Drama 203.3 History of Theatre from 600 B.C to 1850 History of theatre, dominantly in the Western tradition, from antiquity through to the Romantic revolt and the beginnings of realism. The evolution of theatrical production (acting, production, theatre architecture) will be emphasized, with assigned plays being examined largely within the context of the production and performance dynamics of their period. Moira Day Rm 187, John Mitchell 966-5193 (Off.) 653-4729 (Home) 1-780-466-8957 (emergency only) moira.day@usask.ca http://www.ualberta.ca/~normang/pika.html Office Hours Tues-Wed - 9:30-11:30 Instructor Booklist Brockett, Oscar. History of the Theatre 10th edition. Allyn and Bacon, 2008 Klaus, Gilbert, and Field. Stages of Drama 5th edition. St. Martin's Press, 1999. Theatre History Notes Package. Bookstore Mid-Term 10% Group Project 30% Seminar (25%) Bibliography (5%) Quizzes 10% Response Papers (3 x 5%) 15% Participation 5% Final Exam 30% Grades and Course Information - 100%
I will be in class five minutes ahead of time for consultation, and begin and end lectures on time. I will also return quizzes within TWO class periods after giving them, and return exams within TEN DAYS after giving them. Exams, quizzes and papers not picked up at that class time can be picked up during office hours. Class participation requires regular attendance. A student who misses for more than three unexcused absences a term will be docked 50% of the participation grade for that term. If you miss more than 1/3 of the classes in any term for any reason other than certifiable illness you will, at minimum, lose the full participation grade for that term. (Please review the Attendance Requirement in All Drama Courses.) Please phone or e-mail if you are unable to attend, preferably in advance of the absence. Attendance at student class seminars is compulsory because (1) these are graded "live" performances that can be negatively affected by poor audience and participation. For this reason, 1% OF YOUR OWN INDIVIDUAL GROUP GRADE WILL BE DOCKED FOR EVERY UNEXCUSED ABSENCE FROM A STUDENT SEMINAR. IF YOU ARE ACTUALLY IN THE SEMINAR, YOU WILL LOSE 25% OF YOUR GROUP GRADE FOR AN UNEXCUSED NO-SHOW. UNEXCUSED NO-SHOWS AT GROUP PROJECT WORK SESSIONS SCHEDULED DURING CLASS HOURS BY THE GROUP ITSELF WILL RESULT IN 5% BEING DEDUCTED FROM YOUR GROUP GRADE FOR EACH NO-SHOW. Students are expected to be punctual and to submit all class work on time. Any requests for an extension must be submitted one week in advance of the formal deadline. Unexcused late assignments, except in the case of certifiable illness or death in the family, will be heavily penalized (10% per day deducted). NO CLASS WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED BEYOND THE FINAL EXAM EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF AN OFFICIAL INCOMPLETE GRANTED BECAUSE OF ILLNESS OR DEATH IN THE FAMILY. Students who submit ALL their assignments, including quizzes and critiques, will receive a 1% bonus on their term mark. Students will also receive a 1/2% bonus mark on their term mark for every play reading attended. Students should be aware that there is a $3.00 photocopy fee per term to be paid to the instructor by the end of the September. If you find yourself in difficulties and are considering dropping the course late in the term, please come and talk to me first. If you decide to drop the course, please come and notify me so I can take your name off my record book. (Sept 17. Last day to withdraw without financial penalty. Nov 15 Last day to withdraw without academic penalty.) Instructors are NOT permitted to reschedule final exams at their own discretion. Please take heed of the final exam dates (December 5-22) and do not schedule other activities at that time. If there is a time conflict with my office hours, then feel free to make an appointment or leave me a number where I can reach you. I'd be delighted to help you with any immediate problem I feel is within my power to handle, and if I feel it isn't, I'll try to refer you to people or places that can help you with it. Welcome on board!
Schedule Sept 4 Introduction (live) -- The Classical Period 9 The Greeks and Greek Tragedy (9 th ed. 11-17 10 th ed 10-14) (live) 11 Library Orientation Murray 161 (live) -- 16 *Agamemnon (Aeschylus) (live) 18 Plato, Aristotle, Sophocles and Euripides (on-line) 23 *@The Trojan Women (Euripides) (live) 25 Greek Architecture, Scene Design and Costuming (9 th ed 19-32 40-42 10 th ed 16-29, 37-39) (on-line) 30 Greek Comedy (9 th ed 17-19 32-39, 42-43 10 th ed 14-16, 29-37, 39-40) *Lysistrata (Aristophanes) (live) Oct 2 The Romans ( 9 th ed. 43-65, 70-71. 10 th ed 40-62, 67-68) (on-line) 7 Group 1 Let the Games Begin! (live) 1 st response paper due The Rise of the European Theatre 9 The Medieval period( 9 th ed. 72-107, 10 th ed. 69-104) (on-line) 14 The Renaissance ( 9 th ed 157-184, 10 th ed. 154-178) (on-line) 16 Group 2 Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines! (live) 21 Group 3 Send in the Clowns!: The Commedia dell arte (live) 23 Sum up (in-class) 28 ***Mid Term Exam*** (in-class) 30 Elizabethans and Jacobeans (9 th ed.108-138 10 th ed 105-135) (on-line) Nov 4 *Dr. Faustus (Marlowe) (live) 6 Group 4 That d--nable Mr. Marlowe and that Plague of Players (9 th ed 108-114, 10 th ed. 105-112) (live) The Triumph of the Neo-classical Ideal 11 ***Remembrance Day**** 13 (Neo-classical France and *The Misanthrope (Moliere) (9 th ed 185-210,10 th ed 179-200). (live) 2 nd response paper due 18 Restoration &18th Century England (9 th ed 211-237,240-241 10 th ed 201-224,226-227) (on-line) 20 Group 5 Enter the actress! (live)! (9 th ed. 232-236, 10 th ed. 219-223) Revolt and Revolution Romanticism and early Realism 25 The Romantics (9 th ed 273-275, 282-285 293-313, 10 th ed. 261-263, 267-269,278-294) and 19 th Century England 9 th ed 281-282, 317-328,10 th 267, 279-280, 298-309 (online) 27 *@Hernani (Hugo) (live) Dec. 2 19th Century England Sum up (live) 3 rd response paper due * Denotes quiz @ script available on-line
Play Reading Schedule All play readings will take place in the seminar room (Rm 192) in the John Mitchell Building at 8:30 on Sunday evenings from September 14 - October 19, and at 9:30 from November 2 nd to 25. 1% bonus mark will be added to your term grade for every play reading attended. Tea, coffee, cookies and a limited number of mugs will be supplied. Friends are welcome. Sundays, 8:30 p.m. Sept 14 Agamemnon (Aeschylus) 21 The Trojan Women (Euripides) 28 Lysistrata (Aristophanes) Oct 19 Dr. Faustus (Marlowe) Nov 2 The Misanthrope (Molière) 23 Hernani (Hugo) Important Dates Quizzes Sept. 16 Agamemnon (Aeschylus) (Reading Sept 14) 23 The Trojan Women (Euripides) (Reading Sept 21) http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/10096 30 Lysistrata (Aristophanes) (Reading Sept 28) Nov 4 Dr. Faustus (Marlowe) (Reading Oct 19) 13 The Misanthrope (Moliere) (Reading Nov 2) 27 Hernani (Hugo) (handout) (Reading Nov 23) http://lit19.com/plays/hugo/hernani/
Important Dates Exams Oct 28 Mid-term Response Papers Oct 7 1 st response paper The Classical Period Nov 13 2 nd response paper The Birth of the European Theatre Dec 2 3 rd response paper The Triumph of the Neo-Classical Ideal Group Projects Group 1 Let the Games Begin! Oct 2 Group meeting with instructor. Initial bib due Oct 7 Seminar Oct 16 Bibliography and research materials due Oct 30 Wrap-up Interviews Group 2 Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines! Oct 9 Group meeting with instructor. Initial bib due Oct 16 Seminar Oct 23 Bibliography and research materials due Oct 30 Wrap-up Interviews Group 3 The Commedia dell Arte: Send in the Clowns! Oct 14 Group meeting with instructor. Initial bib due Oct 21 Seminar Nov 4 Bibliography and research materials due Nov 18 Wrap-up Interviews Group 4 That d--nable Mr. Marlowe and that Plague of Players Oct 30 Group meeting with instructor. Initial bib due Nov 6 Seminar Nov 13 Bibliography and research materials due Nov 18 Wrap-up Interviews Group 5 Enter the actress! Nov 13 Group meeting with instructor. Initial bib due Nov 20 Seminar Nov 27 Bibliography and research materials due Dec 2-4 Wrap-up Interviews
This year we will be teaching Drama 203.3 as a blended course. That is, half of the course will be taught by live instruction, half by electronic means. Live Sessions The live sessions will usually involve 1. a quiz of the playscript being studied and a class discussion of the text 2. group seminar presentations 3. summary lectures in preparation of exams and the exams themselves For these sessions, Dept. and course requirements for regular attendance apply as they would for any regular course. The live sessions on the schedule are: Sept Th 4 Introduction (live) The Classical Period Tu 9 The Greeks and Greek Tragedy (9 th ed. 11-17 10 th ed 10-14) (live) Th 11 Library Orientation Murray 161 (live) - Tu 16 *Agamemnon (Aeschylus) (live) - Tu 23 *@The Trojan Women (Euripides) (live) - Tu 30 Greek Comedy ((9 th ed 17-19 32-39, 42-43 10 th ed 14-16, 29-37, 39-40) *Lysistrata (Aristophanes) (live) Oct Tu 7 Group 1 Let the Games Begin! (live) 1 st response paper due The Rise of the European Theatre Th 16 Group 2 Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines! (live) Tu 21 Group 3 Send in the Clowns!: The Commedia dell arte (live) Th 23 Sum up (in-class) Tu 28 ***Mid Term Exam*** (in-class) Nov Tu 4 *Dr. Faustus (Marlowe) (live) Th 6 Group 4 That d--nable Mr. Marlowe and that Plague of Players (9 th ed 108-114, 10 th ed. 105-112) (live) The Triumph of the Neo-classical Ideal Th 13 Neo-classical France and *The Misanthrope (Moliere) (live0 (9 th ed 185-210,10 th ed 179-200). 2 nd response paper Th 20 Group 5 Enter the actress! (9 th ed. 232-236, 10 th ed. 219-223) (live) Revolt and Revolution Romanticism and early Realism Th 27 *@Hernani (Hugo) (live) Dec. 2 19th Century England Sum up (live) 3 rd response paper due
On-line Sessions The sections designated as on-line do not involve a formal meeting of the whole class, but the headings give an indication of where the student should be with their individual self-study as laid out in the electronic guidelines. While it is expected that students will continue to study, ask questions and seek help on-line between live-sessions, it is understood that the instructor will be available for personal or on-line advising during that 90-minute block, and that other forms of class activity may be conducted at that time. The days designated as on-line sessions will usually involve 1. individual on-line or personal tutoring on designated readings 2. study sessions for groups to work on their seminar presentations 3. meetings and interviews with the instructor involving seminar presentations Individual tutoring is left to the discretion of the student. However, for these sessions, regular attendance requirements apply for students who have a meeting scheduled with the instructor individually or a group - during these times. Compulsory attendance also applies to all participants involved in group seminar study sessions scheduled by students themselves during these times. (See regulations on p.2 for unexcused no-shows for participants of group project work) The on-line sessions on the schedule are: The Classical Period Sept 4-9 - Read Introduction to the Greeks (on-line) Read Brockett section on Greeks and Greek tragedy (9 th ed. 11-17 10 th ed 10-14) Read class Theatre History notes on the Greeks 9-16 Read introduction to Homer and Aeschylus (on-line) Review section on Aeschylus in Brockett (9 th ed. 15-16, 10 th ed. 13) Listen to audio clips from Iliad and Agamemnon on-line Read Agamemnon in Stages of Drama 16-18 Listen to audio recordings of Plato and Aristotle Review section on Plato and Aristotle in Theatre History notes Review section on Aristotle and Plato in Brockett (9 th ed 36-37. 10 th ed 33-34) Th 18 Plato and Aristotle (on-line or personal tutorial) - 18-23 Read introduction to Sophocles and Euripides (on-line) Read sections on Sophocles and Euripides in Brockett (9 th ed16-17,10 th ed.13-14) - 23-25 Read sections on Greek architecture, design and costuming in Brockett (9 th ed 19-32 10 th ed 16-29) Read sections on Greek in Theatre History notes View slide show on Greek on-line Th 25 Greek Architecture, Scene Design, Costuming (on-line or personal tutorial) -
25-30 Read sections on Greek comedy in Brockett (9 th ed 17-19 32-39, 42-43 10 th ed 14-16, 29-37, 39-40) Read introduction to Aristophanes (on-line) Read Lysistrata Review Greek unit end and self-study questions 30- Oct 2 Read sections on the Romans in Brockett ( 9 th ed. 43-65, 70-71. 10 th ed 40-62, 67-68) Read sections on the Romans in Theatre History class notes Read Introduction to the Romans (on-line) Oct Th 2 The Romans (on-line or personal tutoring) Group 1 meeting with instructor. Initial bib due - 2-7 Listen to audio recording of Horace Review Brockett section on Roman Drama (9 th 47-52, 10 th ed 43-47) Read introduction to Menander, Plautus and Terence (on-line) Listen to audio-recording of Plautus play (on-line) View slide show on Roman architecture, design and costuming (on-line) Review Roman unit end and self-study questions The Rise of the European Theatre 7-9 Read sections on the Medieval Theatre in Brockett (9 th ed72-107,10 th ed.69-104) Read sections on the Medieval Theatre in Theatre History class notes Read Introduction to the Medieval Theatre (on-line) Th 9 The Medieval period (on-line or personal tutoring) Group 2 meeting with instructor. Initial bib due 9-11 Listen to audio recording of Medieval critics Review sections in Brockett on Medieval drama (9 th ed 76-79, 83-84,95-104 10 th ed 73-76, 80-81 92-101) Read introduction to Hrosvitha and Hildegard (on-line) Listen to audio-recordings of plays of Hrosvitha and Hildegard (om-line) Review Brockett sections on Medieval staging (9 th ed 79-80, 82-83, 84-95, 10 th ed.76-77, 79-80, 81-92) View slide show on Medieval architecture, design and costuming (on-line) Review Medieval unit end and self-study questions 11-14 Read sections on the Renaissance Theatre in Brockett ( 9 th ed 157-184, 10 th ed. 154-178) Read sections on the Renaissance Theatre in Theatre History class notes Read Introduction to the Renaissance Theatre (on-line) Tu 14 The Renaissance (on-line or personal tutorial) Group 3 meeting with instructor. Initial bib due 14-16 Review sections in Brockett on scene design, architecture and costuming (9 th ed. 164-177,10 th ed 160-172) View slide show on Renaissance architecture, design and costuming (on-line) 16-21 Review Brockett sections on Commedia dell Arte (9 th 177-182,10 th ed. 172-176) Review Brockett sections on Renaissance drama and criticism (9 th ed. 158-163 10 th ed. 154-159) Listen to audio recording of Renaissance critics Read introduction to Machiavelli (on-line) Listen to audio-recording of play of by Machiavelli (on-line) Review Renaissance unit end and self-study questions
21-28 Review Greek, Roman, Medieval and Renaissance material for mid-term 28-30 Read sections on the Elizabethan Theatre in Brockett 9 th ed.108-138 10 th ed 105-135) Read sections on the Elizabethan Theatre in Theatre History class notes Read Introduction to the Elizabethan Theatre (on-line) Th 30 Elizabethans and Jacobeans (O.B.153-185 (on-line or personal tutorial) Group 4 meeting with instructor. Initial bib due Interviews with Groups 1 and 2 30-Nov 4 Review sections in Brockett on playwrights (9 th ed 108-114, 10 th ed. 105-112) Listen to audio recording of Elizabethan critics Read introduction to Marlowe (on-line) Listen to audio-recording of scene from Dr. Faustus (on-line) Read Dr. Faustus Nov 4-6 Review Brockett section on architecture, design, costuming (9 th ed. 114-138 10 th ed.112-135) View slide show on Elizabethan architecture, design and costuming (on-line) Review Elizabethan unit end and self-study questions The Triumph of the Neo-classical Ideal Nov 6-8 Read sections on the French Baroque Theatre in Brockett live0 (9 th ed 185-210,10 th ed 179-200). Read sections on the French Baroque Theatre in Theatre History class notes Read Introduction to the French Baroque Theatre (on-line) 9-13 Review sections in Brockett on playwrights and critics (9 th ed 190-192, 200-203, 10 th ed 183-186, 192-194) Listen to audio recording of French Baroque critics Read introduction to Molière (on-line) Listen to audio-recording of scene from The Misanthrope (on-line) Read The Misanthrope Review French Baroque unit end and self-study questions 13 Group 5 meeting with instructor. Initial bib due 13-15 Read sections on Restoration Theatre in Brockett 9 th ed 211-221, 10 th ed 201-211 Read sections on Restoration Theatre in Theatre History class notes Read Introduction to Restoration Theatre (on-line) 15-18 Read sections on 18 th Century Theatre in Brockett Read sections on 18 th Century Theatre in Theatre History class notes Read Introduction to 18th Theatre (on-line) Tu 18 Restoration &18th Century England (on-line or personal tutorial) Interviews with Groups 3 and 4 18-20 Review section on English Drama in Brockett (9 th ed 214-221,10 th ed 205-211) Listen to audio recording of Restoration critics (on-line) Read introduction to Behn (on-line) Listen to audio-recording of scene from The Rover (on-line) Review section in Brockett on Restoration and 18 th Century acting (9 th ed. 232-236, 10 th ed. 219-223) View slide show on Restoration architecture, design and costuming (on-line) Review Restoration unit end and self-study questions 20-22 Review section in Brockett on 18 th Century Drama (9 th ed 221-224,10 th ed 208-213) Listen to audio recording of 18 th Century critics (on-line) Read introduction to Sheridan (on-line) Listen to audio-recording of scene from School for Scandal (on-line)
Review sections in Brockett on 18 th Century staging (9 th ed 224-237, 10 th ed 213-224) View slide show on 18 th Century architecture, design and costuming (on-line) Review 18 th Century unit end and self-study question Revolt and Revolution Romanticism and early Realism 23-25 Read sections on Romanticism in Brockett (9 th ed 273-275, 282-285 293-313, 10 th ed. 261-263, 267-269,278-294) Read sections on Romanticism in Theatre History class notes Read Introduction to Romanticism (on-line) Tu 25 The Romantics (on-line or personal tutorial) 25-27 Review sections in Brockett on theory and French Drama (9 th ed 294-295, 304-307, 10 th ed 279-283, 286-287) Listen to audio recording of Romantic critics (on-line) Read introduction to Hugo (on-line) Listen to audio-recording of scene from Hernani (on-line) Review Romanticism unit end and self-study questions 27-29 Read sections on 19 th Century England in Brockett (9 th ed 317-328, 10 th ed 298-309) Read sections on 19 th Century in Theatre History class notes Read Introduction to 19 th Century (on-line) 30-De 2 Review section in Brockett on melodrama and English Drama (9 th ed 281-282, 319-321,10 th 267, 279-280, 300-302) Read introduction to Jerrold (on-line) Listen to audio-recording of scene from Black Ey d Susan (on-line) Review sections in Brockett on architecture, design and costuming (9 th ed 317-319,321-328, 10 th ed. 298-300, 302-309) View slide show on 19th Century architecture, design and costuming (on-line) Review 19 th Century unit end and self-study questions 2-4 Interviews with Group 5
Brockett Readings Section Titles The Classical Period The Greeks Theatre and Drama in Ancient Greece The Hellenistic Theatre Tragedy The Origin of Tragedy The City Dionysia in the Sixth Century Tragedy in the Fifth Century The Dramatic Festivals of the Fifth Century Play Selection and Financing Actors and Acting The Chorus Music and Dance Costumes and masks Theatre Architecture Auditorium and Audience Looking at Theatre History Comedy The Satyr Plays Greek Comedy in the Fifth Century Athenian Theatre After the Fifth Century The Hellenistic Theatre Dramatic Theory New Comedy Actors and Acting Costumes Theatre Architecture Greek Mimes The Roman Theatre Etruscan Antecedents The Roman Context Roman Festivals Drama Under Romans Other Entertainments Productions Arrangements Roman Architecture Other Structures For Entertainments Scenery Actors and Acting Masks and Costumes Music The Decline of the Theatre in Rome The Romans The Roman Theatre
The Rise of the European Theatre The Medieval Theatre - European Theatre in the Middle Ages The Theatre 500 to 900 C.E. The Liturgical Drama The Staging of Liturgical Drama Looking at Theatre History The Feast of Fools The Late Middle Ages Performances Outside the Church Vernacular Religious Drama Production Arrangements The Director Actors and Acting Costumes The Stages Scenery Special Effects and Machinery Music Audiences and Auditoriums Secular Dramatic Forms Farce The Morality Play Chambers of Rhetoric Interludes Tournaments, Mummings, and Disguisings Royal Entries and Street Pageants The End of Medieval Drama Looking at Theatre History Renaissance Drama Mannerism and the Beginnings of the Baroque The Neoclassical Ideal Intermezzi and Opera The Development of New Scenic Practices Development of Theatre Architecture Machinery and Special Effects Music and Dance The Festival Context Stage Lighting Commedia dell arte The Decline of Italy Looking at Theatre History The Renaissance - Italian Theatre to 1700 The Elizabethans and Jacobeans - English Theatre to 1642 Early Tudor Drama The University Wits Shakespeare and his Contemporaries Jacobean and Caroline Dramatists Government Regulation of the Theatre Acting Troupes The Public Theatres The Private Theatres Scenery, Properties, Special Effects, and Music Costumes Audiences The Stuart Court Masques Looking at Theatre History
The Triumph of the Neo-Classical Ideal Neo-classical France French Theatre to 1700 Theatre at Court and in Schools Prior to 1600 The Public Theatre in Paris Before 1595 The Public Theatre 1595-1629 The Triumph of the Neoclassical Ideal Acting Companies 1629-1660 The Public Theatres 1629-1660 Scenic Practices in the Public Theatres 1629-1660 The Triumph of the Italian Ideal in Scenery 1640-1660 The Naturalization of the Italian Ideal 1660-1700 French Drama 1660-1700 Acting Companies 1660-1700 The Organization of French Acting Companies Theatre Architecture and Scenic Practices 1660-1700 The Close of the Seventeenth Century Looking at Theatre History The Restoration Theatrical Activity 1642-1660 The Reestablishment of the Theatre Acting Companies 1600-1700 English 1660-1700 English Drama 1700-1750 Government Regulation of the Theatre The 18 th Century English Drama 1750-1800 The Playwright Financial Policies Theatre Architecture Scenic Practices Costume Practices Actors and Acting 1660-1800 Audiences and Performances Restoration and 18 th Century England English Theatre to 1800
Revolt and Revolution Romanticism and Early Realism The Romantics Continental European Theatre in the Early Nineteenth Century Theoretical Foundations of Romanticism Romantic Drama in Germany Postromantic German Language Drama Theatrical Conditions on German-Language Theatres The French Theatre 1879-1815 French Drama to the 1850s Theatrical Conditions in France to the 1850s Directing and Acting in France to the 1850s Scenery, Costume and Lighting in France to the 1850s England 19 th Century England English-Language Theatre in the Early Nineteenth Century Trends in English Theatre 1800-1843 English Drama to the 1850s English Theatrical Conditions 1800-1843 British Theatre to 1990 Macready and Vestris
Group Projects October 7 Group 1 Let the Games Begin! Plautus, Terence, and Seneca, the most noted playwrights of the Roman era, were products of a Roman Republic (509-27 B.C.E.) and Augustan Age 27. B.C.E. 14 C.E.) that consciously tried to emulate the best features of Greek culture and learning in its own writing and criticism. Significantly, Seneca, the last extant Roman playwright writing out of the Greek models, did not survive the transition from the Augustan Age to the Imperial Age. The cultural, social, political and economic imperatives of the Empire (14 476 C.E.) demanded a very different theatre for a very different age. In the place of Greek decorum and formalism, the Coliseum was to offer its audience spectacle and realism on an unprecedented scale in the Western tradition. Discuss the rise and decline of the Roman games as an indicator and symbol of the rise and decline of the Roman Empire. October 16 Group 2 Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines! The building of permanent indoor theatres to house commercial, school or court audiences art gave the designer an unprecedented importance in the theatre of the 16 th and 17 th centuries. Figures such as Serlio (1475-1554), Sabbatini (1574-1654) and Torelli (1608-1678) on the continent and Inigo Jones (1573-1652) in England were valued as theatrical magicians who could combine the most recent discoveries in classical scholarship, with modern advances in art, sculpture and painting, dyes and textiles, science, architecture and engineering to effect a far-reaching technical Revolution in the theatre that was to remain unsurpassed until the Industrial Revolution. To the extent that an increasing emphasis on spectacle and pageantry became part of the social, political and cultural warfare waged between the emerging nation states of Europe during the late Renaissance-Baroque era, one could argue that the designer also had unprecedented power in the affairs of State as well. Discuss the Renaissance/Baroque designer as both technical and political wizard. October 21 Group 3 The Commedia dell Arte: Send in the Clowns! While the Renaissance saw the rebirth, especially in the Courts and Universities, of secular playwriting based on Greek and Roman models of comedy, tragedy, design and criticism, the most popular drama of its kind was much more performance than textual in nature and rooted in rougher, cruder, more physical forms of theatre from the classical tradition. The Commedia dell Arte not only set the model for the kind of small, versatile professional acting company that was to survive into the 19 th Century and tour all over the continent, but an enduring acting style that was to continue into the 21 st century. Its characters and plots were also to become an important part of the more enduring continental drama of the Baroque and 19 th Century. Yet, Church, Court, State and civic authorities alike often had a deeply ambivalent if not openly hostile attitude towards the Commedia that contributed to keeping most troupes on the move even when they found official favor or patronage for a time. Discuss both the reasons for the Commedia s enormous popularity and influence on the Western tradition, and the reasons for its marginalization and eventual decline in the mainstream theatrical tradition. November 6 Group 5 That D--nable Mr. Marlowe and the Plague of Players It has sometimes been suggested that Dr. Faustus, of all Marlowe s plays, has continued to be studied and produced since its first appearance, at least in part because it caught so sharply the tension of the age between an older Medieval metaphysical and moral order at once reassuring and stifling in its unchanging, ascetic hierarchical nature - and the rising tides of a Renaissance/Baroque materialism and humanism whose promise of unrestricted human liberation and ennoblement often led the human being into an abyss of chaos, amorality and debauchery instead. It was a tension that not only profoundly shaped Marlowe s own short, controversial life, but the ongoing battle between the Puritans and the Playmakers in Elizabethan and Jacobean England. Discuss the play, in script and performance, as both symptom and
symbol of a larger moral, cultural, and political battle between the forces of art and authority that was already underway by 1589 and continued until the closing of the theatres in 1642. November 20 Group 6 Enter the actress! While there had been a long tradition of professional actresses performing in sexually mixed companies on the Continent from at least the 1500s, it was not until 1660 that women characters on the English stage were for the first time portrayed by - women. While her introduction to the English stage was symptomatic of an immediate cultural, political and sexual revolution sweeping away the last traces of the Puritan regime, the actress had a profound effect on the English tradition of acting, staging and playwriting from the Restoration on. While many of the early actresses saw acting as simply another form of sexual commerce that could help them buy power and influence in a male-dominated world, many increasingly not only survived but prevailed as working women in a demanding public profession long before it was socially acceptable for most of their gender to do so. Discuss in reference to the lives and careers of at least two actresses of the Restoration period and that of Sarah Siddons (1755-1831)
Outlines for Group Projects Objectives The purpose of this project is to help students apply the general knowledge of theatre history they have acquired in the lectures and readings to a more focused in-depth study of one aspect of theatre history. This project will involve (I) A group presentation of the group s research into the subject. Each speaker will talk 10-15 minutes on an area of the topic they have individually researched. (II) A practical application and demonstration and demonstration of that research. This should occupy 5-10 minutes of the period. It can involve (1) a live reading or staging of a scene or part of a scene or (2) the use of audio or visual materials to demonstrate elements of the lecture or (3) any combination of the same. It can be placed at the start or the end of the seminar or dispersed throughout it. (III) An annotated bibliography of the research sources consulted in the project This should include all primary and secondary sources in terms of plays, books, articles, websites, audio-visual materials consulted in the researching the topic organized into proper MLA format. By doing this exercise you will: (1) deepen your own knowledge of an important aspect of theatre history by finding and accessing a wide variety of library, archival and electronic sources on the subject (2) sharpen your ability to recognize, analyse and understand the relationship between theatre and the larger technical, social, political, economic and cultural forces shaping and being shaped by it (3) sharpen your ability to communicate that knowledge to others by: - working effectively with others within the context of a research/production team to divide up the topic, share information as you find it, then organize and present it effectively in an oral situation - effectively sharing your research and insights with your fellow students in an interesting, engaging fashion that both teaches them about the subject and intrigues them to want to know even more about it.
- creating an annotated bibliography on the subject so that others can pursue the topic further on their own Sample schedule Time Frame 3 weeks Establish overall schedule. Exchange phone numbers and e-addresses. General areas of research for group members established 2 weeks Research your individual areas. Keep track of overall research. Adjust people s assignments or areas of research as needed. If you have any questions or concerns be sure to raise them with the instructor. She is more than willing to give you help or guidance with the topic. 1 week Group meeting with the instructor. Everyone should be present, and you should be able to outline for me how the whole presentation is going to work and what sources you are using to research it. A preliminary bibliography (worth 2% of the seminar mark) should be submitted to me to check over for completeness and stylistic accuracy. This is the time to voice any needs or concerns you have going into the home stretch, double-check with me that my lecture materials won t overlap with yours, and that you re aware of all the materials at your disposal. This is also the time to tell me about any a-v needs you may have Seminar Preliminary bibliography returned 1 week All seminar and research materials should be submitted. Finished version of bibliography should be submitted. 2 week Written group critique with letter grade. Oral interview with every group member for wrap-up and assessment. Research materials returned Selection of Students Students will work in groups of four or five (six maximum) While students will be allowed to choose their own group, it is suggested that they try to strike a balance between production and academically-oriented members in their group, since skills in both areas will be needed. It is also wise to try to co-ordinate schedules with other group members well in advance.
Evaluation Teamwork marks are usually distributed evenly to each member of the group according to the effectiveness and quality of the entire project. However, some consideration will be given to individual contribution as judged by the quality of research notes, individual section of bibliography, regular attendance at group meetings as documented by other members and the interview Group Presentation 25% All students are expected to contribute and take part in the group seminar. 50% of the grade will be assigned to content (accuracy, depth and comprehensiveness of material presented) and 40% to presentation (effective organization and structuring of the material, pacing of the presentation, and clarity, variety and expressiveness of delivery). 10% will be assigned to how well the practical synthesizes and illustrates the research covered in the seminar. Bibliography 5% It is expected that students will ordinarily be responsible for handling a particular area of research in the bibliography, though there may be some overlap with other students bibliographies if sources have been shared. Students will ordinarily be graded individually on their bibliographies, though it is possible to have the entire project bibliography graded as a group mark, if requested by the whole group. Content 60%: 30% will be assigned to quality of the annotations, 30% to the overall content (thoroughness, variety and comprehensiveness of the research. Bibliographies based solely on websites or containing less than five books and seven separate items will not be accepted, and Style and format 40% In this context, correctness and consistency of style and format are very important. Please consult: Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers 6 th New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2003. Edition. Significant irregularities or inconsistencies in style and format will be heavily penalized. Guidelines For Seminars 1. Practice reading your material OUT LOUD (preferably before a sympathetic audience) and projecting from the diaphragm. Nerves often cause us to
"speed up" or become a bit "breathy" and familiarity with your material will help you to be a more relaxed, confident speaker capable of making effective eye contact with your audience. Also time your talk before you give it. Inexperienced presenters are often surprised either at how much time is left over at the end of their material - or more commonly - how much material is left at the end of their time. 2. Time your talk both individually and as a group as spoken out loud before you give it. Inexperienced presenters are often surprised either at how much time is left over at the end of their material or, more commonly how much material is left at the end of their time. Avoid putting your team members on the spot by giving them too much time to fill or not enough time to present their own material. 3. Organize well, making your key points or thesis clear early on in the talk, and don't be afraid to highlight or reinforce them as you go on. A "live" audience often has to be "cued" more clearly and more often as to where the presentation is going, than a reading audience. A reader can return to puzzle out obscure or difficult passages he/she missed on the first read-through, or was too hurried to absorb properly; a "live" audience has to "get it" the first time or it's gone. 4. Return to your key points or thesis right at the end of the talk, and restate the main points or issues you want your audience to remember. If you ve done a good job, you ve probably covered a lot of material. Help your listeners prioritize the information before they go. Stop and remind your audience again of the main things they should remember, and why they are worthy of extra thought or consideration. 5. Humor is fine, but avoid flippancy; if you don't appear to take your subject and yourself seriously and with some enthusiasm, your audience won't take it and you seriously either. At the same time, be careful of being overly dry and emotionally "distanced" from your material. What registers as a desirable state of "objectivity" in the written medium can register on a live audience as disinterest, flatness or lack of engagement with them and/or your subject. 6. Review all your notes before you go in to the presentation and have them close at hand when you go in. If people get interested in what you've said in the talk they will probably want to ask larger, more general questions about the subject or ask you to elaborate on specifics or details. Also, let people know if questions are welcome during the talk, or if you would prefer them to wait until afterwards. 7. The same plethora of facts, figures, statistics, dates and names that may delight a reader, may leave a listener numb and reeling. These are often better included in the handout for quick reference, or chalked up on the board. 8. Be considerate of your fellow-presenters and remember to function as a team. Schedule as much and as far as you can in advance, and be careful to honour your commitments and deadlines especially when you are down to the one-week mark. Share research materials with others in your group and give tips to where they can find things
relevant to their work if not your own. Brainstorm and communicate with each other regularly. 9. Review and be familiar with each other's material so you can eliminate unnecessary repetition of information and draw larger connections and links between each other's individual research sections. Listen attentively while your fellow-presenters are talking and be considerate of time limits. 10 Acquaint yourself with all the other group topics and be aware of how your own project fits into the big picture. If you are not sure of what your focus should be, or how to avoid needless repetition of research material that you could potentially see being covered by the lecturer or by other groups, seek guidance from the instructor. The topics are designed to build on and complement each other: not duplicate, conflict or compete with the other For Bibliographies The Classical Period I The Romans Due October 16 The Birth of the European Theatre II The Designer Due October 23 III The Commedia Due November 4 IV Marlowe Due November 13 The Triumph of the Neo-Classical Ideal V The Actress Due November 27 The assignment will consist of as complete a listing as possible of all the resources in the library system available to students and consulted by the group in each of the areas under examination. Each bibliography will: 1. Include a brief 1-2 sentence summary of each item and review of its potential worth and interest to a scholar in the area 2. Be organized into the following categories. Depending on your topic, some may be much less applicable than others, but all should be considered at the outset.
I Area of Specialty A. General Reference B. Dramatic Literature and Criticism 1. Playwrights (a) Individual Theatre Artists Name (alphabetical order by surname) (b) Playwrights - General 2. Critics (a) Individual Theatre Artists Name (alphabetical order by surname) (b) Critics - General C. Staging and Production (a) Individual Theatre Artists Name (alphabetical order by surname) (b) Actors and Acting - General 1. Actors and Acting 2. Stage Architecture and Scene Design (a) Individual Theatre Artists Name (alphabetical order by surname) (b) Stage Architecture and Scene Design - General 3. Costuming and Make-up (a) Individual Theatre Artists Name (alphabetical order by surname) (b) Costuming and Make-up - General
3. Be organized internally in each category (as appropriate to the material available in each). (a) Individual Theatre Artists Name Primary Plays Other (Autobiographies, memoirs, critical writing) Secondary Books Periodicals (Scholarly articles published since 1997) Non-Print Sources (Film, video, sound recordings, Taped speeches, interviews, TV programs, paintings, sculptures, photographs, sketches, designs, exhibitions) Electronic Sources: (on-line journals, articles or books, publications on CD-ROM or diskette, information database, professional site.) (b) (Subject area) - General Books Periodicals (Scholarly articles published since 1997) Non-Print Sources (Film, video, sound recordings, Taped speeches, interviews, TV programs, paintings, sculptures, photographs, sketches, designs, exhibitions) Electronic Sources: (on-line journals, articles or books, publications on CD-ROM or diskette, information database, professional site.) 4. Will list the items alphabetically within each section according to the last name of the author or editor of the work. (Comparative studies of several writers may be cross-indexed and listed more than once). 5. Include (1) full bibliographic information in the correct format and order for each entry according to The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6 th Edition), (2) the call number of the item as given in the library catalogue, and (3) its location if it is situated outside of the open stacks of the main library.
6. Will be neatly typed on 8 x10 paper, one side, in clear legible print, with all the names of the group members included on the title page. The first page should also include the title of the research area and name of the participant. Examples A General Reference This refers to comprehensive works dealing with the larger historic, cultural or literary survey of the period under examination, or of the theatre of an entire period. It can also refer to larger microfilm or microfiche collections of original documents from a given century or period that may concentrate on or contain significant theatrical or dramatic materials or records. It can also refer to scholarly journals or indices devoted to the study of the period. Example: A. General Reference Brockett, Oscar. History of the Theatre 9th edition. Allyn and Bacon, 2003. PR 2980.B56 2003. B. Dramatic Literature and Criticism 1. Playwrights This refers to dramatic work (Plays) written by specific playwrights for both the live stage and a reading audience. It can also refer to letters, articles, diaries, journals, memoirs or technical manuals written by the playwright that have a dramatic or theatrical focus. (Other) Some periods may have a high number of playwrights who can be categorized individually. Others (i.e.: Medieval period) may have a high proportion of anonymous texts and the number of individual listings may be small in comparison to the general section. Secondary usually refers to works written by other writers about specific playwrights, their lives and their work. This includes biographies and literary or critical studies. The General section might cover works on the subject of plays and playwriting in the period which do not deal specifically or at great length with any one figure. They may be thematic works that incorporate a range of writers and plays to make a larger point, some of whom may be relatively minor writers who do not have full-length studies written on them, and don t merit a separate listing. Example:
Kyd, Thomas Primary Plays Kyd, Thomas. The Complete Works of Thomas Kyd. London: Methuen P, 1989. PN 1655.M72 1989. SP. COLL.. The Spanish Tragedy. London: Methuen, 2001 PN 8970.M76 2001. Other Calph, Jonathan. Ed. The Letters of Kit Marlowe. New York: Salverson P, 1967. PR 2008.C72. 1967. EDUC Kyd, Thomas. Memoirs of a Misspent Youth. 1600. London: Rapid Fire P, 1930 PR 2890.K89 1930. Secondary Books Azel, Ralph. The Genius of Thomas Kyd and Kit Marlowe. New York: Salverson, 2001. PR 2890.A89 2001 Bottswain, Jessica. Christopher Marlowe: Man and Legend. New York: Allyn and Bacon, 1999. PR 2890.B80 1999. Periodicals Mazelmatosky, Bruce. The Sere Leaf : Death and Immortality in Kyd s The Spanish Tragedy. English Renaissance Studies 78 (1998): 77-90. PR 2890.M80 1998. Non-Print Sources The Spanish Tragedy. Dir. Trevor Nunn. Perf. Christopher Plummer, Maggie Smith and Kate Winslett. Miramax, 1994. PN 8970.A56 1994. EDUC Electronic Sources Calabrese, Jason. The Murderous Dynamics of Revenge in Kyd and Marlowe. Tudor and Elizabethan Theatre Studies 9.1 (1997). 22 June 1999 http://web.english.ufl.edu/english/tet/clax.html.
. Playwrights General Books Stone, Patrick. The Early Wits of the Elizabethan Stage. London: Salverson P., 1990. PN 8970.S67 1990. 2. Critics This refers to works written by or about specific critics, reviewers and commentators of the period, specifically on the drama and theatre of their time. As in the case of the playwriting category, there may be a high number of individual entries proportionate to the general category, especially in later ages. There may be much less need for a separate Play category here, though some critics did occasionally experiment with writing drama as well. The general category may again cover thematic studies that incorporate a variety of works and figures from the period, some of whom may not merit a separate entry. Example: Aristotle Primary: Aristotle. The Complete Works of Aristotle: The Revised Oxford Translation. Ed. Jonathan Barnes. 2 vols. Princton: Princton UP, 1984. BX 8970.A56 1984.. Aristotle on Theatre: Selections. Ed. Fred Barranger. Toronto: Schola P, 1886. BX 8970.A56 1986.. Secondary: C. Staging and Production: Bell, Tony, ed. Essays on Aristotle s Aesthetics. Montreal: Delphi Inc., 1976. BX 8970.B90 1976. 1. Actors and Acting This refers to works written by or about specific actors of the period, their lives and their work. In great periods of Acting the individual categories may be quite large; in other periods, there may be few in comparison to the general section. The primary
category may include plays, autobiographies, and memoirs. Secondary works may include biographies and scholarly studies written by others. Comparative studies may be cross-indexed and listed more than once. A general category on Acting may include general works on methodology, practice and theory. (a) Individual Theatre Artists Garrick, David Primary Garrick, David. Memoirs of a Life in the Theatre. 1760. London: Routledge, 1999. PN 8970.G67 1999.. The Craft of Acting. 1777. London: Routledge, 1967. PN 8970.G67 1967. Secondary Jacobi, Gwen, and Sebastian James. The Giants: Garrick and Siddons. Saskatoon: U of Saskatchewan P, 1987. PN 8970.J67 1987. (b) Acting General Books Sanderson, George. Actors and Acting in the 18 th Century. Regina: U of Regina P, 1996. PN 8970.S67 1996. 2. Stage Architecture and Scene Design These refer to works written by or about theatre architects and designers, and their work. Again, the number of individual entries may vary according to the age, but there are apt to be much fewer individual as opposed to general entries, and there may be a larger number of entries in the non-print and electronic categories. Example: (b) Stage Architecture and Scene Design General Books Gilman, Sander, et al. The Triumph of the Proscenium Arch. London: Longman, 1985. PN 8970.G78 1985.
3. Costuming and Make-up These refer to works written by or about costume designers, and their work. Again, the number of individual entries may vary according to the age, but there are apt to be much fewer individual as opposed to general entries, and there may once more be a larger number of entries in the non-print and electronic categories. Mask is apt to be much more important in the earlier than the later periods. Example: (b) Costuming and Make-up General Books Dean, Eric J, Martin H. Goldfarb, and Janet Marvel. Five Hundred Years of Mask in the Theatre. Toronto: U of Toronto P, 1987. PR 8970.D67 1970.
Response Papers The response paper should serve as a considered response to the assigned historical readings in both the handouts and the Brockett text. It is meant to clarify and focus your own thinking about the material you have read help initiate class discussion give the instructor feedback on areas of information you would like to know more about or feel require further explanation and clarification before you are ready to be examined on them and give the instructor feedback on what issues and areas of information you would like to be tested on since you view them as key to understanding the period and the theatre that comes out of it. It should be about 600-800 words and 3 to 4 pages in length. It can expand on one point at length or deal with two or three smaller ones (much more than that and you may be spreading yourself too thin.) It should be submitted at the end of the class when it is due, and will be returned at the time of the next class. If you are unable to attend the class in person, please arrange for the response paper to appear even you can't. Things you may want to comment on: (1) how the readings illuminate or clarify for you certain historical, literary or social themes and concerns we have raised in class. (2) where you find interesting comparisons, contrasts or parallels between what you see in the readings and what you have discovered in your own area of study or experience. (3) something about the reading that particularly excited, intrigued, disturbed or puzzled you and you would like to share with others (4) something about the reading that raised more questions than it answered and you would like to discuss at greater length At its best, the response paper should read as an informal but thoughtful short essay that develops your insight, thesis, argument, query or quibble in a clear, articulate and concise fashion. Humor, and poetic or metaphoric personal touches are fine - it is a personal essay after all - but only as long as they support and advance the ideas you are trying to express and do not become a substitute for them. As with an exam or quiz, I will not be putting a high premium on formal style and mechanics, but I do expect the response paper to be clear, neat and legible, and will be paying close attention to how well you express, develop and argue your thoughts in writing as based on a close, reflective reading of the assigned material. NOTE: Response papers that simply duplicate the analysis of plays already covered by the quiz questions will be severely docked since you have already been given credit for that work in the quiz.