The course provides the student with the fundamental vocabulary of the actor, with attention technique in general and a focus on a condensed form of Stanislavskian acting in particular. Scene work and various training exercises are required. Also included are discussions of the role and function of the director as an artist and the skills the director must develop.
Scene work with actors outside the class is required.
Participation in the activities of the Randolph-Macon Drama Guild in areas including performance, construction and crew work, stage management, design areas, and other related support and service activities. Credit is awarded upon the satisfactory completion of four semesters of activity. Students learn the vocabulary of equipment, the properties of modern scene materials, the advances in technological fields, and the professional standards in design and technology. A hands-on laboratory component is part of the course, as are occasional field trips to neighboring professional theatres. The course traces the development of major trends in playwriting, acting, directing, design, and general production practice from classical Greece to 1700.