are limitless. While there is variety in the curriculum, it is all consistent in that it aims to prepare me for the multi-layered world of theater. As I said in the beginning of this proposal playwriting is a generative art form that entails a great deal of responsibility. My job will be to create worlds. By using anthropological, theatrical, and literary lenses to establish an environment on stage, my work as a playwright will have all of its bases covered. I will be able to create specific, intentional theater that considers itself, the audience, and the context in which it is performed in. Awareness gives way to understanding, and this will push my work a few steps closer to getting at something truly meaningful.

BIS/IDIM Program Course Worksheet Name: ID#: Total # of credits in proposed program: 54 Total # 3xxx-5xxx level credits in proposed program: 54 Total credits in program left to complete: 54 Title: Concentration One Theatre Arts Dept. Course Code Course Title Complete: Credits (Grade) Not Complete: Credits (Term) TH 4115 Intermediate Playwriting 3 TH 3100 Theatre Practicum 1 (each TH 4178W Survey of Dramatic Literature II: Representation and its Effects 3 TH 3171 History of the Theatre: Ancient Greece Through Neo-Classicism 3 TH 3172 History of the Theatre: Age of Enlightenment to Present 3 TH 3571 Introduction to Stage Technology 3 Title: TOTALS: 3xxx-5xxx level credits in Area: 16 Total Credits in Area: 16 Concentration Two English Dept. Course Code Course Title Complete: Credits (Grade) Not Complete: Credits (Term) ENGL 3001W Textual Analysis: Methods 4 ENGL 3007 Shakespeare 3 ENGL 5711 Introduction to Editing 4 ENGL 3027W The Essay 4 ENGW 5205 Screenwriting 4 ENGW 5805 Writing for Publication 3 Title: TOTALS: 3xxx-5xxx level credits in Area: 22 Total Credits in Area: 22 Concentration Three Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature Dept. Course Code Course Title Complete: Credits (Grade) Not Complete: Credits (Term) CSCL 3177 On Television 4 CSCL 5555 Introduction to Semiotics 3 CSCL 3175 Comedy, Text and Theory 3 CSCL 5910 Topics in Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature 3 CSCL 5305 Vision and Visuality: An Intellectual History 3 TOTALS: 3xxx-5xxx level credits in Area: 16 Total Credits in Area: 16