An introduction to the study of dramatic literature, with particular reference to the realization of plays upon the stage. Plays from a variety of periods and countries are studied in terms of the use of theatrical space, plot and generic structure, characterization, theme, and language.
Emphasis is initially on ensemble, non-verbal, and improvisational work.
Students proceed to the application of their acquired skills to scripted material. Work consists of both theory and practice of voice and movement as they relate to the development of the actor. The work of selected theorists and practitioners of the 20th century and their contrasting ideas on the kind of expression and communication possible through the medium of the theatre. A study of how the interrelationship between director, actor, playwright and text influences the style of performance and the nature of audience response. 39L Modes of theatrical presentation from the Middle Ages to 1660.