Eastern Oregon University > Theatre > Course Descriptions

Course Descriptions

THEA 110 Selected Topics  (1-6)

Topics of current interest/relevance to students and faculty.

THEA 111 Script Analysis (3)

Students will be introduced to the intellectual tools with which to critically and artistically examine a play script. Historical and contemporary methods of analysis will be studied and used as models from which to build a personal set of critical questions. Scripts and artists studied will encompass a variety of historical and cultural perspectives allowing a broad background from which to view theatre past and present.

THEA 112 Introduction to Theatre (3) *APC: Gen Ed Core-Artistic Process & Creation

Theatre as a collaborative, vital and multi-faceted art form that reflects and impacts culture and society will be explored. Through study of theatre practice and various dramatic texts from Ancient Greece to contemporary times, this course will examine how the written word is translated into action and images on stage. Emphasis is on theatre as a profound measure of social, political and religious climates through the ages.

THEA 150 Acting I (4) *APC Gen Ed Core-Artistic Process & Creation

A performance-oriented overview of the acting process, aimed at providing a basic understanding of the elements of acting including character development, the actor’s instrument, scene work and monologue work.

THEA 208 Effective Audition Techniques (2)

This course will train students how to prepare and participate in the most common audition situations.  Students will learn about “Cold Reading” auditions, “Prepared Monologue” auditions, “Cattle-Call auditions, and “Musical Theatre” auditions. They will also become familiar with procedures of a “Callback” and how to prepare for it.

THEA 210 Selected Topics (1-6)

Topics of current interest/relevance to students and faculty.

THEA 218 Movement I (3)

Movement for the performer emphasizing skeletal alignment and correct body placement. The physical, emotional and psychological motivations of movement will be explored. Students will practice fundamental principles, skills and vocabulary through a variety of the following techniques; jazz, modern, tap and ballet.

THEA 221 Topics in Dance (3)

The basics of dance as it pertains to the performance of Musical Theatre will be explored. The course may include, but not limited to, the fundamentals of modern, ballet, tap, and jazz genres of dance. Basic techniques of the various genres will be covered.

THEA 249 Musical Theatre Performance (3) *APC Gen Ed Core-Artistic Process & Creation

This course explores performance in musical theatre with an emphasis on ensemble and small group dynamics. Students will be given opportunities to create and express characters through musical pieces. Emphasis will be on developing the musical theatre character

THEA 250 Acting II (4) *APC Gen Ed Core-Artistic Process & Creation

A practical approach to acting technique as required by the demand of rehearsal. Students learn the vocabulary, discipline and analytical skills needed to prepare a role in a full-length play. In addition, a workshop in auditioning develops monologue and cold reading skills. Prerequisite: Acting 1 and consent of instructor.

THEA 255 Production and Performance (1-3)

Application of principles of acting and dramatic production. Credit available for students acting in or handling technical demands of scheduled performances. Number of credits depends upon level of involvement. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor

THEA 256 Stage Combat (3) *APC Gen Ed Core-Artistic Process & Creation

Introduction to hand to hand combat and sword work techniques used when staging combat sequences in live stage productions. Basics techniques of tumbling, open and closed hand to hand combat and basic sword fighting will be taught and practiced.

THEA 260 Theatre History (3) *AEH: Aesthetics and Humanities. Institutional grad requirement – UWR & DPD

The course is an introduction and covers the history of Theatre from Ancient Greece to the present day. Actors, playwrights, directors, designers and the plays are included. Period theatrical movements, styles and genres will be explored and analyzed. Emphasis on the plays from history will be used to understand their periods and meaning in the context of their time. Students will also see through the drama and the historical context the struggle of theatre and the artists who have created it through the ages those cultural, governmental and religious censorship, banning and suppressive moments that at times even outlawed the art of theatre

THEA 264 Stagecraft (4) *APC Gen Ed Core-Artistic Process & Creation

A backstage introduction to standard techniques and tools in mounting stage productions in scenery, lighting, construction, scene painting and properties. Included are 20 Lab hours based on the current terms’ season of shows.

THEA 266 Fundamentals of Costuming  (3) *APC Gen Ed Core-Artistic Process & Creation

Demonstration of the basic working components of the costume designer including sewing, dyeing, painting, hat-making and mask-making for the stage. Students will also practice basic construction techniques while building costumes for current productions.

THEA 267 Technical Theatre: Makeup (3) *APC Gen Ed Core-Artistic Process & Creation

Demonstration of and practice in the use of makeup for the stage – includes character, aging, hair, and three-dimensional technique.

THEA 274 Set and Lighting Design (5) *APC Gen Ed Core-Artistic Process & Creation

Theory and techniques of basic stage scene and lighting design for Theatre. The course includes research, conceptualization, drafting, sketching, rendering, models, light plots and presentation techniques connected to a set of play projects.

THEA 310 Selected Topics (1-6)

Topics of current interest/relevance to students and faculty. Prerequisites on occasion. Student must have at least sophomore standing to register for this course.

THEA 318 Movement II (3)

Movement II is designed to introduce the performer to building ensembles and creating motivated movement onstage. Continued exploration of the physical, emotional and psychological motivations of movement. A variety of the following techniques will be studied; jazz, modern, tap and ballet.

THEA 319 Projects in Theatre (1-3)

Opportunities for participation in special interest areas of theatre such as readers theatre, theatre sports, or mime. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Student must have at least sophomore standing to register for this course.

THEA 221 Advance Topics in Dance (3)

Advance techniques and elements of dance as it pertains to the performance of Musical Theatre will be explored. The course may include, but not limited to, advance modern, ballet, tap, and jazz genres of dance.

THEA 330 Stage Management (3)

An introduction to the role of the stage manager in professional and most amateur theatre. Responsibilities of the stage manager in pre-production, rehearsal, performance and post-production situations will be discussed. The indispensability of the well-trained stage manager will be emphasized. Student must have at least sophomore standing to register for this course.

THEA 344 Costume Design (4)*APC Gen Ed Core-Artistic Process & Creation

This course introduces the student to drawing the figure, analyzing plays, researching various time periods and designing costumes for the stage. Emphasis on proportions, watercoloring techniques and period-accurate portrayal of a character. It is a creative, hands-on class for any level of artist.

THEA 345 Advanced Costume Design (4)

Continued exploration of costume design, research, play analysis and rendering. This course introduces the student to budgets and costume plots. Emphasis will be placed on portfolio development, expressive portrayal of character, and obscure time periods and locations. Brief introduction to digital rendering techniques.

THEA 346 Fashion as Costume (3)

Exploring the similar, yet different, mediums of fashion and costume design. This class will cover various fashion and costume designers, design processes and approaches, runway shows, theatre productions, historical and transformable clothing, and the negative impact (and some possible solutions) that textiles, clothing and costumes have on the environment.

THEA 347 History of Fashion and Dress (3) *AEH Gen Ed Core- Aesthetics & Humanities

This course is designed to develop your knowledge of and appreciation for dress as it has evolved over time. We will focus on key moments and trends and examine how fashion and dress relate to social, political and cultural identities and meanings.

THEA 349 Advanced Musical Theatre Performance (3)

This course explores advanced performance in the musical theatre genre with an emphasis on solo and duet performance style and technique. Students will be given opportunities to create and express characters through musical pieces. Emphasis will be on developing the musical theatre character. This advance course is a continuation of THEA 249 basic skills.

THEA 350 Acting III (4)

The study of advanced acting technique for the performer. The approaches covered may vary, but could include Restoration performance styles, or Character acting o other methods such as the Meisner technique, Acting in Comedy or film acting. Prerequisites: Junior Standing.

THEA 351 Acting IV (4)

Expanding the actor’s instrument, particularly the voice is achieved through the study of Shakespeare’s verse and characters. Vocal diagnostic and exercises are employed as well as analysis of verse through scansion technique. Prerequisite: Acting 1, 2, and 3, and consent of instructor. Student must have at least sophomore standing to register for this course.

THEA 353 Play Direction (3) Institutional grad requirement – UWR

Exploring the principles and practices in beginning directing. Skills are learned through exercises and analysis, then applied to rehearsing a scene for public performance. Prerequisite: THEA 150 and 250. Student must have at least sophomore standing to register for this course.

THEA 354 Advanced Directing(3)

Advanced projects in directing are designed to challenge and stretch basic technique. Students are encouraged to develop a personal approach to their craft through work on stylized material and one-act plays performed for the public. Prerequisite: THEA 353. Student must have at least junior standing to register for this course.

THEA 355 Production and Performance(1-6)

Application and principles of acting and dramatic production. Credit available for students acting in or handling technical demands of scheduled performances. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Student must have at least sophomore standing to register for this course

THEA 360 Playwriting (3) *APC Gen Ed Core-Artistic Process & Creation

The Study and execution of Playwriting as it pertains to Theatre. Playwrights, and what makes a great play will be explored. The course will go through the process of writing elements of a play and culminate in a fully realized one-act.

THEA 362 Irish Plays (3) Institutional grad requirement – UWR & DPD

The Emerald Isle is explored through the history of its national theatre and the playwright’s words from the last century to the present. The course makes connections through the history and culture of Ireland and how it produced the Irish drama we have from its past to today. The Abbey Theatre, Irelands National Theatre will be emphasized through its history and the playwrights that participated in it from its inception. What about this Island’s spirit that creates the play? Through the texts the student will be given new insights to this question. Student must have at least junior standing to register for this course.

THEA 363 Banned Plays (3) Institutional grad requirement – UWR & DPD

This course covers those plays that, over the course of history, have been banned, censored, or suppressed. The propaganda, societal, religious, cultural, and political aspects of why plays have been “banned” will be covered from ancient to modern times. Students will analyze the plays in their historical context as well with a contemporary eye. Plays from Hamlet to Hair to Oedipus Rex to West Side Story are covered. Student must have at least junior standing to register for this course.

THEA 364 Advance Stagecraft and Design (4)

Advance Stagecraft, Scenic, and Lighting Design techniques and technology are explored and experienced. Students will have the opportunity to design and execute Production design and technology for Theatre or Music program’s Mainstage productions.

THEA 369 History of Musical Theatre (3)

This course explores the history and development of the genre of musical theatre. Emphasis will be placed specifically on the American Musical Comedy of the 20th century

THEA 406 Senior Project (3) Institutional grad requirement – UWR

The design, research and implementation of a project that reflects the student’s expertise and culmination of learning in an area of theatre scholarship or production. . Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Student must have at least junior standing to register for this course

THEA 407 Senior Seminar (1-5)

Intensive study of theatre topics with emphasis on student and faculty information exchange. Shared College of Arts and Sciences 132 presentations, resumes, graduate school information and Senior interests and ideas will be highlighted. Prerequisite: Senior status. Student must have at least junior standing to register for this course.

THEA 409 Practicum (1-15)

Selected students will gain practical supervised experience in some aspect of theatre productions. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Student must have at least junior standing to register for this course.

THEA 410 Selected Topics (1-6)

Topics of current interest/relevance to students and faculty. Student must have at least junior standing to register for this course.

THEA 425 The Theatre  (3)

The Theatre is an advanced course covering specific aspects of Theatre throughout its history. From the plays of Sophocles to Christopher Durang, from the Restoration Comedies to the realism of Ibsen may be included. Samples of all styles, genres, playwrights and movements are explored in a given term. Course is offered on-campus and on-line through alternating years. Student must have at least junior standing to register for this course.

THEA 475 Hollywood: The American Film Experience (3)

This advanced course covers aspects of Hollywood, the American Film experience from its inception to the present day. It will include but not be limited to genres, themes, styles, actors, directors, movements and the history of film in America.